Mark Walker has kicked off the season in phenomenal fashion with three
Mark Walker has kicked off the season in phenomenal fashion with three winners at Taupo ....
Mark Walker showed that Te Akau will once again be a force to be reckoned with this season after taking five runners to Taupo and returning with three winners, as well as third and fourth placegetter.
It started well with Walker claiming the second race on the programme. Bankside Belle, Te Akau's first horse to race in the 2008/09 racing season, won the $7500 Windsor Park Stud Rating 70 1000m in convincing fashion. Despite the horse in her neighbouring barrier panicking in the stalls, injuring itself and having to be removed, the 3YO daughter of Volksraad/Chianina kept her composure. She jumped beautifully from barrier three and went straight to the lead for Te Akau apprentice Daniel Stackhouse and there she stayed. Having to carry 58kgs, and thus relishing Stackhouse's 3kgs claim, Bankside Belle never looked threatened and cruised away to win comfortably by three quarters of a length.
Bankside Belle, who cost $40,000, carries the distinctive Northern Club colours of her owners the Northern Club Syndicate No 8. She has raced five times for two wins, two seconds and a fourth placing with just over $25,000 in stakes' earnings. Her 2YO season showed plenty of indication that she would be something special at three - she was fourth in the Group 2 Robin, Duke of Bedford Matamata Breeders' Stakes behind stablemate Te Akau Coup. She also earned further valuable black type when a close up second in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock 2YO Fillies' Stakes at Avondale in April for Opie Bosson.
Bankside Belle's first appearance as a 3YO was at the Taupo trials on 5 August when she scored an easy win in a 3YO catchweight trial with Te Akau's Samantha Collett aboard. She looks to have an exciting season ahead.
Two other Te Akau lassies who also look to have an exciting season ahead claimed their first race day victories today. Amaryllis was making her raceday debut after having won two trials in recent times - a 2YO catchweight 650m at Cambridge in March and a 3YO catchweight 800m at Te Teko on 5 August. The daughter of Red Ransom/La Fleur settled towards the rear of the field from her wide-ish draw for Troy Harris and as they turned for home she released the brakes and won with plenty in reserve - definitely a filly to follow!
Kudamm, a 4YO daughter of Cape Cross and Shopping Spree, was so brave when taking out the final event on the programme. She was very unlucky on debut in April when finishing fourth but a trial's win at Te Teko on 5 August in a catchweight 800m showed she was right on target for today's appearance. Winning this, just her second start, in the hands of Opie Bosson took plenty of heart from both rider and horse and they duly delivered to win by a small margin.
Amaryllis and Kudamm were both bred, and are raced, by Pencarrow Stud's Peter and Philip Vela. The Vela brothers know about breeding fine fillies as they have bred four New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year winners and will receive Insouciant's award as 2007/08 winner at the annual Mercedes Thoroughbred Racing Awards this Friday.
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