A Million Reasons to Like the Lad

Media Release - Saturday December 8

Aotea Lad has the makings of a smart juvenile and a strong debut performance to win the Group 2 Anuka Smoker Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham has all but booked his passage to the lucrative Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 26.

The Jamie Richards-trained son of Savabeel will derive plenty of benefit from the raceday experience after being only moderately into stride and showing signs of greenness over the concluding stages, yet his class meant the result was never in doubt.

Advertisement

Ridden by Opie Bosson, Aotea Lad had half a length to spare over Snitzel colt Killin, with Aretha also finishing well for third. (Photo: Race Images PN (Peter Rubery))


"Earlier on in the spring, he was very colty and the decision was made to geld him and since then he has turned into a racehorse. He has got it all in front of him," stable representative Paul Richards said.

"It was always the plan to ride him back, like he did at the trials, and just get a drag across the junction and try to get over them late.

"Obviously he is going to improve a lot from today.

"He will probably go into the Eclipse Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) and then into the Karaka Million."

Te Akau Racing have won the past two editions of the Karaka Million with Avantage and Melody Belle and Aotea Lad adds to the stable's arsenal of talented two-year-olds that could tackle the race this season.

By Savabeel out of the Group One-placed juvenile Corsage, Aotea Lad was bought for $200,000 by Te Akau principal David Ellis at the Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale earlier this year.

Winning rider Opie Bosson was full of praise for the gelding and said he rates right up there with the stable's leading two-year-olds, which includes last Saturday's impressive Ellerslie winner Probabeel.

"He got there in the last 50m and started looking at the big screen and the winning post and there was plenty more left in the tank," Bosson said.

"He showed a good turn of foot. When I really asked him and put the pressure on him, he went for me until he got there by himself and that is when greenness kicked in and he has just had a bit of a look around.

"He's only had two trials and still doesn't know what he's doing, so he is a pretty special little horse."

Woburn Farm will consign a Makfi half-sister to Aotea Lad to the 2019 NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka.

NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch – Ballarat
Last seen contesting the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, newly gelded three year-old Olatunde bolted in at Ballarat on Monday continuing the fast start to the new season for his sire Farnan.
Blue Gum Farm Welcome First Foal of the Season
Victorian nursery Blue Gum Farm announced on Monday the arrival of their first foal of the season and there is no mistaking the sire of this gorgeous filly.
Savabeel Blueblood Wins G3 Desert Gold
A copybook ride by Opie Bosson paved the way for promising filly Showbeel to add a valuable black type success to her career record when she took out the first feature race at Trentham on Saturday, the Group III New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m).
Probabeel Shows her Class
Superstar three-year-old Probabeel proved a class above her age-group rivals when she made a winning start to her summer campaign over 1400m at Awapuni on Saturday.
Elite Broodmare Band Booked to Celestial Legend
Woodside Park Stud is proud to announce they are sending an outstanding group of broodmares to visit their exciting young sire Celestial Legend. 
Te Akau Stars Warm Up at Taupo Trials
Perennial bridesmaid Qali Al Farrasha headlined a strong contingent of trialists out of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s stable at Taupo on Monday.
G1 Plans for Wexford Stable Mares
Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have their sights set on the opening Group One of the season with a pair of talented mares, both of which appeared at the Taupo trials on Monday.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 4
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Zed 9YO Wins G3 Winter Cup
Saturday’s $110,000 Group Three Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton continued an incredible ride for the connections of Chase (NZ) (Zed), who bought him for only $9,000 from Book 3 of Karaka 2018. Originally a $6,000 purchase by JD Corcoran when offered as a weanling from Valachi Downs in the 2017 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Probabeel Chasing Karaka Million History
High-class filly Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) will shoot for a slice of history at the Karaka Million twilight race meeting at Ellerslie on January 25.