Te Akau Unleash Derby Contender

Media Release - Wednesday January 31

Te Akau unleashed a serious Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2000m) chance in Ascend The Throne at Te Rapa on Wednesday, the gelding displaying all of his staying prowess in claiming the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) in a four way thriller.

What a finish! Ascend The Throne (second from inside) winning the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

After commencing his career with two strong performances over the shorter trips, Ascend The Throne looked all too comfortable in breaking maidens over 2000m last start, the performance warranting $6.90 TAB second-favouritism behind Group One-performer Zabmanzor for the Guineas.

Jockey Opie Bosson took full advantage of the gelding’s ace draw, jumping away efficiently before allowing the hoard of outside runners to cross nearing the first turn. Renegade Rebel worked to take the eventual lead while Bosson bided his time three-back the fence, and as the pacemaker hung out on the turn, the seas opened for Ascend The Throne at the top of the straight.

As Zabmanzor began to wind-up down the outer, the Savabeel gelding kept finding and staved off a dashing late challenge by Mosinvader to score by a narrow margin, while Te Akau stablemate What You Wish For stormed into third.

“Obviously barrier one helped, he got a lovely run and Opie gave him a 10 out of 10 ride,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker.

“Cody Cole’s runner (Renegade Rebel) hung around the corner, so he got the perfect split up the straight. To be fair to the horse, he looked like he was going to be bombed late, but he heard them coming and kicked back so it was a really tough good win.

“We’ve given him a lot of time, and knew once he got over ground, that would be his go. He’s delivering on that and looking very promising.”

Bergerson said the son of Savabeel will now be prepared for the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 17, the natural lead in to his grand final two weeks’ later.

Advertisement

“He looks like a really nice Derby chance going forward, so we’ll head to the Avondale Guineas, then onto the Derby,” he said.

Bosson was complimentary of the gelding post-race, indicating improvement is to come having just his fourth raceday appearance.

“We got a beautiful run and the gaps just opened too easily for us, really, and he got there (lead) a bit soon and had a look around,” he said.

“But he’s a very good young stayer and he’s still learning. He tends to get a bit hot and has done before, too, but he’s well behaved and has a good brain.”

AScend the Throne as a yearling.

A $575,000 Karaka Book 1 purchase for David Ellis from Milan Park, Ascend the Throne is the best of three winners from Thee Achiever, a winning O'REilly mare from the family of Group I winners The Jewel, The Chosen One and The Perfect Pink. He is the 139th SW for champion sire Savabeel.   

Bosson’s last victory in the Te Rapa feature came aboard Mongolian Khan in 2015, a memorable partnership that went on to win the Avondale Guineas and New Zealand Derby, before claiming the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) and Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) across the Tasman.

Alongside the son of Danehill, Jimmy Choux (2011), Silent Achiever (2012), Puccini (2014) and Rangipo (2016) all went on to claim Derby glory after triumphing in the Waikato Guineas. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas Gr2 2000m

Te Rapa Track: Good(3) Time: 2:05.06
1
Ascend The Throne
- 3g Savabeel (AUS) x Thee Achiever (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: O P Bosson 57
2
0.1
Mosinvader
- 3c Vadamos (FR) x Devil's Melody (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: K Asano 57
3
0.3
What You Wish For
- 3g Embellish (NZ) x Grand Wish (AUS) (Smart Missile (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: N S Parmar 57
4
0.5
Zabmanzor
- 3c Almanzor (FR) x Zaborei (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: R James & R Wellwood Rdr: M Hashizume 57
5
1.8
High Country
- 3g Mongolian Khan (AUS) x Chaparella (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: M J Mc Nab 57
6
3.6
Monday Melody
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Flora De Mariposa (AUS) (Frankel (GB))
Tnr: L O'Sullivan & A Scott Rdr: C J Grylls 57
7
3.9
City Gold Ready
- 3g Perfectly Ready (AUS) x Five Sails (NZ) (Yachtie (AUS))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: R T Elliot 57
8
4.9
First Five
- 3g Almanzor (FR) x Payette (AUS) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: D G Greene Rdr: S C Spratt 57
9
6.4
Perfectmanz
- 3g Almanzor (FR) x Perfect Offering (AUS) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: S C Phelan Rdr: L J Allpress 57
10
6.5
Trobriand
- 3c Kermadec (NZ) x Arboreal (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: V A Colgan 57
11
6.6
Renegade Rebel
- 3g El Roca (AUS) x Regalia (NZ) (Duelled (AUS))
Tnr: C W Cole Rdr: M Cameron 57
12
8
Leroy Brown
- 3g Ace High (AUS) x Zizi (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: S Ralph Rdr: K A Myers 57
13
8.8
Sinhaman
- 3g Tivaci (AUS) x Shellac (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: S R Weatherley 57
14
23.5
Rebecchi
- 3g Trapeze Artist (AUS) x Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: Joe Doyle 57
More Reading...
Another Win for Smart Exceedance Filly
Apprentice Liam Kauri has continued a winning association with the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott stable by partnering their smart three-year-old Tristar to victory in the Ambient Group 3YO (1100m) at Te Rapa, his second victory aboard the filly from just two rides.
Three Straight Stakes Wins For Cool Aza Beel’s Cool Archie
With no two-year-old currently performing better in Queensland, the Chirs and Corey Munce trained Cool Archie continued his outstanding form, taking out the $1m Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), his third consecutive black type victory.
When in Doubt Back a Frankel!
The $200,000 Listed ATC Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m ) at Rosehill on Saturday attracted a competitive field of 14 stayers, the bulk of them imports and when you strike an open race like that it’s often wise to follow this piece of advice – when in doubt back a Frankel!
Ears Back Wins Listed Stakes at Wanganui
A two-race North Island campaign has ended on a career-defining high for Ears Back and her Rangiora trainer John Blackadder, who scored their first black-type win in Saturday’s Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui.
Stakes Potential for New Hello Youmzain Winner
Late-season black type is on the radar for Platinum Diamond after an impressive upset victory in Saturday’s Full Circle Appearance Medicine 2YO (1200m) at Wanganui.
Niance Overcomes Serious Injury to Claim Stakes Victory
Exciting New Zealand-bred mare Niance has bounced back from a serious injury and picked up right where she left off last spring, collecting her third consecutive black-type win in Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
Bright Future for El Roca 3YO
Owner-trainer-breeder Kylie Little believes she might have a promising stayer on her hands with Eagle Rock, who left maiden ranks with an emphatic performance in Saturday’s Matt Edwards-Lime Group Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa.
Kiwi Bred Campaldino Wins G3 for Darby
Promising New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino passed his biggest test with flying colours at Eagle Farm on Saturday, stepping up to stakes company and adding the A$200,000 Gr.3 Living Turf Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) to his winning sequence.
Hat-Trick for Trelawney Stud Blueblood Filly
Well-related Trelawney Stud filly Madiyya signed off her three-year-old season with a third straight win, this time over 1600m in the A$150,000 Rod Griffiths Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday.
First Local Win As New Endeavour (IRE) Records Stakes Success
While it may have taken the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained New Endeavour (IRE) a while to record his first Australian success, connections were rewarded for their patience as the 5yo dominated under Tim Clark to win the Group 3 BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm.