Winner: Honour Roll Rockets Home

Doing it in style, Honour Roll (2 g Savabeel – Honor, by Rip Van Winkle) led home a Te Akau quinella in the $17,000 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden 2YO 1200 metres on 13 May at Matamata.

Smart when winning at the trials before a debut third in February at Tauherenikau, Honour Roll was freshened by trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, and indicated his readiness to resume with a strong run to win at the trials on 21 April at Avondale.

A compact and natural type of two-year-old with a good action, Honour Roll began from barrier three to lead, travelled sweetly and cornered well for the run home, before racing clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths.

On Soft7 footing, Honour Roll ran 1200 metres in 1:12.1, last 600m in 36.4, and paid $3.20 & $1.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

“We gave him a break when we did, after his first run, thinking that the black type races in July could be suitable, but now that he’s won impressively on a decent track it could mean we look more towards his three-year-old season,” Bergerson said.

“It’s fantastic prize money throughout the whole year, now, and it’s an exciting time to race horses in New Zealand and Australia, especially a young horse like him and it’s great for the owners.”

It was also a very good effort for second by debutante filly The Queen’s Sword (Sword Of State), who came from eighth and seven lengths astern at the 600m with a strong finish near the rail.

A beautifully conformed filly that made up plenty to win a trial prior to racing, The Queen’s Sword finishing second won her owners the $4,000 Pearl Series bonus, being a scheme for fillies and mares. 

“She would have learned a lot and we think she’s going to be a really nice three-year-old filly,” Bergerson added. 

“Masa (Hashizume) gave her a great ride from the draw (10) and she attacked the line late. Obviously, the winner skipped away, but she’s a nice filly to look forward to next season.” 

Owned by Te Akau Honour Me Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Honour Roll became the 13th individual two-year-old winner this season for trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson. 

From the family dual Group One winner Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Honour Roll was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $190,000 at the 2025 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud, who also bred and owns the three-year-old sister Get Honor, a smart debut winner in January at Sandown, trained by Mark Walker from the Te Akau stable at Cranbourne. 

“It was really good to see him win the way he did, today,” Walker said. “He showed quite a bit early on, but became too coltish and since he’s been gelded, he’s come back a different horse.

“It was a good, positive, ride of Michael’s and he seemed to appreciate the Soft7 conditions. He was strong at the end of 1200 metres.

“I actually recommended the mare (Honor) to Mark Chittick (Waikato Stud), after I trained her in Singapore. She won over 1000 metres and had a lot of speed.

“She’s by Rip Van Winkle and looks like she’s turning out to be a useful broodmare. We’ve got the first foal (Get Honor) in the stables at Cranbourne, and she won her first start, so it’s good to see the mare has now had two to race for two wins. 

“He was a good value purchase Honour Roll and it looks like he could be a stakes' quality horse with a good future.”

Honour Roll is by Group 1 WS Cox Plate winning three-year-old and 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel, who serves so well the trilogy of breed shaping stallions in New Zealand: Savabeel – Zabeel – Sir Tristram.

No other buyer or stable has had more success than David Ellis and Te Akau when it comes to Savabeel progeny, with more Group One winning and Group winning progeny by Savabeel than anyone else.

Honour Roll is out of a three-quarter sister to Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), a dual Group One winner that achieved cult status.

Purchased by Ellis at Karaka, the gifted galloper Te Akau Shark won the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) and Group 1 Chipping Norton (1600m), while finishing second the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), and was third in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

Bought for $230,000, Te Akau Shark won seven from 14 and $1.5 million in prize money.

Grand-dam Bak Da Princess, by Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Danske (Danehill), produced Group 1 winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral), an enormously talented mare, and multiple-Group winning Ecuador (High Chaparral).

While third dam Havitbak (Bakharoff) has been worth her weight in gold as the matriarch of the ‘Hollinshead’ family, leaving Group 2 Waikato Cup (2400m) winner Bak da Chief (Chief Bearhart), the dam of Te Akau Shark. 

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “We love buying from this quality family that just continues to produce Group winning racehorses. 

“He’s a perfectly conformed, really looks the part, and he’s an exciting colt to buy out of this family, especially being by Savabeel.”

Honour Roll has a bloodline cross of legendary sire Sir Tristram (Sir Ivor), on the sire line of Savabeel and dam line of Honor. 

Honour Roll was strapped by Aiman Azrun. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz