The Te Akau Treble - Masterful

Two became three, from as many runners, for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards on 30 August at Ashburton, when Bak Da Master (4 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess, by Danske) completed a hat-trick in the $10,000 Placemakers Ashburton Maiden 1600 metres.

A half-brother to Group One Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral) and Group One placed multiple stakes winner Ecuador (High Chaparral), Bak Da Master had two seconds and two thirds up to 2100 metres from four starts in his first campaign, boasted the consistency to go well fresh and with visor blinkers on he won accordingly.

“He's a slower maturing type of horse that we put away nice and early, at the back end of summer, and he had a good spell at Te Akau Stud,” said trainer Jamie Richards.

“He was back in training early, trialled a couple of times, and just needed ground so we were pretty keen to get him down there and work him towards some staying races. Hopefully, the win today is the first step of a nice stayer on the way through.

“He's progressive enough. Where he ends up I'm not sure, but I think he'll continue to give the owners some real pleasure and do a good job. He's still a bit light and hasn't matured that much, but he's got a bit more ring craft about him and doing everything right. It was good to see him switch off in the run and then finish off. He's just turned four, by Mastercraftsman out of a stout staying family, so he's only going to get better.”

After guiding Summer Monsoon (Stratum) to a comprehensive win in the previous race, Shafiq had Bak Da Master handily placed throughout and although tackled mid-straight he out stayed his rivals to draw away by two and a half lengths over the concluding stages.

In keeping with the win by Summer Monsoon, and Swing Note (Encosta De Lago), earlier on the card with Nik Bakar aboard, Bak Da Master closed at short odds: $1.60 & $1.20.

With a team of four horses already based at Riccarton, they are about to be joined by additional members over the weekend.

“We're very lucky that the CJC (Canterbury Jockey Club) look after us,” Richards said. “We've got good boxes and day yards at Riccarton, and it makes things a hell of a lot easier. Te Akau has had enormous success in the South Island, and we've started on the right note this season.”

Purchased by David Ellis for $90,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Leanach Lodge, for the Te Akau Master Syndicate, Bak Da Master is from an unraced Danske (Danehill) mare - half-sister to Waikato Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) winner Bak Da Chief (Chief Bearhart) - that is doing a great job at stud, with winning progeny of twenty races.

“What an outstanding feat - three out of three - and Jamie (Richards) has now trained five winners from ten runners this season,” Ellis said.

“Paul (Richards) is obviously doing a great job for him down there. He knows that course at Ashburton, having ridden many, many winners on that track. He knew the place to be and they were all beautifully ridden.

“I got a big thrill out of seeing Nik (Bakar) back up after winning last week and he's a hell of an asset with a four-kilo claim, and he rode Swing Note very well. Suppy (Shafiq) is a class act, as we all know, and if he's not the best jockey at the moment in New Zealand, then I don't know who is.

“He's incredibly fit, riding plenty of work five days a week, and fitness is what it's all about being a jockey. They all make much better decisions when they're really fit. He's come from a very competitive environment when riding for Mark (Walker) in Singapore, and the results are really showing for him here.

“All three winners are raced by some of our very best clients and we're thrilled because some of Te Akau's biggest supporters, Robert & Donna Rudd, and her mother Joy, had shares between them in all three winners, and going back to the 2000 Guineas they were only a nose away from the trifecta when we won it Embellish, second was Age Of Fire, and Te Akau Shark was fourth. It's quite amazing for them to have had all that success.”

“It was very good,” said Robert Rudd, with a chuckle, referring to the hat-trick of winners.

“I was just watching it on the iPad at work and look forward to seeing it recorded on the big screen at home, later. Donna and I have shares in Summer Monsoon and Bak Da Master, and Joy has a share in Swing Note. We don't usually drink during the week, but we might have to celebrate with a bottle of bubbles tonight.

“I was a bit uncertain of them running on the heavy track, but Shafiq and Nik put the horses in the right place. It's the lowest I've seen the head carriage of Bak Da Master, right down, and he's learning to settle rather than over-race.

“All being a year older and a bit stronger, they got through the ground, and they had all trialled well on heavy ground at Te Teko, so we're absolutely thrilled.”

Bak Da Master was strapped by Nik Bakar.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz