Wake Awake - Wow

Although having to survive a protest, Wide Awake (3 g Savabeel - Kay's Awake, by Towkay) showed plenty of raw ability when winning the Print House 1600 metres by 1.5 lengths on 1 March at Te Rapa.

From seventh at the 800m, Wide Awake swept into contention rounding the home turn but a combination of unleashing a sprint and greenness saw him angle across the face of the field, towards the rail, at the 300 metres and despite victory never being in doubt the Stewards were compelled to look into the footage, after the runner up connections' protested, before declaring him the winner.

“That Opie (Bosson) could be a racing car driver too,” said co-trainer Stephen Autridge, cheekily, after watching Bosson ride out the finish.

“The second horse (Sensibility) who protested was inconvenienced but not to the extent of costing her a length and a half (the winning margin) according to the Stewards,” Autridge said. “And Opie said he's won by a length and a half but could have won by three (lengths).

“He's still very green but Opie really likes him and reckons he's one of those horses that next time in he could be going around in Open races and he's shown ability the whole way through.”

Wide Awake ran the 1600 metres in 1:37.2 and final 600m in 36.1, and while the lucrative opening fixed odds of $4.80 & $2.00 continued to be crunched during the day they closed at $2.30 & $1.30 fixed and $2.10 & $1.00 on the tote.

With the addition of visor blinkers, Wide Awake saluted at his fifth start, following two places for the Te Akau Wide Awake Syndicate (Mgr: D C Ellis).

Ellis purchased Wide Awake for $150,000 at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale, from the draft of Monovale Farm, having already bought his half-brothers Alert and Rise ‘N' Shine, both by by Zabeel (Sir Tristram).

Alert was a brilliant trial winner before breaking through as an early three-year-old and going on to race in the NZ Derby, and Rise ‘N' Shine also showed his ability early on at the trials before joining Mark Walker at Te Akau Singapore, where he recorded three wins from his first five starts and $142,000 in stakes' earnings.

“He's a top-class colt from a family we really like and have already had success with,” said Ellis, at the time of purchase.

“I think he is the best foal this mare has left to date and he has all the makings of the type of horse we try to buy and aim towards the three year old classic races. He's by a champion sire [Savabeel] and his progeny are really doing the job.”

His dam Kay's Awake showed to be an impressive performer in her career of six wins and was regarded as one of the very best race mares over the past decade in New Zealand, placing twice behind both Darci Brahma (Danehill) and Seachange (Cape Cross).

The win by Wide Awake cemented a special day for owners Ray & Jan Batten, who also shared in the ownership of Grazia, a winner earlier on the programme, and who previously scaled the heights of ownership with the Te Akau trained 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago).

“One-hundred percent and the first time we've ever had two horses race on the same day,” Batten said.

The win placed trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards only one off the lead in the Trainers Premiership, having registered 61 wins so far this season.

Wide Awake was strapped by Dennis Tan.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz