Black-Type Results

Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, Riccarton

Race Summary:

Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) completely dominated the G2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, winning by six lengths.

The promising 4-year-old swept down the outside under Opie Bosson to record his fifth win from six starts, defeating Boots 'N' All (NZ) (Perfectly Ready) and Kolonel Kev (NZ) (Darci Brahma (NZ).

Trainer Jamie Richards indicated afterwards that Te Akau Shark would head towards the Sydney autumn features with a shot at the G1 Doncaster at Randwick on the radar.

Pedigree Notes:

A $230,000 buyFpp at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by Te Akau principal David Ellis, Te Akau Shark is out of G2 Waikato Gold Cup winning mare Bak Da Chief (NZ) (Chief Bearheart {NZ}).

She is a half-sister to the dam of G1 winner Pondarosa Miss (NZ) as well as Listed winner Ecuador. Te Akau Shark's full brother, now named Baby Shark (NZ), was bought for $110,000 at this year's Karaka sales, while Bak Da Chief is due to foal to Redwood (GB) this spring.

Group 3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders' S., Riccarton

Race Summary:

Kiwi Ida (Squamosa), the one-time $4000 weanling, added a second stakes-win to her resume when she proved too strong in the G3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes

The 4-year-old mare sat back and surged for her seventh career win by a 2-length margin over The Precious One (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) with Rideitlikeyoustoleit (Alamosa {NZ) in third.

The victory added to her black-type success in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton last year. She is the only stakes-winner by Sun Stud's Squamosa.

Pedigree Notes:

Out of unraced mare Empress Ida (Blevic), Kiwi Ida was a $4000 buy for her trainers Karen and John Parsons at the 2015 Great Southern Sale.

Her grand-dam Queen Ida (Star Pyramul) was also unraced but was a sister to prolific winner Royal Ida, who was successful up to Group 3 level in Victoria and South Australia.

It’s a family with plenty of prolific winners in it, most of them based out of Michael O'Leary's stables in Mt Gambier, including King Ida, Prince Ida and Rekab, who all won more than 10 races.

Empress Ida has yet to have another foal get to the track, but there is a yearling filly by Niconoise and a recent foal full sibling to Kiwi Ida.

Group 3 Stewards Handicap, Riccarton

Race Summary:

Prince Oz's (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) remarkable career renaissance has continued as he notched win No.7 in a row in the G3 Lindauer Stewards’ S. Handicap at Riccarton.

Having won just one from 11 before transferring to the stables of Neill Ridley, Prince Oz is now a Group winner after surging past Sensei (Dream Ahead {USA}) and Pippi Rea (NZ) (Pins).

Terry Moseley, who has ridden Prince of Oz in all seven of his southern victories, was full of praise for the son of O’Reilly after the win.

“He’s come of age with me,” Moseley said. “He’s been a sensational horse.

“I thought the track might have been just a bit firm for him, but he’s a class act. He’s been very aloof but every time you set him a task he just steps up.”

Pedigree Notes:

Prince Oz is the first live foal from Seasoned Star mare Royal Princess (NZ) and was bred and is raced by Raymond Connors and family. Only one of his siblings, the Savabeel filly Royal Sav, has been a racetrack winner.

Royal Princess has a 2-year-old filly by Pentire (GB), a yearling colt by Shocking and is due to foal to Vadamos (Fr) this spring.