Tell a Tale 取紐西蘭二千堅尼
Leading Kiwi Mark Walker's frustrating run at the New Zealand Cup meeting ended with the best possible result at Riccarton today when he added the $NZ1 million 2000 Guineas to his major race trophy for the third time.
Walker had a big team in action over the carnival, but had to settle for minor placings going into today's meeting.
However, the top trainer knew he had a couple of aces up his sleeve in the South Island's richest race and he came close to walking away with the quinella.
Tell A Tale, ridden in a no panic style by Troy Harris, grabbed victory right on the line with stablemate Minstrel Court finishing third for visiting Australian jockey Craig Newitt.
"It's been a great result and I'm happy for Troy," said Walker.
"He came to Te Akau right from the start and he's stuck at it through thick and thin.
"It's great to see him doing well and it's a great result for all the Te Akau team and our staff both at Matamata and Rangiora.
"We've won this race three times now and each time it's been through a horse bought by David (Ellis).
"It's working and I hope it keeps up."
Walker first won the 2000 Guineas in 2003 with King's Chapel, then repeated the dose in 2005 with Darci Brahma and both horses have gone on to careers as sires.
Tell A Tale obviously won't be able to follow in their footsteps, being a gelding, but he looks headed for similar heights.
The Australian-bred son of Tale Of The Cat was bought by Ellis for $A120,000 for the Fortuna No.5 Syndicate managed by John Galvin.
Galvin started his Fortuna Syndication last year and has introduced 135 investors with about 90 of them being first-time owners.
"David (Ellis) and Mark (Walker) do the buying and I put the syndicates together," said Galvin.
"This has been a great day for syndication.
"There are 17 shares in this syndicate and 25 owners, including Helen Spring, wife of the late Leicester Spring, who raced Rising Fast."
Galvin raced his first horse, Temple Quay, from the Foxton stable of Barney Lumsden, and his other six horses have been with Te Akau Racing Stables.
"I've won with every one of them," said Galvin, who biggest highlight as an owner came with Darci Brahma, in whom he raced a five percent share.
Most of the Tell A Tale owners were on hand for today's big occasion and they let out a huge uproar when the judge declared Tell A Tale the winner over Il Quello Veloce.
It has come down to a bob of the head finish with Troy Harris getting Tell A Tale up in the very last stride to beat Il Quello Veloce, ridden by his father, Noel.
Tell A Tale had been slow away and came with a barnstorming finish to score by a head from Il Quello Veloce with a length and a quarter to Minstrel Court, while Grimalkin fought on for fourth.
Altered Image and Juice were the next pair home ahead of Kildonan while Fully Fledged had his chances extinguished when checked at the 1000 metres and wound up ninth.
[ 本帖最後由 S.WEEK 於 16/11/2008 09:32 PM 編輯 ]
|
