Campionessa Heads a Te Akau Trifecta Home

Bringing strong form, Campionessa (4 m Contributer - Bella Carolina, by O'Reilly) led home Te Akau trifecta in $12,000 SVS Starting Gates Rating 74 1600 metres on 19 January at Te Rapa.

A dual winner last season, she resumed with a notable third to subsequent Levin Stakes (Listed, 1200m) winner Rose ‘N' Power (Power) in November at Te Rapa, charged late for third in a Rating 74 1400 metres on 4 December at Matamata, and tried valiantly off a wide gate (14) for fifth to consequent Anniversary Handicap (Gr. 3, 1600m) winner Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) in the Stella Artois Championship Final (Special Conditions, 1500m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

A pickup ride for Kozzi Asano, with Michael McNab not in attendance, Campionessa settled eighth on the outer, was six lengths off the leaders at the 600m, ranged into a challenging position on straightening and quickened clear over the final furlong to win easily by one and three-quarter lengths.

“She relaxed beautifully and found a nice spot from barrier seven, four back, one off,” Asano said. “It was just a matter of when I came out and gave her the go ahead. I just waited, got a good drag and she was away. It was too easy.”

Sponsored by Waikato Racing Club Chairman John Elstob (SVS Veterinary Supplies), Campionessa ran 1600 metres in 1:36.3, last 600m, 34.8, and paid $2.50 & $1.30 as race favourite on NZ TAB tote, after beating stable-mates Shezathinka (So You Think), second, ridden by Joe Kamaruddin and Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj), third, with Niranjan Parmar aboard.

“She'd been building to the win and hadn't had a lot of luck in her last couple of starts, getting caught very deep last time at Ellerslie,” Richards said. “She still kept up a great gallop in the Stella Artois Final to be beaten about two lengths and the winner, Bankers Choice, came out and won the Anniversary (Handicap).

“She's a progressive mare and is starting to relax a bit more with maturity, after being a slightly highly strung filly. She is settling and getting better with each run.

“Kozzi (Asano) rode her well and she showed a good turn of foot to win nicely. The owners have been patient and I'd like to thank them for that. We had this race picked out for her as an easier option, to hopefully gain confidence and get her winning and thankfully we've been able to do that.”

Owned by Te Akau Campionessa Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), purchased by David Ellis CNZM for A$60,000 at 2019 Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, from draft of Mapperley Stud, who stands her sire.

“She won her first two starts before two fourths and I've been impressed with how she's taken the step up this season,” Ellis said. “

“She was a really nice, medium-sized filly with lovely markings, she walked well, was from a good family, with a great line-up of sires on her dam-side. She's always shown ability and looks capable of getting through to stakes' class.”

She is from the first NZ crop of Australian Middle Distance Horse of the Year Contributer (High Chaparral), dual Group 1 winner of Chipping Norton (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Ranvet Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m). His sire, High Chaparral (Sadler's Wells), winner of six Group 1 races, including English and Irish Derbies, has proven class at stud and is already a noted sire of sires.

Dam Bella Carolina (O'Reilly) won three times to 1400 metres and left four individual winners of eight races. Tennessee (Per Incanto) won the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at her second start and finished fourth in both the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) as a two-year-old. While Maestro (He's Remarkable) won twice in Singapore, He's McCaw (He's Remarkable) placed five times in Australia, and year younger brother to Campionessa, Aramis has won in Australia.

In addition, the dam sires in her pedigree are some of the best to ever stand in New Zealand: Champion Sire O'Reilly, and in turn Centaine, and Noble Bijou. While through her sire lines, the filly carries a cross of immortal sire Northern Dancer.

Campionessa was strapped by Kendyll Lee.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz