Unbeaten Group 1 Winner Resumes

The Informant reports:

A star-studded field will line up in the Tavistock Northland Breeders' Stakes at Ruakaka tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, with top billing belonging to the unbeaten Group One winner Heroic Valour.

The Listed race has become one of the standout three-year-old features of the early New Zealand spring, with the last five renewals won by Antonio Lombardo, Sacred Falls, El Roca, Vespa and The Justice League.

Tomorrow promises to bring another high-class renewal, with most interest centred around the comeback of Heroic Valour. The Fastnet Rock colt is unbeaten in three starts, the most recent being the Gr. 1 Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie in early March.

"It's exciting to have a horse like him and we can't wait to get his three-year-old campaign underway."

Bought for $400,000 as a yearling at Karaka by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, Heroic Valour became the first of Fastnet Rock's progeny anywhere in the world to win a Group One race at two. He now has his sights set on the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.

“What can you say about a horse like him?” co-trainer Jamie Richards queried. “He was unbeaten as a two-year-old and won a Group One. It's exciting to have a horse like him and we can't wait to get his three-year-old campaign underway.

“We're very happy with him. He's come back really nicely. He's had a couple of quiet trials which have brought him on a lot and he's ready to run a very bold race.”

This is familiar territory for Te Akau, Richards and senior training partner Stephen Autridge. They contested this race last year with another unbeaten colt, Xtravagant, who hung badly throughout the race and finished outside the placings. But he quickly overcame that early season setback, going on to win two Group Ones and claim the title of champion three-year-old.

“It was possibly our mistake to run Xtravagant in this race last year, he was questionable right-handed,” Richards said. “But this horse is a completely different kettle of fish. He's got more races under his belt, he's a Group One winner and he's proven right-handed. He's a real racehorse, he doesn't have some of those little tendencies that Xtravagant had. We're expecting him to be very competitive.”

Heroic Valour will be ridden by Te Akau's number-one jockey Matt Cameron, who was aboard for the colt's first two wins but opted to ride stablemate Sassy 'N' Smart in the Diamond Stakes. Heroic Valour has drawn seven in tomorrow's 11-horse field.

Safely through tomorrow's resuming run, Heroic Valour is set to head to Hastings for the Gr. 2 Hawke's Bay Guineas.

“That will be his next run after this, at Hastings on October 1,” Richards said. “Then he'll have one more run between that and the 2000 Guineas. It could be the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa, the Armadillo Stakes at Riccarton or something else. There are quite a few options. We'll pick one that suits him best.”

Back