More Success for Te Akau Team

Media Release - Friday January 1

Trainer Jamie Richards, jockey Danielle Johnson and Te Akau Racing have continued their dominant Ellerslie Christmas Carnival form with a stakes double through the deeds of Imperatriz in the Gr.2 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and Savy Yong Blonk in the Gr.3 SKYCITY City Of Auckland Cup (2400m).

Richards saddled an unprecedented six winners on Boxing Day including three at black-type level, while Johnson collected four wins during the time-honoured raceday.

Imperatriz takes out the Gr.2 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie Photo credit: Trish Dunell

The pair wasted no time in striking again on Friday, with Imperatriz winning the first of seven feature races on Ellerslie’s quality New Year’s Day card.

Pre-race attention had been dominated by the filly’s stablemate Sword Of State, who scored a scintillating debut victory at Te Rapa last month, along with Tony Pike’s highly rated first-starter Khufu.

Those two colts sat in first and second for most of the race, and they were still side by side as they rounded the home turn at the head of the field.

But Imperatriz came off their tail and unleashed a turn of foot the favourites couldn’t match, sprinting to the lead inside the last 200m before holding off a fast-finshing Stormy to claim victory.

“I was so excited to ride this filly today,” said Johnson, who leads the jockeys’ premiership and is inching closer to her century with 93 wins this season.

“I galloped her here at Ellerslie a couple of weeks ago and she gave me such a good feel that day.

“She’s progressed so well. She takes everything in her stride. She just gives me the feel of such a good horse.

“I knew Sword Of State was going to be hard to beat, and Tony Pike’s horse had a big reputation, but this is such an exciting filly. I just knew she’d run well.”

Imperatriz is by I Am Invincible out of a Group Two-placed Shamardal mare and was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis out of an Australian sale earlier in the year.

She has now won both of her two starts, having scored on a Heavy10 track on debut at Otaki on November 26.

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Richards and Johnson teamed up again to win a nail-biting City of Auckland Cup with perennial big-race bridesmaid Savy Yong Blonk.

Savy Yong Blonk (inner) gets in the deciding stride to take out the Gr.3 SKYCITY City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) Photo credit: Trish Dunell

The Savabeel mare had been runner-up behind Platinum Invador in last year’s edition of the race, then chased home stablemate In A Twinkling in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) before a last-start second to Ocean Billy in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m).

“She really deserves this win,” Richards said. “She’s run second in a number of these big Cup races. She’s not the biggest mare, but fair play to her – she’s done the job.”

Johnson pushed the five-year-old forward from her wide gate (14), and she was able to take up a midfield position among a strung-out field.

Savy Yong Blonk surged out of the pack in the straight and hit the front with 100 metres to run, and her long wait for big-race glory looked like it was finally over.

But defending champion Platinum Invador flashed home out wide and made a desperate dive at the line. After a nervous wait, Savy Yong Blonk was confirmed as the winner by the smallest of noses.

“I thought Ryan (Elliot, on Platinum Invador) had just got me,” Johnson admitted. “But he said ‘well done’ after the line, so I was just hoping he was a better judge than me.

“Things haven’t really gone her way in recent starts, she’s got too far back in her last couple and it might not have been some of my best work. Thankfully we’ve pulled it off today in the one that matters.”

Bred and raced by Gartshore Bloodstock Ltd, Savy Yong Blonk has now had 21 starts for six wins and $284,250 in stakes.

Richards made it three wins on the day one race later when Avantage triumphed in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m). – NZ Racing Desk

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Race Result - Skycity City Of Auckland Cup Gr3 2400m

Ellerslie Track: Good(3) Time: 2:26.25
1
Savy Yong Blonk
- 5m Savabeel (AUS) x Ampin (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: D S Johnson 54.5
2
0.1
Platinum Invador
- 5g Redwood (GB) x Atomic Dancer (AUS) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Latta Rdr: R T Elliot 56.5
3
1.4
Robusto
- 6m Zed (NZ) x Adriatico (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: L J Allpress 54
4
1.6
In A Twinkling
- 5g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Moment In Time (AUS) (Archway (IRE))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: O P Bosson 57.5
5
2.1
Justamaiz
- 6g Guillotine (NZ) x Arthena (NZ) (Desert Sun (GB))
Tnr: D G Greene Rdr: A J Calder 53.5
6
2.6
Te Akau Caliburn
- 6g Camelot (GB) x Enchanted Evening (IRE) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: M J Mc Nab 55
7
2.7
Sherrif
- 6g High Chaparral (IRE) x J'adane (NZ) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: L G Innes 54
8
4.7
Swords Drawn
- 5g Camelot (GB) x Sarvon (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: S Ritchie & C Murray Rdr: S R Weatherley 53
9
5.4
Yatima
- 6m Savabeel (AUS) x Cancun (NZ) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: K Asano 53
10
9.6
Masetto
- 5g Cape Blanco (IRE) x Passchendaele (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: Ms L Brennan Rdr: V A Colgan 54
11
12.7
The Buzz
- 5g Darci Brahma (NZ) x Della Lobra (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: M & K Murdoch Rdr: J J Fawcett 53
12
13.9
Spring Delight
- 5m Tavistock (NZ) x Ana Zeel (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: S C Spratt 53
13
15.0
Dragon Storm
- 6g Shocking (AUS) x Prize Lady (NZ) (Prized (USA))
Tnr: C W Gibbs Rdr: C J Grylls 53
14
15.6
Paisley Park
- 6g Azamour (IRE) x Musical Magic (GB) (Mozart (IRE))
Tnr: G Richardson & R Norvall Rdr: S T Collett 53
15
16.0
Charles Road
- 7g Myboycharlie (IRE) x Giant Mystique (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: T N Harris 58
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