Two Wins at Taupo - No.1 Miss Aotearoa

Fresh from winning the Trainers' Premiership last season, trainer Jamie Richards was back in the groove when Miss Aotearoa (3 f Per Incanto - Danex, by Danasinga) won the $25,000 Taupo Pak'nSave Fillies 1100 metres on 12 August at Taupo.

Richards won 20 stakes' races during the 2019/20 season, including 11 Group 1 victories, and Miss Aotearoa also brought strong stakes' winning peerage to the table. In the Milan Park Stud colours of owner/breeder Tony Rider, she is a half-sister to Matriarch Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) and dual listed winner Oceanex (Ocean Park), along with Group 3 and listed winner Amexed (Pentire), while race winning dam Danex (Danasinga), stemming from an Okawa Stud family, has now left 10 winners of 24 races.

Miss Aotearoa had spelled after
finishing fifth on debut to stable-mate and subsequent Waikato Slipper (Gr. 3,
1200m) winner Need I Say More (No Nay Never) in February at Matamata, but won
all four of her trials including a recent strong gallop on 28 July at Te Rapa.

In the run, and following a
relaxed preliminary, Miss Aotearoa improved to travel sweetly in midfield and
she sustained a strong effort wide of centre track to claim victory under
Danielle Johnson.

“She a very promising filly and
we've always held her in high regard,” Richards said. “She had one start as a
two-year-old and we put her away and looked after her, and she's got a bright
future.”

On the strength of her both her
trial and race form Miss Aotearoa was far from neglected by punters, returning
$6.00 & $2.10 as second favourite on the NZ TAB tote. She scored by a short
head in 1:06.9 for 1100 metres on Slow7 footing.

“She was a little bit slowly
away, but probably the way to ride them now - back, out a bit deeper on better
ground - and I thought Danielle rode her well. She had also ridden her in her
last trial.

“It's really good to have a nice
filly in the stable for Tony Rider and I think she'll be seen in much better
races throughout her career.

“It's good to win a $25,000 Maiden race. It's been a good horses' race and she'll be in a better class of race very shortly.”

In recent years, the corresponding race has been won by Group 2 & 3 winner Xpression (Showcasing), stakes' winner and Group 3 placed Astor (Iffraaj), 1000 Guineas' (Gr. 1, 1600m) runner-up Bella Gioia (Swiss Ace), and Darci's Dream (Darci Brahma), who also finished second in the 1000 Guineas and won the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m).

“Tony (Rider) is a top breeder
and I was thrilled that we've trained an early season winner for him,” said Te
Akau principal David Ellis CNZM. “It's great to train for people like Tony that
put so much into the industry and this mare (Danex) has really become a top
producer.

“She's by Per Incanto, who stands
at one of New Zealand's leading stud farms and just last week we went to
function that Little Avondale and Haunui Farm put on. It's great to see the
studs working so hard to attract broodmares and they do a great job.

“It was terrific to get off to
such a great start and I think today is the start of an exciting season, not
just for Te Akau Racing but everyone involved in the industry.

“I was over in Matamata yesterday
and had a look at all the horses and was very impressed with how they're all
coming up, and by how hard all the staff have been working.”

Miss Aotearoa was strapped by Anna Jones.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

Back