Team Te Akau Shoot for Remarkable 2YO Treble

The tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing have completely dominated New Zealand two-year-old ranks this season, and Saturday's Gr. 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni gives them the chance to sign off on a high.

Success in juvenile features is nothing new for the Te Akau juggernaut, in recent years alone Heroic Valour winning the Gr. 1 Diamond Stakes in 2016 and Melody Belle capturing the Karaka Million, Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes and Gr. 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes last year.

But they have taken that to a new level in 2017-18 with quinellas in the Karaka Million and Sistema (Diamond) Stakes. Avantage beat Al Hasa in the Karaka Million in late January, then Sword Of Osman stole the show and ended Avantage's unbeaten sequence in the Sistema earlier this month.

For good measure, Al Hasa was also a six-length winner of the Listed Welcome Stakes at Riccarton and Sword Of Osman won the Gr. 3 Reid & Harrison Slipper at Matamata by almost the same wide margin.

“Sword Of Osman and Avantage have had three weeks between the Sistema and the Sires' Produce Stakes, which is ideal.”

Sword Of Osman and Avantage will renew their rivalry in Saturday's $225,000 Awapuni feature, while trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards will also saddle the multiple black-type placegetter Handsome Rebel for the Fortuna Handsome Rebel Syndicate.

“We're very happy with all three of our runners,” Richards told The Informant this week. “Sword Of Osman and Avantage have had three weeks between the Sistema and the Sires' Produce Stakes, which is ideal. We like to space the runs out for our two-year-olds.

“We've been really pleased with how Sword Of Osman has come through his Ellerslie win. His work has been excellent. Now we're just hoping for a good track on Saturday.”

The Awapuni course proper was rated Dead6 on Tuesday. After occasional midweek rain, mostly fine weather is forecast ahead of the weekend.

“Avantage is one who would handle a little bit of give in the ground,” Richards said. “She's also been doing very well since Ellerslie. She's tightened up nicely and we can't fault her.”

Handsome Rebel placed in all of his first four starts, including the Gr. 3 Phoenix Park Classic at New Plymouth and the Slipper at Matamata. He broke through for a deserved maiden home track win at his last start, clearing out impressively to score by four lengths.

“He wasn't far away in some good races and then he won well last time,” Richards said. “He deserves an opportunity in a race like this. Any rain would enhance his chances.”

Te Akau's number-one jockey Opie Bosson guided Avantage to victory in the Karaka Million before switching to the higher-weighted Sword Of Osman and winning the Sistema. He continues his association with the Savabeel gelding this weekend, with Danielle Johnson on Avantage and former star Singapore apprentice Shafiq Rusof booked for Handsome Rebel.