All Too Hard Winner for Te Akau

Media Release - Saturday December 28

Progressive galloper Insatiable kept his winning record intact at the Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru with a strong home straight burst that carried him to victory in the Leg Up Oilseed Goodness (1200m) on Saturday.

The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared five-year-old was returning to the venue where he had recorded a win at his only start back in 2023 and made it two from two in the hands of Diego Montes de Oca.

Insatiable storms home for an impressive win at Phar Lap Raceway.   Photo: Ajay Berry (Race Images South)

Settled at the rear of the field as pacemakers Amberecho and South Of Houston carved out some solid sectionals at the head of affairs, Insatiable looked to be travelling nicely approaching the home turn but needing room to mount his finishing run.

Montes de Oca angled him into the clear with 300m to run and once he found clear air the son of All Too Hard stretched out nicely in the concluding stages to cruise past his rivals, defeating Candycane by a long neck with Jaffa running on nicely to claim third.

Walker was pleased to see his charge do everything right after he didn’t have a lot of luck when finishing close up in fifth at Trentham earlier in the month.

“He is starting to put up a nice record now and he definitely appreciates the quieter environment that we have at our Riccarton base,” Walker said.

“Hunter Durrant, who heads our team there, has done a lot of work with him as he is a horse that is a big strong individual that just needed to learn what racing is all about.

“He was very stiff at Trentham last time and he probably should have won so it was good to see him put it all together today and get that touch of luck.

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“He is a horse you need to let find his feet early on and get into a nice rhythm. If you can do that, he has a very good finish on him, but when you ride them cold like that you do need some luck on your side.

“The way he is progressing, we think he could be a serious open class galloper in the future.

“At the moment we are content to keep him in the south where he can race for some seriously good money that is available thanks to the investment that Entain has made into the industry there and as a whole.”

Purchased by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis for $190,000 from the Windsor Park Book 1 draft at Karaka in 2021, Insatiable is owned by the Te Akau All Too Much Racing Partnership which includes All Black Anton Lienert-Brown amongst its members.

Out of the More Than Ready mare All Day Baby his granddam is useful Australian mare Translate, a winner at Group Three level in Australia and runner-up in the 2012 Gr. 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington.

Insatiable has now won four of his 18 starts and just under $112,000 in prizemoney. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

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