Te Akau Shark’s little brother Coppleson looks to have a promising future after making a winning career debut over 1500m at Newcastle on Thursday.
Ridden by Brenton Avdulla for Chris Waller, Coppleson was given plenty of time to find his feet. Eased back to last early, the son of Rip Van Winkle navigated between runners in the straight to overpower Another Super (Super One) by a half-neck), with Sardegna (Sebring) a further three lengths back in third.
The OTI colourbearer was a $200,000 purchase for McKeever Bloodstock from the Woburn Farm draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Bred by Darrell Hollinshead, the son of triple Group 1 winner Rip Van Winkle is the seventh winner from as many to race out of the Group II Waikato Gold Cup winner Bak Da Chief (Chief Bearhart).
The courageous Te Akau Shark won seven of 14 starts before an injury ended his career.
His successes included the Group 1 WaikRC Waikato Sprint and Group 1 ATC Chipping Norton Stakes, and he was placed a further three times at the highest level in the Cox Plate, Epsom Hcp and George Ryder Stakes.
Woburn Farm offered a sister to Te Akau Shark and Coppleson at the 2022 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale but left the ring unsold when bidding stopped short of her $200,000 reserve.
The 20yo Bak Da Chief missed in 2020 and was covered by Circus Maximus (IRE) last spring.
