Group Trials at Matamata

Two trials for Group winners/performers were held at Matamata before its race meeting on Wednesday 12 January 2022 -

Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: true.

Heat 1 Open 1050 metres (head, length 1:01.4)

Probabeel (5 m Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Opie Bosson; began smartly, steadied in second, took the advantage at the 200m and showed her class holding all at bay.

Purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $380,000 as a yearling at Karaka, from the draft of Waikato Stud, reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year Probabeel has won 12 of her 28 starts, including eight placed, with NZ$4.5 million prize money for owners Brendan Lindsay MNZM and Jo Lindsay (Cambridge Stud). Historic winner of Karaka Million double, she has won four Group 1 races in Australia.

Markus Aurelius (5 g Ghibellines - Evancho) - Joe Kamaruddin; received a lovely trail, found room in the straight and despite the sprint trip, he lifted well for a close second.

Winner of seven from 16, including a hat-trick last season, owned by the Te Akau Great Southern Man Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn-Fenton Ellis), purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $13,000 at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island Sale, from the draft of White Robe Lodge. He ended his spring campaign winning the Coupland's Bakeries Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) on the middle day (10 Nov.) of Cup Week at Riccarton.

Imperatriz (3 f I Am Invincible - Berimbau) - Michael McNab; settled back, five lengths off the leader at the 600m, and quickened down the outside to photo-finish for third (fourth).

Winner of both her two-year-old starts, including the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), she is the winner of four from six included victories in the Northland Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m), and ended her spring campaign finishing a close fourth to stable-mate The Perfect Pink (Savabeel) in 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) - a Te Akau first four. She was purchased by David Ellis CNZM in January 2020 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Bhima Thoroughbreds, and is owned by The Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Amarelinha (4 m Savabeel - Hopscotch) - Sam Weatherley; settled off the pace on the inner, was held up with more to offer and finished on the heels of leaders.

New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year 2020/21, she is the winner of five from 11 - she followed two Group Two and Group Three wins with victory in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m). Purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $300,000 at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Waikato Stud, she is owned by the Te Akau Hopskip'n'jump Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Heat 2 Open 1050 metres (neck, ¾ lengths 1:01.3)

Kahma Lass (4 m Darci Brahma - Distinctive Lass) - Michael McNab; got back last, seven lengths at the 600m, and tracked between runners boldly for third.

Culminated her first campaign with a smart 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) win and during her Spring campaign won the Weekend Hustler Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Caulfield. Owned by Brendan Lindsay MNZM & Jo Lindsay at Cambridge Stud, she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $290,000 at the Karaka 2019 Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud.

Festivity (5 m I Am Invincible - Mabsam) - Joe Kamaruddin; began awkwardly, was second last and six lengths off the leaders at the 600m, circled widest and ran home solidly for fourth.

Winner of six from 12, most recently the Hallmark Stud Handicap (Listed, 1200m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, she was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $410,000 at the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Windsor Park Stud, and is owned by the Te Akau 2018 Fabulous Fillies Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Sword of State (3 c Snitzel - In the Vanguard) - Sam Weatherley; trailed third on the inner, was held in a pocket and was untested going to the line for a close fifth.

The winner of four from eight for the Te Akau 2020 Four Colt Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), including the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m), he was bred by Sir Owen Glenn, prepared by Newgate Farm, and purchased for $600,000 by David Ellis CNZM at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale 2020. Future standing rights in the son of Snitzel were secured by Cambridge Stud.

On The Bubbles (3 g Brazen Beau - More Bubbles) - Opie Bosson; positioned handily on outer and finished just off them over sprint trip.

Completed a hat-trick in $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m), giving Te Akau its fifth consecutive victory, and ended his two-year-old season winning the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), the fourth in a row for Te Akau. Purchased by David Ellis CNZM in January at the 2020 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from draft of Leanach Lodge, he is owned by the Te Akau Splash Of Dom Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM). On Boxing Day at Ellerslie he won Uncle Remus Stakes (Listed, 1400m) and is preparing for the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m) on 22 January at Ellerslie, in an attempt to match stable-mate Probabeel (Savabeel), first and only horse to achieve the Karaka Million double in 2020.