Xtraavagant Filly Wins at Ellerslie for Te Akau

Media Release - Saturday May 17

Promising three-year-old Celestial Wonder showed plenty of courage as she put in a resolute finishing burst to take out the Evergreen Bloodstock (1100m) at Ellerslie.

The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared filly had looked good during her opening campaign where she won her second start before being put aside for a spell after finishing runner-up behind Hitabell in the Listed O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) in November.

A narrow defeat over 1200m at Te Rapa in her first start of a new campaign was followed by a midfield finish in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) late last month.

Celestial Wonder winning the Evergreen Bloodstock (1100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The daughter of Xtravagant stripped a picture of health for her assignment against her fellow three-year-olds on Saturday and she lived up to those looks with a comprehensive performance courtesy of a lovely ride from Jockey’s Premiership leader, Craig Grylls.

Grylls bounced the filly away nicely to sit in fourth behind pacemaker Lucullan, with Grylls edging her forward to issue her challenge rounding the home bend.

Lucullan fought strongly but Celestial Wonder gained her measure at the 200m before holding out a swooping late run from Cactus Jack, who got to within a head of the winner but no closer.

Te Akau Racing Manager Reece Trumper was delighted by the ride from Grylls and just how tough the filly was in the closing stages.

“It was a great ride by Craig as we told him to be positive and he was,” Trumper said.

“She got the suck run off a good tempo, dropped in on them and was too good.

Advertisement

“She went a good race last time and just folded at little at the 200m whereas back to 1100m today and off a good speed, she was able to take a sit and that was the key to it.

“Craig is there riding work for us most mornings, including raceday and we are glad to have him in the tangerine colours.”

Grylls was also quick to praise his mount who showed plenty of grit in the concluding stages.

“It worked out good as she began well but I was able to slot into the one-one as there was plenty of speed on,” Grylls said.

“She travelled nicely throughout and found a good kick although at the 250m she wandered a little bit, but when the second horse came up to her, she dug deep.

“She’s got plenty of toe but finished off from a good position today so it was a good effort.”

Bred by Te Akau Racing CEO David Ellis, Celestial Wonder carries the colours of Te Akau Racing, who trained her Group One-winning sire Xtravagant, and her three-win dam Meteoric Lass.  - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Evergreen Bloodstock 3yo 1100m

Ellerslie Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:04.90
1
Celestial Wonder
- 3f Xtravagant (NZ) x Meteoric Lass (AUS) (Stratum (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Rdr: C J Grylls 55.00
2
0.2
Chicago Jack
- 3c All Too Hard (AUS) x Sawn Off Shotgun (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: S D Cole Rdr: R T Elliot 57.00
MM Gold Coast National Yearling Sale $155,000
Seller: Baramul Stud, Widden Valley, NSW
Buyer: Steven Cole Racing/Bevan Smith Bloodstock
3
0.4
Lucullan
- 3g Rich Enuff (AUS) x Lady Makfi (NZ) (Makfi (GB))
Tnr: Peter Didham Rdr: T C Moodley 55
Inglis Premier Yearling Sale Showcase Session $0
Seller: Cornwall Park Stud, Toolern Vale
Buyer:
4
1.2
Thooza
- 3f Almanzor (FR) x Sea Goddess (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: W B Kennedy 56.00
5
2.7
Velocious
- 3f Written Tycoon (AUS) x Parmalove (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: C R Barnes 58.00
6
6.5
Our Beau
- 3g Tivaci (AUS) x Savanite (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Purdon Rdr: N S Parmar 56
7
8.1
Flying Rose
- 3f Wrote (IRE) x Ode (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: A C Rolston Rdr: K A Myers 54.00
8
10.1
Fat Albert
- 3g Ribchester (IRE) x Cape Tycoon (AUS) (Cape Cross (IRE))
Tnr: F & L Cornege Rdr: Liam Kauri 54
9
10.3
Little Red Dot
- 3f Per Incanto (USA) x Pentrac (NZ) (Pentire (GB))
Tnr: Barry Donoghue Rdr: Tayla Mitchell 53
10
11.6
Timbuctoo
- 3c Ferrando (NZ) x Amazing Hacienda (NZ) (St Reims (NZ))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: B D Rogerson 55
More Reading...
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
SWs in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel headline the June (Early) Online Sale
Stakes winners in foal to Wootton Bassett and Snitzel, along with a significant number of young, well-bred racing and breeding prospects headline another intriguing catalogue for the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Lucrative Pay Day For Adiella In Magic Millions National Classic
Coming off a last start second in the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m), the Improving 4yo The Mission mare Adiella recorded her sixth carer victory, adding the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic to her record.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hellbent's Sunrays Shines With Consecutive Stakes Wins
Saturday’s opening race at Eagle Farm, the Listed $160,000 BRC Show A Heart Stakes (1500m) saw Kelly Schweida’s talented Hellbent filly Sunrays record her second black type victory.
Xtravagant Filly Impresses for Te Akau
Promising filly Celestial Wonder left little to the imagination at Te Aroha on Tuesday, bolting to her maiden success in the KB Bloodstock 1150.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.