Stakes Goals for Expensive Exceed and Excel Colt

Media Release - Saturday October 19

Hot favourite Equinox dominated his age-group rivals despite testing track conditions in the Lowe Schollum Jones 3YO (1215m) at Rotorua on Saturday.

$750,000 Karaka purchase Equinox - image Trish DunnellTwice a winner during his two-year-old season, Equinox came into the race off the back of a 49-day break after finishing second to Catalyst in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings.

Wet weather and the resulting unsuitable tracks had delayed his raceday return with the team at Te Akau Racing keen to get a run into him before tackling a black-type feature at Te Rapa later this month.

“It was a lovely ride from Opie (Bosson),” Te Akau racing manager Libby Richards said.

“He’s a very professional horse and we weren’t sure if he would handle the track today, but he did it easily.

“We’ve had a pretty frustrating time with the weather and didn’t think he’d handle it at Matamata (last Saturday), so we scratched him, and he really needed to run today if he was any chance of getting to the Sarten.”

Purchased for $750,000 by David Ellis from the draft of Pencarrow Stud during the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale to become part of his three-horse Te Akau 2018 Colt Breeding Syndicate, the son of Exceed And Excel will now head to the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa on October 28 before potentially tackling the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 9.

“I’m thrilled for my colts’ syndicate that I bought for that year,” Ellis said. “He’s won three out of six and I think he’s going to go on and do a lot more, yet. He’s strengthening up and maturing into a lovely colt. He’s got a good temperament and I can see him winning a lot more races.

“Opie said he didn’t really lengthen stride on the heavy track, but his track work throughout this campaign has been of a very high standard. So, we were very confident that he would run well but would have preferred to see him on a better track.

“Mark Walker trained the mother of Equinox, Our Ella Belle, and she was very unlucky not to win the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton and I knew she’d leave a really good horse.”

Amongst his priorities, Ellis said he had also started inspections ahead of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs on 20 & 21 November at Karaka.

“Our attentions have turned to the Ready to Run Sale, which is only four weeks away, and we’ve already started looking at the horses. We’ve had terrific success with horses from this sale, including Group One winners Gingernuts and Hall of Fame, in addition to Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m) hopeful Te Akau Shark, and we’re looking forward to buying more nice horses at a sale that is really proving itself.”

On footing rated Slow9 for the first race of the day, but downgraded afterwards to Heavy10, Equinox was sent forward to sit outside the leader by rider Opie Bosson, before powering clear in the run home to register a comfortable two-length victory.

“He travelled beautifully throughout,” Bosson said.

“He was probably travelling too well on the turn and pulled himself to the front and was just too good in the end.”

“He’s always shown quite a lot of ability and he’s a lovely colt.

“We were a little bit worried about the track conditions today and he just passed in those conditions as we were lucky to get first use of it.” NZ Racing Desk

Visit the profile page for Exceed and Excel

Exceed and Excel in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Lowe Schollum Jones 3yo 1215m

Arawa Park Track: Heavy(10) Time: 1:17.29
1
Equinox
- 3c Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Our Ella Belle (NZ) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: O P Bosson 58.5
2
2.0
Tears Of Jupiter
- 3f Zoustar (AUS) x Snow Blitz (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: P & D Williams Rdr: M T Coleman 54
3
4.5
Caithness Kid
- 3g Keeper (AUS) x Gina May (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Ms K D Nicholson Rdr: T Yanagida 55.5
4
4.8
Woodhall Road
- 3g Ekraar (USA) x Epsom (NZ) (King's Chapel (AUS))
Tnr: G F Brick Rdr: A C Goindasamy 54
5
8.6
Robrocks
- 3g Keeper (AUS) x Elleraad (NZ) (King's Chapel (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: R T Elliot 56
6
13.4
Green Hero
- 3g Rubick (AUS) x Niki Piki Milo (NZ) (Librettist (USA))
Tnr: Ms C Cameron Rdr: D A Mansour 57.5
More Reading...
Kiwi Grey Targets Subzero on Cup Day
The Subzero Handicap (1400m), a race solely for registered grey thoroughbreds, has proven to be a fan favourite at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day, and this year, Kiwis will have their own grey to barrack for.
Zoustar 6YO Stepping up to 2000m
Pre-post favourite Habana will head into unfamiliar territory at Ellerslie, but there is confidence in his camp that it will be a smooth transition.
Equinox in a Class of His Own in Japan Cup
Equinox (JPN) showed why he is rated the world’s best racehorse with an unforgettable performance in the 43rd running of the A$11,000,000 Group 1 Longines Japan Cup (2400m) at Tokyo on Sunday.
Te Akau Chasing Another Cup Day Success
Last year’s Melbourne Cup Day concluded in success for Mark Walker in the Gr.3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m), a race he will chase back-to-back crowns in on Tuesday with Kiwi mare Quintessa.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Christophe Lemaire In Awe Of Record Setting Equinox
After beginning his year in May with a romp in the Group 1 Sheema Classic, Equinox (JPN) added the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin three months later. The world’s highest-rated racehorse kept his record perfect for the year when defending his crown in Sunday’s G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo.
Bellatrix Star May Back Up in G1 Champions Sprint
Te Akau and Fortuna Racing’s filly Bellatrix Star proved she is among Australia’s top sprinting three-year-olds last Saturday at Flemington, finishing second in the A$2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Will it be a fairytale finish for Tasmanian-bred mare The Map?
Fresh from sweeping the sire awards at the 2024 Tasmanian Racing Awards this season, the Armidale Stud team is in line for another significant achievement with The Map (Alpine Eagle x This Moment) flying the flag for resident stallion Alpine Eagle in the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 5 November.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?