Embellish Gains Guineas Flourish

Embellish (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}), the $2.70 crowd's pick, put his stamp on the NZ$500,000 G1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton Park on Saturday, leading home a Te Akau Racing exacta with Age of Fire (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) 1 1/4 lengths behind. The famed tangerine and blue silks almost swept the first three spots, with the operation's Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) only touched off by  third-place finisher Ever Loyal (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) in fourth in the 1600-metre affair. All three Te Akau colourbearers are trained by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.

“He's a very valuable colt and we would love to think that he will be standing at stud in the future,” Te Akau Racing's David Ellis, who selected Embellish for NZ$775,000 out of the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka from the Waikato Stud draft said to www.nzracing.co.nz.

Securing a stalking rails trip after getting bounced around a bit after the gates sprung in the wake of Ever Loyal and Upperhand (NZ) (Swiss Ace {Aus}), it was clear that Opie Bosson had the nearly black colt in a perfect spot in third for much of the running. Ever Loyal shook loose from his rivals after passing the half-way point as Upperhand faded, and Embellish began to let down on the far turn. Switched to the outside of the leader by the 400m mark, it took the full-brother to G1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' S. heroine Diademe (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) a few strides to draw alongside, but Ever Loyal grudgingly gave way inside the final 100 metres and Embellish's victory was assured. The other two Te Akau representatives rallied strongly as the line neared, with Age of Fire closing best of all.

“I've always liked him, he had raw ability as a 2-year-old and I knew as a 3-year-old he would be a top-class colt,” said Bosson, who was winning his seventh Guineas and giving Te Akau its sixth. “I was in the perfect position and tracked Ever Loyal all the way and I knew I had him covered at the 600.”

“It's a stallion making race and this bloke has a top future,” Richards said. “Opie gave him a super ride in the trail. It's a great result for everyone, the staff here and at home and for David, who bought all three horses.”

Runner-up at first asking in an Ellerslie 1200-metre event on Apr. 22, Embellish won his next two starts, saluting at Ruakaka going that trip on Oct. 4 and defeating elders in a Benchmark 65 handicap upped to 1400 metres at Trentham on Oct. 28.

Pedigree Notes…

The 14th Group 1 winner by Waikato Stud's champion sire Savabeel (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}), Embellish is out of a full-sister to GSP Irish Nova (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), herself the dam of New Zealand champion sprinter and MG1SW Sacred Star (Aus) (Flying Spur {Aus}). Third dam Star of the Knight (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), an Australian MGSW, is responsible for MGSW and MG1SP Starcent (NZ) (Centaine {Aus}), who was runner-up in the 1994 G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas with two of her best descendants closely related to Embellish, being Australian Group 3 winner and G1 Australian Guineas bridesmaid Strike the Stars (NZ) and G1 Southern Australian Derby second Best Case (NZ), both by Savabeel (Aus). Click for the free Arion pedigree.

Saturday, Riccarton Park, New Zealand
NEW ZEALAND TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS-G1, NZ$500,000 (US$346,561/£262,734/€297,084), CJC, 11-11, 3yo, Open Set Weight, 1600mT, 1:34.80, gd.
1–EMBELLISH (NZ), 56.5, c, 3, by Savabeel
                1st Dam: Bling (NZ), by O'Reilly (NZ)
                2nd Dam: Night Star (NZ), by Centaine
                3rd Dam: Star of the Knight (NZ), by Sir Tristram (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
(NZ$775,000 Ylg 2016 NZB National Yearling Sale). O-Te Akau
2016 Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: K W Fenton-Ellis Mnzm);
B-Waikato Stud Ltd, (NZ); T-S Autridge & J Richards; J-O P
Bosson; NZ$293,750. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, NZ$316,060.
*Full to Diademe (NZ), G1SW-NZ, GSP-Aus, $338,336; and
Deadly Shadow (NZ), SP-Aus; and a half to Roop All (NZ) (Pins
(Aus), SP-Aus. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Age of Fire, 56.5, c, 3, Fastnet Rock–Dragon's Tail, by Galileo
(Ire). (A$400,000 Ylg 2016 WI Sydney Easter Yearling Sale).
O-Te Akau 2016 Sydney Breeding Syndicate No.2 (Mgr: D C
Ellis); B-Roncon (NSW); T-S Autridge & J Richards; J-M
Cameron; NZ$94,000.
3–Ever Loyal, 56.5, g, 3, Sebring –Miss Lucille , by Rory's Jester.
(NZ$240,000 Ylg 2016 NZB National Yearling Sale; A$110,000
Wlg 2015 MM National Weanling Sale). O-C M Wong; B-S F
Bloodstock L L C NSW; T-A W Pike; J-J L Waddell; NZ$47,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, SHD. Odds: 2.70, 17.30, 5.20.
Also Ran: Te Akau Shark (NZ), Sensei, Bostonian (NZ), Irish Flame (NZ), Scott Base (NZ), Star Treasure (NZ), Finbarr (NZ), Lincoln Hills, Upperhand (NZ). Click for the Racing Post chart. NZ Racing Video.