Te Aroha Trials' Observations

Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, who won the premiership last season with 104 wins, turned out a lovely brigade of horses at the trials on 13 December at Te Aroha.  Today we highlight the performances of horses bought by David Ellis -

Weather: fine, track: Good3, rail: out 8 metres.

Heat 2: Open 1000 metres (1 ½ lengths, head 59.7)

Gingernuts (3 g Iffraaj - Double Elle) - Matt Cameron; received a lovely trail behind the leader and worked through the line strongly for second.

Purchased by David Ellis for $42,500 at the 2015 NZB Ready to Run Sale, he shone immediately last season as a two-year-old when runner-up on debut to stable-mate Hall of Fame (Savabeel), who has won three times, including the Listed Zacinto Stakes at Riccarton by five lengths,  and was one of the favourites for the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m). Gingernuts showed raw ability to win his only subsequent start and appears set for a good campaign as a more mature individual.

Astrid (5 m Pins - Astralita) - Jasmine Fawcett; travelled comfortably in fifth on the inner and sticking to the rail she displayed good endeavour, without urging, to finish close up in fourth.

David Ellis bought Astrid for $80,000 at the 2013 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. She has beaten some good fields and the three time winner looks in the right shape to win more races.

Heat 3: Open 1000 metres (1 length, ½ a lengths 59.0)

Xtravagant (4 h Pentire - Axiom) - Matt Cameron; sat just off the leader and once into a rhythm on straightening he cruised on to lead and win well.

Named Champion Three-Year-Old, his 8.5-length victory in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), in race record time (1:33.5), at Riccarton, and weight-for-age NRM Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) win by eight lengths at Te Rapa, are performances etched into the memory bank forever as some of the most exciting in recent times.

The winner of six races and nearly half a million in prize money, he was a $375,000 purchase by David Ellis, for the 2014 Te Akau Breeding Syndicate, at the 2014 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.

Xtravagant is gearing up for a crack at the $250,000 Telegraph Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m) on Saturday January 21 at Trentham, a race that Te Akau has won previously with Darci Brahma (Danehill) and King's Chapel (King of Kings).

Spritz (4 m Thorn Park - Spray) - Jasmine Fawcett; sat last, tracked up nicely in the straight and worked through the line in good fashion.

A mare that kept improving and built to an NZB Pearl Series win in June over a mile at Avondale, she was bought by David Ellis for $50,000 at the 2014 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. She has shown consistency in her races and the ability to gain more success.

Heat 4 2YO 800 metres (1 ½ lengths, 1 ½ lengths 46.6)

Aquilo (2 c Snitzel - My My Maree) - Michael McNab (main picture); mustered through to lead against the rail and showed plenty of resolve to win well.

A powerfully built colt, purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, he is a half-brother to Group One winning two-year-old Marky Marky (Makfi), and boasts the right pedigree and attitude to show up when presented at the races.

Heat 6 2YO 800 metres (½ a length, neck 47.0)

Cousteau (2 c Exceed and Excel - Martime) - Michael McNab; got back off the pace before improving around the home turn and he tracked up nicely behind the leaders while being held together in fourth.

He was purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 in January this year at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. A half-brother to Group Two & Three winner Charlie Boy (Myboycharlie), he is a smart looking colt that appears ready to make his presence felt.

Heat 7 2YO 800 metres (1 ½ lengths, 4 lengths 47.7)

Full of Grace (2 c O'Reilly - Tuesday's Child) - Michael McNab; was caught wide in the run which saw him travel over extra ground, but can only improve on his first outing.

David Ellis purchased him as a yearling for $110,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Sale. Both Ellis and Cambridge Stud master Sir Patrick Hogan, who offered the colt for sale, loved him as a type and being out of a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare felt he had the makings of an autumn two-year-old to train on at three and older.

Heat 8 2YO 800 metres (2 ¼ lengths, ½ a length 47.1)

Icebomb (2 f Darci Brahma - Snowdonia) - Cameron Lammas; was given a lovely trip in behind the first two and once across their heels at the 250m she lengthened beautifully to win impressively.

Purchased privately for $50,000 by David Ellis earlier in the year from Jamieson Park, she is another lovely filly by Darci Brahma (Danehill) and looks to have all the right attributes to make it as a racehorse.

Heat 13 Maiden 800 metres (2 lengths, 1 ¼ lengths 47.2)

Alrina (3 f Alamosa - Zorina) - Opie Bosson; jumped straight to the lead and maintained both a two length advantage and smooth gallop throughout to win comfortably. 

In the colours of Mansoor Gandhi, who recently purchased three colts by Savabeel, Ocean Park, and Star Witness, at the Ready to Run Sale, selected by David Ellis, Alrina has been patiently handled and she now looks ready to race..

Heat 16 Maiden 1000 metres (Neck, 1 ¼ lengths 59.9)

Zavistic (3 g Zacinto - Miss Avalon) - Jasmine Fawcett; had a tendency to get his head up in the run, but once let stride in the straight he appeared a lot more settled and made up plenty of ground.

By the sire of recent 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Ugo Foscolo (Zacinto), he is a half-brother to Champion Two-Year-Old Vespa (Elusive City) and from the draft of Valachi Downs he was purchased for $100,000 by David Ellis at the 2015 NZB Premier Yearling Sale.

He campaigned very consistently to record four thirds in as many starts as a two-year-old, and his reward will be forthcoming.

Heat 17 Maiden 1000 metres (¾ lengths, ¾ lengths 1:01.0)

Gardenier (4 m Rip Van Winkle - Miss Montjeu) - Cameron Lammas; eased for cover off a wide gate, standing the leader seven lengths at the 600m, she travelled into it, without urging, widest on the track.

A half-sister to recent winning stable-mate Chambord (Zabeel), she was purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2014 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, and although a mare that has taken time to physically mature she has shown enough in a handful of starts to suggest a breakthrough at short notice.

Heat 23 Maiden 1200 metres (neck, 1 length 1:12.3)

Colorado Prince (3 g Alamosa - Sweet Dreams Baby) - Cameron Lammas; was sent forward wide to race in second and kept up a pleasing gallop for third.

A half-brother to stakes performed sisters Darci's Dream and Windborne, both by Darci Brahma (Danehill) and trained by Te Akau, he looks to have inherited the family ability and should provide Fortuna Syndication members, who with John Galvin, recently celebrated their 100^th winner with Te Akau, some success.

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