Win 2 Taupo - Image of You Shines

Having just her third start, Image of You (4 m Pins - Exactly Like You, by Savabeel) resumed with a strong winning performance on 6 October at Taupo.

Four stable reps lined up in the GGL $12,000 Maiden 1300 metres and filled three of the first four places, with Image of You defeating debutante Amalfi Prince (Sebring), and Savasilk (Savabeel) in fourth.

Ridden by in form Michael McNab, currently second on the Jockey Premiership behind Lisa Allpress, Image of You was allowed to find her feet through the early stages, standing the leader eight lengths 600m out, but she made ground quickly nearing the turn and charged home in centre track.

She had ended her previous campaign finishing second over 1400 metres and seemed ideally drawn (5) to race well.

Coping with footing that downgraded after race one to Slow9, Image of You was well supported for her fresh-up run and returned $4.50 & $2.00 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She's a big mare that's needed time to mature,” said trainer Jamie Richards. “She had a few soundness issues early in her career, more through maturity than anything else, and the owners have had to be patient.

“We decided in the autumn to give her a nice break and bring her along quietly, and she's repaid our approach with a really good win.

“She's a laidback sort of mare that saves her best for when we put the blinkers on. She was well ridden by Michael (McNab), getting back before cutting the corner and once out to better ground in the straight she was able to win nicely.

“She's the type to get out over a mile pretty quickly.”

By Champion sire Pins (Snippet), sire of 19 Group 1 winners, 136 stakes winners, among over 2600 wins, and a phenomenal attribute to Waikato Stud and the New Zealand breeding industry.

Twice, Pins was NZ leading stallion for global progeny earnings and sire of the incredible galloper Ambitious Dragon. Ambitious Dragon won 13 races, including six group ones, the equivalent of NZ$10.9 million in prize money and twice named Hong Kong Horse of the Year.

Image of You was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $300,000 at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud, and owned by the Te Akau Mirror Image Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Out of young mare by six-time Champion sire Savabeel (Zabeel), her grand-dam Glitzy (O'Reilly) was a stakes winner among nine victories from 1200m - 1400m.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “She was an absolute cracker, a beautiful filly and the first foal from a Savabeel mare. A filly with a lot of quality, by a stallion that has been so influential in our industry, she walked very well, we really loved her, and she was an absolute must buy for us."

“You always hope these young horses that we buy can come of racing age in their two-year-old seasons, but some, like this filly, just don't have the natural precocity and they take a bit more time.

“We always try and buy horses that have the physical scope to train on at three, four, five, and six, as we've seen with the likes of Melody Belle and Avantage, Te Akau Shark, and Gingernuts etc.

“New Zealand breeds horses to keep improving as they mature and Image of You is a classic example. The owners have been very patient and I'm thrilled she resumed with such a good win. She's always shown ability and I'd like to thank them all for sticking with us.

“It was a really nice ride by Michael (McNab) and I'm thrilled to see him in such good form because he's a talented jockey and we need him in the industry and riding winners.”

Image of You was strapped by Te Akau Racing Manager Libby Richards.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz