Te Akau winners impress
The good looking son of Ethereal got the ball rolling for Te Akau Racing at Te Rapa yesterday.
Imperium lived up to his looks with a gallant fresh-up win in the 1600 metre Clubhouse Sports Bar & Cafe 1600 ridden strongly by Matthew Cameron. The first three home were the tailend trio with 600 metres of the race to go. When Cameron pushed the button Imperium zoomed into contention and was forced to fight off Foxton visitor O’Ceirins Whisper.
They had a good fight with the visitor wilting slightly while Imperium fought hard. Dontbreakmyheart completed the trifecta and his connections lodged a protest which was dismissed, after the horse was shut out of tight gap at the 200 metre mark.
By leading stallion Encosta De Lago, four-year-old gelding Imperium was a $425,000 yearling purchase and was winning his second race from six starts for the Te Akau 2013 Breeding Syndicate.
There should be more in store as he appears stronger than in earlier campaigns as would be expected of a son of a CaulfieldMelbourne Cup winning dam.
‘‘That was really good from a horse first up in nine weeks,’’ syndicate manager, David Ellis said. ‘‘I would like to think he will be winning a really nice race by Christmas.’’
Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards made it two for the day when Tavistock filly Tatters prevailed in the maiden fillies and mares 1200.
‘‘I’m very happy with that,’’ Autridge said. ‘‘She’s a progressive type of filly and ran some good races last campaign and deserved her win. She’ll get tracks to suit over the next few months and won’t be hard to place.’’
A large syndicate of owners were ready to celebrate after the win including Peter and Pauline Coleman, parents of winning jockey Michael Coleman.
‘‘It’s nice to win one for mum and dad,’’ Coleman said. ‘‘She always travelled nicely and when the challenges came she found more.’’
By Tavistock, Tatters was a $6,500 yearling purchase by Autridge.
Roger James took the opportunity to work two of his top mares on the Te Rapa track yesterday.
Tavy and Avisto made full use of the good surface in an exhibition gallop between races two and three on the card.
Ridden by Vinnie Colgan and Sam Spratt respectively, Tavy and Avisto eased into their work down the back straight with Tavy hold- ing a slight lead.
The Tavistock mare held an advantage throughout with Avisto, also by Tavistock, looming up but not being able to head her stablemate with the pair cutting out the 1000 metres in a smart 1:05 home from the 600 in a slick 35.7.
"That was all I wanted from them - it was good work," James said.
"It’s a relief to be able to get a good hit-out into them on a decent surface which hasn’t been easy to do with all the rain we’ve had."
Taupo next Friday is on the agenda for both horses who will tread the same path beyond there to the Rich Hill Taranaki Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes. The 1400 metre weight-for-age feature over 1400 metres on October 10 will be their major immediate targets in new campaigns.
Tavy, the winner of $77,500 in a seven start career, has won twice including the Listed 1500 metre Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie and holds a nomination for the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile at Riccarton in November.
Avisto, has banked $94,100.