Zousain Filly Offers Stakes Potential for Te Akau

Media Release - Sunday September 1

Te Akau Racing celebrated five winners across three venues on Saturday, including the exciting return of stakes-bound filly The Victress at Riccarton Park.

Te Akau’s trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson posted four successes on home soil, including a treble at Riccarton Park headed by the Zousain filly, who won the open three-year-old contest named in memory of the late Kevin Hickman.

The Victress winning at Riccarton Park on Saturday under Wiremu Pinn.   Photo: Race Images South

The Victress collected her maiden success as a two-year-old in January, and indicated there is plenty to come in her spring campaign with a dominant front-running victory under Wiremu Pinn, while stablemate About Last Night completed the quinella.

“It was a good ride of Wiremu’s to get a pretty soft lead and they don’t seem to be making up much ground with the rail out,” Walker said.

Advertisement

“It’s good that she’s now had a look down the chute at Riccarton, because next start she’ll be in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m).

“The Victress is just a bit stronger this year and I think she’ll really go on with it.”

The Victress was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $250,000 out of the draft of Coolmore Stud at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and is one of two fillies raced by the Te Akau 2023 Magic Fillies’ Breeding Syndicate, with the other being multiple Group One-performer Captured By Love.

Pinn was in firing form at the Southern meeting, saluting aboard Fellini in the Group One Raceday Party 14 September Rating 75 (1800m), and Kabugee in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 65 (1400m).

Aboard Fellini, Pinn adopted similar tactics to his earlier success settling on-speed outside of Peecee Pussycat, and once kicking clear in the straight, the gelding was never headed and powered away from Northern visitor Cee Are El by 1 ¼ lengths.

A winner of six races, the son of Belardo had shown early promise placing in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) as a juvenile and was back in the winner’s circle for the first time since his three-year-old term, boosting his overall earnings beyond the $200,000 mark.

“It was really good to see him back in the winner’s circle today,” Walker said.

“He’s been quite a while since winning and the owners have been super patient, but he’s also been very consistent.

“He’s also got a hidden talent. He’s been schooling very well over the jumps and we think that is really helping his form.”

Kabugee was another front-running victor for the stable, leading the field up and holding off the late charge of Retail Therapy to collect his fourth success in 18 starts.

“I thought it was really good effort, given he was well and truly headed at the 300m and he fought back to win, so that was encouraging,” Walker said.

“We just hope he’s now got that winning feeling again, because it will give him confidence to go on with it.”

Back in the north, To Bravery Born picked up the opening juvenile race of the season at Wanganui, while class mare Quintessa was on the board swiftly as a four-year-old across the Tasman, with a success in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m).– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Stakes Goals Ahead for Zousain Filly The Victress
Stakes targets are in the offing for promising juvenile The Victress following her debut win in the Lindsay Goudie & Brian Hare Memorial 1000 at Te Aroha on Wednesday.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
Sires With Winners - Thursday November 21
Here is the full list of 32 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Zousain Filly Chasing Stakes Success for Te Akau
The Victress has got the nod as Te Akau’s leading black-type chance at Riccarton on Saturday, but it might be an opposing stablemate who will lead the chase for higher honours later in the season.
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Million-dollar Hour for Leung at NZB Ready To Run
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung had a big hour at Karaka early on Thursday afternoon, spending more than $1 million to secure two well-credentialled colts at the NZB Ready to Run Sale.