GI Sistema Goal for Written Tycoon Filly Captured By Love

Media Release - Thursday March 7

Te Akau Racing’s unbeaten filly Captured By Love is set to face her sternest test to date when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday to contest the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

Captured By Love will contest the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.   Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

The daughter of Written Tycoon got her career off to the perfect start when winning on debut over 1000m at Tauherenikau last November before scoring her first stakes victory at just her second start in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham a month later.

Purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $525,000, Captured By Love was ineligible for the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January, taken out by hype filly Velocious, and was instead freshened to have a crack at further stakes assignment.

Advertisement

She duly added last month’s Gr.3 Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) to her burgeoning record before winning the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at her home track three weeks later.

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have been rapt with her unbeaten record to date but are wary about the step-up to elite-level and meeting the Stephen Marsh-trained Velocious for the first time.

“She is unbeaten and she is a big, strong girl. She keeps lifting the bar and she will have to do that again on Saturday,” Walker told Trackside NZ.

“She is a ready-made racehorse – she has got a will to win and it doesn’t matter what track surface it is either. She came on with that run at Taranaki, but she will need to, stepping into unknown territory right-handed and the Karaka Millions winner (Velocious) is there.”

Meanwhile, it will be a sentimental day for Te Akau Racing on Saturday, with the stable set to farewell their warhorse Prise De Fer following his final career start in the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).

The eight-year-old gelding has been a stable favourite at the Matamata operation, posting 11 victories and 18 placings from 52 starts.

The son of Savabeel had posted five Group One placings before his popular elite-level triumph in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in 2022, and has added further runner-up results in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2040m), Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m), and Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) to his record.

His connections are hoping he can belie his age and topweight of 57kg to end his career on a fairytale note on Saturday.

“He is an eight-year-old and it is just hard finding races that are really suitable,” Walker said. “He has been a great servant and he will have a loving showing home at the end of it. It will be his last run on Saturday.”

Stablemate Fierce Flight will be looking to spoil the party, and Walker is expecting a bold performance with the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) runner-up dropping down to 53kg for the two-mile test.

“I think Fierce Flight dropping to 53 kilos is a dangerous light weight compared to what he carried in the Wellington Cup (58kg),” Walker said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
G1 Progeny Among Early Entries For Inglis Weanling Sales Series
Amongst the highlights of the 2025 Inglis Weanling Sales Series is sure to be the draft of Dorrington Farm-bred weanlings – which will be offered in conjunction with Noorilim Park – at the Australian Weanling Sale on May 5-6.
Breednet on Tour – All Things Cambridge Stud
When my daughter Jasmine was given the task of taking Konasana to New Zealand by her boss Chris Waller it was originally proposed as a likely 10 day trip, but when the Dundeel mare won the $500,000 Group II Westbury Stud Classic on Karaka Million night, plans changed and long story short, Jasmine is still there and will be until next month so I’ve grabbed the opportunity for a working holida
Breeders Cup Turf Mile Winner To Stand At Yulong In 2025
Yulong is delighted to announce the acquisition of G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Mile winner More Than Looks, who will join their Victorian roster in 2025.
Star Turn's Beauty Destiny On Fire in HK
The penny has well and truly dropped for Star Turn’s Beauty Destiny, winning his fourth race in five starts at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.
One To Watch - Geelong
Woodside Park Stud received a nice update for the Written Tycoon colt they will be offering at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when his two-year-old full brother Marnix made an impressive winning career debut over 1250 metres at Geelong on Friday.
About Time Chasing G3 Avondale Cup - Half-Brother for Inglis Easter
The Lance Noble-trained About Time will be rewarded for her consistent run of form with a tilt at stakes level for the first time in more than a year when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday.
Star mares confirmed among early entries for Chairman's Sale
Entries for the 2025 Inglis Chairman’s Sale – a world class boutique auction for elite breeding stock – are now open.
Magic 2YO Winners by Written Tycoon and Spirit of Boom
With the $500,000 Inglis Nursery taking centre stage at Randwick on Saturday, Magic Millions contenders had to look further afield with impressive debut winners at Kembla and Morphettville no doubt harbouring dreams of a trip to the Gold Coast next month.
Written Tycoon's Hightail Claims the Gosford Guineas
Patience was a virtue for Hugh Bowman on the Written Tycoon gelding Hightail who spent the first half of Friday’s Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) dawdling near the rear of the field before being given a wake-up at the 300 metres to chase down his stalemate Battleground.
Playing God Youngster Sets Colt Record in Perth
The all time record price for a colt at the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale was broken on Thursday with a youngster by Playing God topping proceedings when selling for $450,000.