Te Akau strike early at Karaka
Te Akau struck early in the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s two-day May Sale when they went to $110,000 to secure Savabeel yearling filly Tam O’Shanter.
“She’s a beautiful filly, very typical of Savabeel,” said Jamie Richards, who trains in partnership with Stephen Autridge for the New Zealand operation. “We know a little bit about the family, we trained Piper and she was a very good filly. She had a little issue and we never really saw the best of her.”
Piper, a three-year-old daughter of O’Reilly, was runner-up over 1200m in her only start for Te Akau and will also be offered at Karaka as lot 372. Their family are well represented at the sale with their dam Invermoray (lot 425) offered in-foal to Iffraaj, while their Pins weanling half-sister (191) will also go through the ring.
Richards said he was happy to secure Tam O’Shanter and had plenty of competition on his hands to purchase the Savabeel filly.
“I have been really pleased with how our Savabeel’s have broken in that we bought at Karaka early on and David (Ellis) was really keen to come here today and get her.
“It wasn’t easy, Guy Mulcaster and the good judges were on her so we are very pleased to get her.” Richards also applauded New Zealand Bloodstock’s new incentive of making May Sale yearlings eligible for the rich Karaka Million series.
“I think it all helps, she can now go into the series. She is probably more of a three-year-old, but when they are running for a million dollars it all helps and David has been keen to support New Zealand Bloodstock with their new initiative.”
Meanwhile, Te Akau’s smart two-year-old Byzantine will head to the spelling paddock after his fifth placing in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday and will be set for a tilt at the Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (1600m) in November.
“We were really pleased with him, he just made it hard for himself by getting back further than we wanted to be,” Richards said. “He was never closer than three to the fence, but he hit the line really well. He’ll go straight out now and have a month off and come back nice and early for Riccarton.
“If you put it into context we have had both Hall of Fame and Embellish, who both won races as two- year-olds and he’s done the same and hopefully he can follow in their footsteps, obviously they won Group 1s as three-year-olds. We think he is high class and hopefully he is good enough.”