Winner: He's Cool & Fast

Making it back-to-back wins on the course, Cool ‘N’ Fast (4 g Savabeel – Cool ‘N’ Sassy, by Testa Rossa) won the $18,500 Betty Chan Wadley Memorial Rating 75 1400 metres on 12 March at Ashburton.

Having sustained a strong run after trailing to win the Rating 65 1400 metres on 20 February, which resulted in the 80th win this season for premiership leading trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, Cool ‘N’ Fast kept a good run going for the stable and their eighth victory in the last eight days. 

Te Akau won their 16th Training Premiership title in the 2024/25 season, keeping alive an unbeaten six-year streak, which coincided with Walker & Bergerson also being named Champion Trainers, after recording 131 wins and establishing a new record of $9.27 million in prize money, while the 93 wins, so far, this season has earned owners $6.4 million.

Given a good ride by apprentice jockey Triston Moodley (a1), who won aboard stable-mate Novelette (Cool Aza Beel) earlier on the programme, Cool ‘N’ Fast recovered after being squeezed at the start to travel handily in fifth, received a perfect split entering the home straight, and really attacked the line after quickening to lead at the 250m.

It was a very good effort up in grade by Cool ‘N’ Fast, and signalled the previously impressive debut winning two-year-old, that was off the scene for a lengthy period with injury, had taken a huge boost in confidence from his last start course/distance win. 

On Good4 footing, Cool ‘N’ Fast ran 1400 metres in 1:23.0, last 600m in 34.9 (approx.), and paid $4.10 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was really good to see him win so well again and a lovely ride of Triston’s,” Walker said. 

“He’s got his confidence back to win consecutive races and the change in scene by transferring him to our stable in the South Island really seems to have agreed with him. 

“It will be interesting to see what level he gets to. He’s always shown promise, was impressive beating a good field in his first start as a two-year-old, and the different environment has coincided with him finding his form again. 

“Hunter (Durrant) and the team have got all the horses looking good and its being reflected in the way they’re racing and the wins they’ve had.

“We’ve had four wins apiece from the stables at Matamata and Riccarton in the last wee while and its good for the owners and all the staff that put so much into it.”

The win was also significant in that Cool ‘N’ Fast is a brother to Cool Aza Beel, the sire of winning stable-mate Novelette, each bred by Fairdale Stud and purchased as yearlings by Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM at Karaka. The Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel) was from the Fairdale draft, with Cool ‘N’ Fast prepared on their behalf and offered through the Hallmark Stud draft.

Keeping it in the family, the performances were also notable as Te Akau trained Top Shelf (Savabeel) for the Fell family (Fairdale Stud) to win the $80,000 Elsdon Park Rating 75 1600 metres last Saturday at Ellerslie.

As mentioned, Ellis purchased the pair as yearlings at Karaka, and while the Champion Two-Year-Old Cool Aza Beel is doing a great job as a stallion at Newhaven Park (NSW) in Australia, Cool ‘N’ Fast is certainly heading in the right direction with three wins from 10 starts for owners in the Te Akau Cool ‘N’ Fast Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

“I got a real thrill to see him (Cool ‘N’ Fast) step up in grade and win so well again,” Ellis said.

“He was really impressive winning an $80k race on debut, beating Savaglee (Savabeel) who went on to win the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), but he had a few setbacks and didn’t end up racing as a three-year-old.

“It’s been a great week for the Fell family, as we trained a winner (Top Shelf) for them on Champions Day at Ellerslie, and now these two horses they’ve bred, Cool ‘N’ Fast and Cool Aza Beel, have won and sired a winner today.

“I bought Cool ‘N’ Fast out of the Hallmark Stud draft, after Fairdale relinquished their yearling preparations and sent them to the Baker’s at Hallmark, and they chose wisely because they do such a great job and we’ve bought some very good horses from Hallmark.”

Ellis made the comments after spending the day showing people yearlings on the farm at Te Akau Stud.

“We’ve still got shares in some beautiful yearlings that have settled in really well on the farm and we’re busy taking tours and talking to people that are interested.

“Of course, the best advertising we can have is getting winners and Karyn and I are both so proud of the staff at the stables in Matamata, Riccarton, and Melbourne. 

“I’ve always said that our horses peak when we have consistent weather and good footing, which has not been that easy to get this summer, but the winners are coming consistently now, we had a great Champions Day with the team at Ellerslie, and we know everyone it trying their best and giving the horses every chance.”

Both Cool ‘N’ Fast and Cool Aza Beel are by 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), and carry the sire influence of Testa Rossa (Perugino), Red Ransom (Roberto), and Bletchingly (Biscay), on their dam side. 

Dam Cool ‘n’ Sassy won three times to 1200 metres in Australia, and Cool ‘N’ Fast is line bred to immortal sire Northern Dancer along with blue blood producing mare Special, the dam of 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Champion Sire Nureyev. 

The sire of Cool ‘n’ Sassy, Testa Rossa, was a Group One winner aged two, three, and four, before becoming a multiple Group One producing sire and now versatile and proven broodmare sire.

A young sire at Newhaven Park Stud in NSW, Australia, with first crop three-year-olds, Cool Aza Beel has already produced Group One winner Cool Archie and five-time winner Cool Aza Rene, purchased by Ellis as a yearling on the Gold Coast, who included winning the Barneswood Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m).  

Cool ‘N’ Fast was strapped by Leah Norvall. 

Photo credit - Ajay Berry - www.raceimages.co.nz