Triple Winning Matamata Treat

Te Akau New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards and our team celebrated a trifecta of wins at our home course Matamata on Saturday ... here is the first ...

After winning with plenty in hand at the trials, You're Welcome (3 g Camelot - Chorus of Angels, Rock of Gibraltar) saluted on debut in the $10,000 K R Bell Electrical Maiden 1200 metres on 29 December at Matamata.

From the first Australian bred crop of a Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in Europe and Great Britain, Camelot (Montjeu), You're Welcome is bred to get over ground - holds a NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) nomination - but uses himself well and got the job done for rider Opie Bosson.

After working forward to settle outside the leader, You're Welcome gained an advantage inside the 200m when asked to extend and had his rivals covered thereafter to win narrowly but well.

“He had to work early, but he came back to me beautifully and didn't over race,” Bosson said. “It took a little bit to get him up underneath me, but he always had them covered.

“He definitely wants to go further and relaxing the way he does he could be looking at a Derby trip in time. He's always shown enough at home and his trial win last time was very impressive.”

On Dead5 footing, You're Welcome ran the 1200 metres in 1:10.8, last 600m in 35.8, and paid $2.40 & 1.40 on the NZ TAB.

Boasting rich international pedigree, You're Welcome was purchased by David Ellis for $200,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the Curraghmore draft.

He has a lovely Danehill influence in his pedigree: on the dam side of his sire Camelot and through Rock of Gibraltar on his female side.

You're Welcome is owned by Steve Mace, Paul Gallen, Wayne Knight, Jim & Pauline Hepburn, Wade Graham, Matthew Fitzgerald, Damian Nash and Brett Lambert.

“He's a horse with a lot of upside and Opie (Bosson) was very impressed with him as one to keep improving,” Ellis said.

“One of the owners, Chris Russell, who's also in Te Akau Shark along with other owners in You're Welcome, only has a share in the two horses and he's had a total of seven starts for six wins.

“He's another good horse I've bought from Curraghmore Stud, a farm that produces some terrific horses and I've really liked the progeny of Camelot. I saw him in Europe. He was a fantastic racehorse that won two Derbies and it's a tragedy that he's not still shuttling to the Southern Hemisphere at the moment.

“Like his sire, Montjeu, he's a stallion that would really suit New Zealand, and disappointing we don't have a lot more sires like him to take over from High Chaparral and other good staying sires. Camelot was one of the best horses of his era in Europe. I've bought three of them and they can all gallop.

“It seems Camelot didn't get the necessary support in Australia, but had he been in New Zealand he would have gained terrific support.”

The win by You're Welcome kept Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards ahead in the premiership.

“That was the 51^st win this season for the stable and another horse that Jamie has prepared to win first up, which is not easy to do,” Ellis said. “So, he's done a great job training the horse and the owners will be thrilled.”

Richards said You're Welcome had plenty of maturing still to come and a patient approach would be adopted.

“I think it was important to be positive today,” Richards said. “Foo and Songs was always going to lead, but he'd shown good gate speed at the trials although he's still a work in progressive. He never came off the bridle at Te Aroha (trials), so to quicken up today was a good effort.

“He's a little bit immature, still, so we'll wait and see how he does. There's no rush and if he needs a little bit of time we'll give it to him. We'll give him three or four weeks (between races) and see how he does.

“He's owned by some pretty important owners in the stable and it's a good win for them, and another good winner that Dave (Ellis) bought out of the Ready to Run Sale.”

You're Welcome was strapped by Chelsea Burdan.

“Chelsea is an apprentice with Te Akau and she's got a really good future as a rider,” Ellis said. “She won her first race day ride and you'll hear a lot more about her in six months time.”

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz