The Dame Delivers

Striking grey filly Gris Dame (3 f Reliable Man - Double Babu, by Centaine) recorded a compelling second up victory in the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 14 November at Te Aroha.

Although having a '0' beside her name from the debut run at Tauranga, closer inspection of the performance should not have held too many reservations for supporters as she struck a stronger field and actually clocked a similar last 600m (34.7) to those that finished ahead.

“We were a bit deflated after Tauranga, but nothing went her way there,” said Jamie Richards, who co-trains with Stephen Autridge.

“A nice barrier (draw) and up to 1400m was always going to suit and probably the strong pace up front helped set it up for the backmarkers.”

Owned by the Te Akau Double Trouble Syndicate (Mgr: Julia-Rose Ellis), Gris Dame was given a good ride by Michael McNab.

Not rushed early, settling fourth last, Gris Dame filled the bridle approaching the 600m, quickened widest in the home straight to level at the 200m and sustained a strong finish to win by a long head.

In the race sponsored by the Te Aroha Stallion Placement Scheme, she ran the 1400 metres in 1:24.5 and last 600m in 35.9, on footing that copped some rain earlier in the day yet remained Good3.

The clever and loyal had a very nice payday as she returned well rounded fixed odds dividends: $20.00 to win and $5.00 for a place.

“She's a nice filly, going places, and hopefully she'll continue to improve,” Richards said.

“We thought she was an Oaks filly, so hopefully she can get to Ellerslie over Christmas and New Year and keep going the right way.  When Dave (Ellis) bought her at the Ready to Run Sale that was the intention we had with her. Julia-Rose Ellis sold her to friends and new owners and well done to her as well.”

Gris Dame was purchased by David Ellis for $125,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Ardsley Stud, and given her pedigree should just continue to improve with maturity.

“I'm not usually commissioned before the sales to buy horses, and normally buy on spec, but Julia-Rose (Ellis) commissioned me to buy a horse at the Ready to Run Sale that she wanted to syndicate for the first time,” Ellis said.

“She syndicated the filly amongst her friends and stable clients that are friends of hers and I thought, gee, I'd better get this right.  I told her I was going to buy this Reliable Man filly for her. So, she checked her out and thought she looked a nice filly. I thought I could buy her for about 60 or 70 thousand, but as luck had it one of the great judges from Australia, Mark Pilkington, was also really keen to buy and he pushed me to go further.

“It was a bit more than I wanted to pay, but to buy real quality sometimes you've got to do that and the way she won today we were just so thrilled. And she looked an exciting black type filly in the process, I thought.”

Inheriting the grey colouring from her sire Reliable Man (Dalakhani), Gris Dame is half-sister to dual Group One winner MacO'reilly (O'Reilly) and a granddaughter of 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Filly of the Year Plume (Crested Wave).

MacO'Reilly recorded his Group One wins in quick succession, winning the Whakanui Stud International Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Te Rapa, and the SkyCity New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie, both weight for age races in 2009. Plume went on to record a further 11 wins while racing at the top echelon in New Zealand, and their dam, Double Babu, has now left the winners of 18 races.

“Interestingly enough, I've just had Gerald Fell to the farm and he raced the grandmother (Plume),” Ellis said.

“Gerald's just had a visit to Te Akau Stud with some friends and I showed him around, and it was interesting that Gris Dame is a granddaughter of Plume.”

Ellis again reiterated his thanks to the staff.

“It's great to see the wonderful job the staff has done through an unbelievably difficult winter and spring, but all that hard work is paying off. The stable is on fire and we've got some really nice horses for the upcoming group races,” he said.

“Already, Te Akau is the first stable this season to hit one-million dollars in prize money and it's all pretty exciting.”
Gris Dame was strapped by Milou Grylls.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz