Ellis’ long-held philosophy of taking advantage of major handicaps before a step up to weight-for-age company will be in play when the 4-year-old heads to Sydney for the G1 Epsom H. before targeting the G1 Cox Plate in Melbourne.
Te Akau Shark won’t lack for support on his travels as his ownership group includes Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks captain Paul Gallen.
“It is a pretty exciting time. He is owned by a lot of the boys from the Cronulla Sharks in Sydney, so they are pretty excited that we are bringing him to Sydney first,” Ellis said.
Owner Paul Gallen with Te Akau Shark and jockey Opie Bosson
“You make a big mistake in my opinion going to weight-for-age before you’ve taken advantage of the handicap.
“For example, I think he’ll get into the Epsom with 53.5kg – in the average year that’s what weight he would have. You’ve got to take advantage of that before you go to weight-for-age.”
“You make a big mistake in my opinion going to weight-for-age before you’ve taken advantage of the handicap.” – David Ellis.
The Jamie Richards-trained Te Akau Shark has won five of his six starts with soreness issues necessitating a break after he demolished his rivals by six lengths in the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile at Riccarton in November.
That performance prompted regular rider Opie Bosson to label him one of the best horses he’s been associated with.
“He’s coming up really well. He will run in the U S Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and then we’ll determine whether he needs another run before the Epsom,” Ellis said.
“It will depend on track conditions and we’d love to give him another run on an easy or soft track before we tackle the best in Australia.
“He’ll be doing more three-quarter pace this week and he’ll have his first gallop next week. He’s doing really well.”
Te Akau's David Ellis and trainer Jamie Richards
Ideal spacing
The stable believes a month between the Epsom H. and the Cox Plate will be ideal for Te Akau Shark.
“When he won his last start he went five weeks between races, from 1400m to 1600m, and he seems to enjoy that,” Ellis said.
Te Akau is planning to have quality representation in Australia later this year with New Zealand Horse of the Year in waiting Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), also due to go over after taking care of business at home.
“In the spring, we’re hoping after she’s done the Triple Crown at Hawke’s Bay that Melody Belle will be in the Cox Plate,” Ellis said.
“In the spring, we’re hoping after she’s done the Triple Crown at Hawke’s Bay that Melody Belle will be in the Cox Plate.” - David Ellis.
“Avantage will be going to Melbourne for the fillies and mares’ races and In A Twinkling, who was just beaten in the Derby, will be going for the major staying races.”
Melody Belle has won an impressive five Group 1 races from 1400 to 2000 metres this season while Avantage (Fastnet Rock) won the G3 Gold Trail S. in the spring before fresh-up autumn success in the G3 Birthday Card S. at Rosehill and then ran third in the G2 Arrowfield S. at Randwick.
Melody Belle will be aiming for the Cox Plate in the spring
In A Twinkling (Fastnet Rock) was a close second in the G1 New Zealand Derby before he finished fifth in both the G2 Tulloch S. and the G1 Australian Derby.
“There’s also a very good chance that Probabeel will be going too. A decision on Sydney or Melbourne hasn’t been made yet,” Ellis said.
Karaka Million winner Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) was unsuited by wet tracks in her two-start campaign in Sydney in the autumn. She nevertheless performed creditably when sixth in the G3 Magic Night S. and fifth in the G1 Sires’ Produce S.
Expensive colt thriving
Meanwhile, the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale topper has been put through his early paces at Te Akau. Ellis purchased the Savabeel colt out of Waikato Stud’s draft for NZ$1,400,000.
Watch: The $1.4 million Make A Wish (NZ) x Savabeel colt David Ellis purchased from Karaka
“He broke in beautifully and had three weeks in the stable and then three weeks on the farm spelling,” he said. “He came back in to the stable last week and he looks magnificent.”
The youngster is out of the Pins mare Make A Wish (NZ), a half-sister to Group 1 performer Ambitious (NZ) (Last Tycoon {Ire}), and is a half-brother to the G1 Queensland Oaks runner-up Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
