Juvenile summary: Southend poised for Group 1 challenge after Baillieu triumph

Cover image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)

Race-day recap

Seize The Day delivers another Te Akau triumph in Manawatu Sires’ Produce

The dominance of Te Akau Racing in the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes continued in emphatic fashion at Trentham, as the outstanding colt Seize The Day (I Am Invincible) produced a commanding front-running display to hand the powerhouse stable yet another victory in the juvenile feature.

Sent out the $2.80 favourite, Seize The Day was entrusted to the hands of Opie Bosson, who made a decisive early move to take control of the race. After initially weighing up his options from the gates, Bosson allowed the colt to stride forward, finding the lead and dictating terms throughout.

From there, it was a demonstration of class. Travelling strongly into the straight, Seize The Day quickly put the race to bed, booting clear inside the final furlong and never looking in doubt as he powered away to score by four and a half lengths.

Behind him, a fitting family quinella unfolded, with Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain {Fr}), trained by Roydon Bergerson, finishing adrift in second, while Speed Demon (Yes Yes Yes) stuck on gamely for third, a further half-length away.

The victory further cemented Te Akau’s extraordinary record in the race, adding to a remarkable run of success that includes champions such as Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands {NZ}), Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Yourdeel (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}), On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) and Maven Belle (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}). Their continued stranglehold on New Zealand’s premier juvenile contest shows no signs of loosening.

Co-trainer Sam Bergerson was full of praise for both the colt and the wider team behind him.

“Full credit to David Ellis and the team. He is just an outstanding colt. We have liked him from day one. We thought he would have been racing a bit earlier than he was, it just took a little while for the penny to drop. He is just going from strength to strength. Opie summed it up well I thought. He seemed to be in two minds at the start but he made the right choice as he always does and it is just really exciting.”

“The way he quickened was really exciting. I thought he was travelling really nicely at the top of the straight and I thought I'd love to put the blinkers on him now. Thankfully he's really switched on and gone to another level since Matamata and I can't thank the team at home enough.

“He's a super horse and really exciting going forward.

“It is really cool to quinella this race with dad. He is just as excited as me and he has run second so I have a massive support network and it helps when you are training a horse like that.”

Bosson echoed the sentiment, highlighting the colt’s professionalism and physical presence.

“I took my time to see what was going to happen and I thought I better get going here or I'm going to be caught three deep. I elected to slide forward and it took a couple of strides for him to come back to me but when he did he relaxed beautifully. I think it was the right idea to take the blinkers off.

“He's a lovely big colt with a massive stride on him. He is just so smooth underneath you. It makes my job easy.”

Sales: Seize The Day was purchased for $600,000 by David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) for Te Akau Racing, in partnership with Kia Ora Stud, from the Yarraman Park draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Seize The Day is a full-brother to Group 3 winner California Zimbol (I Am Invincible) and a half-brother to stakes winners From Within (Not A Single Doubt) and Cruden Bay (Not A Single Doubt). He is the ninth and final winner from nine to race out of Zimaretto (Anabaa {USA}), who was bred by Yarraman Park in partnership and sadly passed away last year.

Champagne beckons Southend after Baillieu

In a wide-open renewal of the G3 TL Baillieu Handicap at Rosehill, it was the progressive colt Southend (Palace Pier {GB}) who confirmed his promise, producing a strong finishing burst to defeat race favourite Persian Wonder (NZ) (Hello Youmzain {Fr}) and stamp his claims for the G1 Champagne Stakes.

Sent out a $7.50 chance, Southend settled comfortably in midfield under Dylan Gibbons, tracking the race favourite throughout. As the tempo lifted inside the final 400 metres, the race quickly developed into a two-horse battle.

Peeling to the outside, Southend ranged up alongside Persian Wonder inside the 300 metres, with the pair engaging in a sustained duel. Ultimately, it was Southend who proved superior late, edging clear over the concluding stages to score by just over a length.

Persian Wonder was gallant in defeat, while the rank outsider Nomadic (King’s Legacy) produced an eye-catching finish from the back, charging home to grab third and narrowly miss second in a performance full of merit.

Trainer Gerald Ryan was confident the colt had a bright future ahead.

“He's a very good horse I think, we’ve had a good opinion of him all the way along,” he said.

“We loved him at the sales, we sat back for four days and bought him on the Friday night. I think he’s a really good horse.”

As for what lies ahead, Ryan indicated the G1 Champagne Stakes could be on the radar, depending on how the colt pulls up.

“That’s always been the plan. To go to Newcastle, here today, and if it looks as though he’s had enough we’ll stop him. If not, he’ll go the Champagne in three weeks.”

With his sire a multiple Group 1-winning miler, Ryan believes Southend’s future may lie around that distance.

“I don’t think this horse will run a staying journey even though it looks as if he could. I reckon he’s more of a 1600 metre horse as a 3-year-old. I think he’s a nice horse.”

Jockey Dylan Gibbons was equally impressed with the colt’s raw talent.

“The thing I love most is that last furlong, he was just looking for some challengers,” Gibbons said. “God help him when he learns what his job is, he’s doing it all on raw ability.

“He’s got the most beautiful attitude for a colt, he just only does what you ask him. You can see late in the piece he’s pricked his ears and had a good look around.

“He’s a pretty boy, I wish I looked as good as him. Anyway, at least he’s got the ability.

“I’m sure he’ll eat up and bounce out of the run well and have a crack at the big one (Champagne). If he can take any natural improvement again, it’s scary to see where he can get to.”

Sales: Southend was purchased for $425,000 by his trainers, Defiant Thoroughbred Breeding Trust, Pat Hodby and Charlie Parletta from the Mill Park Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Southend is the second winner out of the Listed-winning So You Think (NZ) mare So You Are, herself a three-quarter-sister to Group 2 winner Peltzer. He is one of two stakes performers from the single Australian crop of Palace Pier (GB) and hails from a deep international family that includes South African Group 3 winner Crown Towers (Camelot {GB}).

So You Are’s recent progeny includes a Russian Revolution yearling colt sold for $85,000 at this year's Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale, while she also produced a filly by Maurice (Jpn) last spring and was subsequently covered by Harry Angel (Ire).

Satono Glow surges through the wet in Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes

Run in rain-affected conditions down the Flemington straight, the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes developed into a true test, and it was the travelling filly Satono Glow (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) who stamped her authority, surging clear under Jamie Melham to score a dominant victory.

The race unfolded largely as anticipated, with the well-backed favourite Gin Twist (Home Affairs) rolling forward to control proceedings along the rail. She travelled comfortably through the early stages, but as the field approached the 400 metres, the pressure quickly intensified.

Melham, aboard Satono Glow, had her mount poised to strike and quickly made her move, sweeping to the front with purpose. Relishing the heavy conditions, the filly let down powerfully and quickly put the race beyond doubt, her turn of foot proving far superior to her rivals.

Behind her, the Ben Brisbourne-trained debutant Salann (Shamus Award) produced an eye-catching performance, finishing strongly to grab second in the final strides, edging out Gin Twist by the narrowest of margins. The favourite, despite enjoying a soft lead, appeared not to handle the testing ground.

The Sydney juvenile form proved superior on this occasion, with Satono Glow building on her impressive debut at Warwick Farm.

Jockey Jamie Melham was full of praise for the filly post-race.

“I was confident at the 400 metres, but fillies down the straight for the first time can promise the world and then sometimes get lost. Credit to the team, they have done a great job educating this filly, she was bombproof. I feel like the Sydney horses always go well in the wet too because they have been trained on the softer tracks up there and she really enjoyed the wet today - she got through it. It was a very easy ride in the end.

“Her attitude really impressed me. She is a small horse to the eye but the feel she gave me - it felt like she had a really big stride underneath me and she settled well. I feel like she could get further in time.”

Stable representative for John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Jade Lys indicated the filly would be transferred back to the Sydney stable before a decision was made on her next steps.

Sales: Satono Glow was purchased for NZ$260,000 by O’Shea Charlton Racing and James Bester Bloodstock from the Windsor Park Stud draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Satono Glow is out of Electrode (NZ) (Pins), a winning half-sister to Group winner So Wotif (Iffraaj {GB}) and stakes winner Bonniegirl (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}). She is a half-sister to the Group 2-placed Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High), and is the third winner from the mare.

Bargain buy Never Ordinary claims first stakes win in Dequetteville Stakes

Never Ordinary (Dirty Work) continued her rapid and fairytale rise, taking out the Listed Dequetteville Stakes at Morphettville in convincing fashion under Rochelle Milnes for trainer Byron Cozamanis.

Sent out the clear odds-on favourite, Never Ordinary settled just behind the leader Verzain (Zousain) before cutting back to the fence and powering underneath to hit the front in the run to the line. She held off Verzain and finished a length clear, with Almost An Angel (So You Think {NZ}) running on late into third, one and a half lengths further back.

The win takes Never Ordinary’s prizemoney to $116,790 from just three starts – an extraordinary return for a filly purchased for only $1250 through the 2025 Inglis February (Late) Online Sale.

It was a deserved stakes win by Never Ordinary, who had shown plenty of promise in her previous two outings, narrowly beaten on debut in the Listed Cinderella Stakes behind Rebel Tuesday (Rebel Dane) before following this up with a dominant 4-length victory over Neveu (Rich Enough) over 1000 metres.

Not only is it a fairytale result for connections but the win also marks another milestone for Widden Victoria sire, Dirty Work, who has now produced two stakes winners - the first being R. Listed Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic winner Do I Feel Lucky.

Sales: Never Ordinary was purchased for just $1250 by W McGuire at the 2025 Inglis February (Late) Online Sale from vendor Blue Gum Farm (as agent).

Pedigree: Never Ordinary is the second winner and first stakes winner for More Than Ready (USA) mare Satin Sashes, a half-sister to Wyong Magic Millions winner Assail (Charge Forward). She comes from the extended family of TJ Smith Stakes winner Master of Design and Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom).

Never Ordinary is also the first stakes winner for Widden Stud’s Dirty Work, who has also produced stakes placegetters Dirty Old Town and Regal Hustle.