Yourdeel Heads Te Akau Trio in Grp 1 Sistema

The Informant reports:

Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards will saddle Yourdeel,
Aotea Lad and Equinox in Saturday's Gr. 1 Sistema Stakes, attempting to
extend the tangerine team's remarkable recent dominance of Ellerslie's
juvenile features.

Te Akau has won the Karaka
Million in the last three years with Melody Belle, Avantage and
Probabeel, while Heroic Valour and Sword Of Osman have provided wins in
two of the last three runnings of the Sistema (Diamond) Stakes.

Yourdeel
takes top billing in this year's trio, having scored a scintillating
six-length win in the Gr. 3 Waikato Stud Slipper at Matamata last start.
He had previously won by five lengths on debut at Te Rapa, and placed
twice behind Probabeel including a third in the Karaka Million.

“It
was a brilliant win last start, he's going very well in this campaign,”
Richards said. “He's trained on nicely and I've been very pleased with
his work. Everything points to him being a strong chance again this
weekend.”

Aotea Lad began his career with a Group
Two win on debut in the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham in
December. He has been stakes-placed in every start since then, finishing
second in the Eclipse Stakes, Karaka Million and Waikato Stud Slipper.

“He's
kept producing good performances all through the summer,” Richards
said. “He's going really well. He's a bit of a professional placegetter
at the moment, but he's doing a great job. With a bit of luck in the
running, he can be right in it.”

Equinox was the
highest-priced yearling purchase of the three at $750,000, and he lived
up to his price and blue-blooded pedigree with a smart debut win at
Trentham.

He was a disappointing fifth in the
Waikato Stud Slipper in his only other start, finishing 14 lengths
behind his winning stablemate.

“We think he was
tripped up by the Slow7 track at Matamata that day,” Richards said. “His
work this (Tuesday) morning was very strong, so we'll roll the dice and
give him another go at a good race. We'll see how we get on. A better
track should help him.”

On the day of the Waikato
Stud Slipper, Te Akau's retained jockey Opie Bosson was at Otaki to
ride Melody Belle to victory in the Gr. 1 Haunui Farm WFA Classic. In
his absence, Matt Cameron rode Yourdeel, Michael McNab was on Aotea Lad
and Craig Grylls partnered Equinox.

“Opie's back
on Yourdeel on Saturday, with Michael McNab on Aotea Lad again and Craig
Grylls sticking with Equinox,” Richards said.

“Everything points to him being a strong chance again this weekend.”

In an exciting trainers' premiership race, Richards sits two wins behind Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman. That pair will saddle two of Richards' rivals in Saturday's Sistema field - Aretha and Enjoy The Show.

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