Toast to our Pretty Pinot

As professional as you like, Pinot Grey (2 f Burgundy - Streaming, by Stravinsky) hardly turned a hair when winning impressively on debut in the $10,000 2YO 1000 metres on Thursday at Otaki.

The only runner at the meeting for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, Pinot Grey was a standout yearling purchase by David Ellis for $145,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale, from the draft of Cambridge Stud, for the Te Akau Pinot Grey Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“Jamie (Richards) has been telling me for a long time that this is an exceptionally good two-year-old filly and I love to see it when the boy's judgement is spot on,” Ellis said.

“With Steve away training Gingernuts in Melbourne, the Jamie and team have done a terrific job with the horses at home in Matamata, and overseeing the horses at Riccarton. They are all working very long hours and it's great to see the horses going so well.

“I was really keen to buy this filly, as she was an absolute standout on type and moves beautifully.

“I was actually back at home on the farm when this filly came up for sale. And, I'll never forget being up the back of the farm in my truck and buying her from there. When she went over $100,000 I thought that was enough, but it was Jamie who kept pushing me to go further as he'd fallen in love with her and she has been a star from day one.”

Ellis suggested Pinot Grey could soon be seen in a stakes' race, on her way to the Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m) on 27 January during the Iconic meeting at Ellerslie.

“A one-million dollar two-year-old race, thanks to New Zealand Bloodstock, and how exciting is that for the owners?,” Ellis said. “To buy a filly in January, have her win like she did within ten months and then prepare for a million dollar race. It doesn't get much more exciting.

“On my recommendation, some of our long-standing owners came into the filly, including my accountant Gilbert Southworth, Glenn and Cathie Holmes, John Elstob, Nita Herbst, and I'm thrilled for them and all her owners.”

She took the eye of commentator Tony Lee beforehand: “Everything looks right,” he said. “The preliminary was beautiful, tucked the head on the chest and rolled along like a filly with a bit of quality”.

Pinot Grey caught the start well to lead from barrier two and after travelling ‘as sweet as a nut' was untouched by rider Cameron Lammas to win with her ears pricked by five lengths.

“$1.60 the tote, you got a $1.85 with bookmakers and she's won like a $1.05 shot,” Lee said.

Before racing, Pinot Grey had been seen once at the trials, 14 September over 600 metres at Avondale, where she began smartly to lead and found plenty when challenged to win well.

“It was a very good win and we've loved her since we first saw her at the sale,” Richards said. “She exceeded our budget, by Dave (Ellis) was strong.

“Cameron (Lammas) had educated and liked her all the way through and she gave him an armchair ride.”

By the five time stakes' winning stallion Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), a three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma (Danehill), both purchased by Ellis and trained by Te Akau, Pinot Grey is the first foal of an unraced Stravinsky mare, from a family that has produced a lot of two-year-old winners.

“She's out of a young Stravinsky mare and as I have said so often, ‘I love buying first foals', Ellis said.

Burgundy gained notoriety as a freshman sire when his first three two-year-olds to race all won and he tops the stakes winners list this season. Standing at Cambridge Stud, he has a full book for the current breeding season.   Burgundy has a high quality influence, on his dam side, of the stallion Nureyev (Northern Dancer), and Nureyev is also the sire of Stravinsky - producing a lovely cross in the pedigree.

Pinot Grey became his eighth winner in his brief career to date.

“It's unbelievable how well Burgundy is doing as a sire,” Ellis said. “He's done an amazing job with the mares he's had. Now he's getting some beautiful mares and I can see him proving himself to be a great stallion.”

Pinot Grey stems from the family of Makybe Diva (Desert King), voted Australian Horse of the Year (twice) and famous for winning three Melbourne Cups (Gr. 1, 3200m) in a row.

In winning, she joined fellow debut winners for the stable, Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and Irish Cream (O'Reilly), while Queen of the Air (I Am Invincible) and Dublin Rose (O'Reilly) have already exuded their promise in each finishing second on debut.

Pinot Grey was strapped by Hannah Lowry.

“Hannah is a top young woman who does a great job riding work for us, and is just in the process of finishing her university degree,” Ellis said.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz