Two at Te Rapa for Te Akau

The Informant reports:

A gutsy maiden victory by possible New Zealand 1000 Guineas' prospect Tatters completed an early double at Te Rapa on Wednesday for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.

The team's first win came in the third race on the programme when the wonderfully bred four-year-old Imperium, by Encosta De Lago out of Ethereal, scored by a head to record his second victory in six career appearances.

Just over an hour later they were back in the winners' circle again, this time with Tatters in the maiden 1200-metre race. Te Akau won the corresponding event last year with subsequent 2000 Guineas' runner-up Rockfast.

Ridden by Michael Coleman, Tatters hit the lead early in the run home but soon found herself under siege on both flanks as Essence Of Cool, Gumboots and stablemate Our Abbadean charged into contention.

But the Tavistock filly found more and fought off her challengers, holding on for a narrow but authoritative victory.

A daughter of the Stravinsky mare Rattle, Tatters was bought by Autridge for just $6,500 at the 2014 Festival Yearling Sale at Karaka. She has now had five starts for a win and two placings.

Coleman's parents Peter and Pauline share in the ownership of the bay filly, along with well-known Karaka bid spotter John Price. She was bred by the Dowager Duchess of Bedford in partnership with Brighthill Farm's Anne-Marie King.

“I'm very happy with that result,” Autridge said. “I just love winning races anyway but I have some very close friends who are in the ownership of that little filly and I'm very happy to win a race for them.

“I'd like to think we can get her to black-type level, there's no reason why not. There was some merit in those couple of placings she had earlier on.”

One of 12 fillies trained by Autridge and Richards to hold a nomination for the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 14, Tatters is currently rated a $61 chance in the TAB's fixed-odds market for the classic.