Brother to Byzantine Headed for Karaka 2020

Media Release - Thursday January 2

The winning run of trainer Jamie Richards and the Te Akau Racing team continued at Tauranga on Thursday when Byzantine scored over 1400m in rating 72 company.

Byzantine - Race ImagesRichards currently sits atop the National Trainer’s Premiership ladder with 61 wins, nine clear of Cambridge conditioner Stephen Marsh and has been in a purple patch of form of late that saw him produce Prise De Fer to win the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

Savabeel four-year-old Byzantine has proven to be a bit of a head-scratcher for Richards since winning stylishly in just his second start as a two-year-old, mixing his efforts at times but always looking to have the ability to progress through the grades.

A winning run over 1200m in a similar grade at Hastings last start showed he was back to his best and he franked that victory with another professional display in the hands of Opie Bosson.

Sent forward to sit outside the pace by Bosson, Byzantine found a good kick when challenged in the run home before holding out a late charge from Salt Bay to score by a neck and register his fourth career victory from just 11 starts.

“He got a lovely run in the race even though it was only a small field,” stable representative Libby Richards said.

“He won well at Hawke’s Bay last time and we were very happy with him.

Advertisement

“The weight (60kgs) was a question mark but he ran to the line well.

“He’s putting together a good record although he has been a little difficult at home so it’s good to see him get a win for the team.”

A full brother to Byzantine will be offered through the Little Avondale Stud draft during Book 1 at the National Yearling Sale at Karaka later this month as Lot 451.

Richard’s stable star Probabeel will create plenty of attention at Awapuni on Saturday when she has her first start in New Zealand as a three-year-old in an age-group 1400m event.

The 2019 Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner is fresh from a three-start Australian spring campaign where she finished second to Funstar in the Gr.1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick back in October. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Te Puke/Mount Maunganui (Bm72) 1300m

Tauranga Track: Good(3) Time: 1:19.33
1
Byzantine
- 4g Savabeel (AUS) x Baradevi (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: J W Richards Rdr: O P Bosson 60
2
0.2
Salt Bay
- 5m Redwood (GB) x Marsh Harbour (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: R T Elliot 56.5
3
0.4
Roll The Gold
- 6g Testa Rossa (AUS) x Flying Change (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: G T Hennessy Rdr: J J Fawcett 57
4
2.7
Rhaegar
- 3g Pluck (USA) x Grand Lady (AUS) (Grandera (IRE))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: D S Johnson 57
5
3.1
Savette
- 6m Savabeel (AUS) x You Too (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: T L Riddell Rdr: C Dell 56.5
More Reading...
One to Watch – Sale
Yarraman Park’s champion sire I Am Invincible posted his 203rd winner of this season at Sale on Thursday and it came with a debut winning two year-old filly from the Price/ Kent Jr stable.
Yes Yes Yes Filly Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Passionate owner/ breeder Julia Ritchie is one of the key shareholders in Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, who recently relocated to Gooree Park Stud, and a filly she bred and sold called Mrs Goldberg collected a $100,000 Inglis Xtra bonus on Friday at Coffs Harbour.
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.
Glorious Goodwood Day 3 – Flag Start Can’t Stop Wootton Bassett
The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
One to Watch – Kembla
The Myracehorse owners that braved the cold and damp conditions at Kembla on Friday were well rewarded when their Farnan gelding Ninja trotted up to win by a widening 11 lengths!
Best Ever Season for Hellbent
With his oldest progeny turning six on Friday, Yarraman Park’s Hellbent is coming to the end of his best ever season with some 126 individual Australian winners collecting over $11.1million.
Savabeel Colt Secures Karaka Million Start
Te Akau Racing’s quest to win the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) for the fourth year in succession was bolstered considerably when Cool Aza Beel ensured his place in the field with a dominant victory at Tauranga on Friday.
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).
Alma Vale Thoroughbreds Welcome First foal for Ozzmosis
The next chapter for Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis has officially begun with the arrival of his first foal. A bay colt out of the stakes-placed mare Cool Change (NZ) was born last night at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, marking a significant milestone for the exciting son of Zoustar.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.