Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Barely fourty minutes after taking their eighth individual Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) contest with La Dorada (Super Seth), the Te Akau Racing team made it back-to-back successes on the night at Ellerslie with favourite Damask Rose (Savabeel) scoring a brilliant victory in the Listed TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
The three-year-old daughter of super sire Savabeel had looked a filly of enormous talent when finishing runner-up to Velocious in the Karaka Million 2YO twelve months earlier and backed up that opinion in her first three-year-old run when finishing third to Alabama Lass and Captured By Love in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in the Spring.
Put aside for another break she resumed with a win over 1200m at Te Rapa in December before disappointing a few when only sixth in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day.
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson went back to the drawing board and made a crucial gear change by applying blinkers for Saturday’s contest which proved the masterstroke along with bringing another top Aussie jockey in Blake Shinn across from Melbourne to ride her.
Shinn has been an integral component in the success enjoyed by Te Akau’s Victorian stable and a fleeting trip across the Tasman to partner the filly in a jumpout convinced him she was on track for the effort she produced when charging home form midfield to collar Tuxedo and Dealt With, who looked likely to fight out the finish at the 300m.
“It’s special to be able to come here on one of New Zealand’s biggest days, have a great book of rides and importantly get a winner,” Shins said.
“It’s a big team effort and that’s what they do (Te Akau Racing), they win these big races so I’m thankful for the opportunity.
“She jumped better than she did last time and she had blinkers applied today. I came over about two weeks ago and jumped her out in them and I thought they made her a bit more tractable and put her into the right spot where I wanted (today).
“I’m just really proud to be able to achieve this for Te Akau.”
Walker paid tribute to Shinn for producing the goods when it mattered.
“It was a lovely ride by Blake as he rode her for a touch of luck and got the split at the right time,” he said.
“That’s why you have these international riders on.
“Also well done to David Ellis who bought her. She was actually our last yearling to sell of her year and they are often very good as Imperatriz was the same and so was Avantage.
“I think her last run was just a little about being second up but if you didn’t run then she couldn’t have won tonight.
“You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t sometimes.
“We will let the dust settle now but she will probably have a run between races somewhere and then go straight into the slot race here in March.”
Walker was referring to the first running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1600m) slot race that will be one of the many highlights on the newly minted Champions Day programme at Ellerslie on 8 March, with Damask Rose being recently announced as the representative for slot holder Te Akau Racing.
The daughter of Flying Spur mare Sombreuil was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $200,000 out of Milan Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft.
She comes from an extended family that includes her grand-dam Te Akau Rose who was a winner of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) along with Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) winner and now successful sire Brutal.
TAB Bookmakers reacted quickly by moving Damask Rose into equal favourite for the NZB Kiwi alongside Checkmate, with the pair sitting at a $6 Fixed Odds quote ahead of Aussie raider Evaporate at $8.
