Te Akau Matamata Treble - Patriarca Win Perfect

Local trainer Mark Walker made a winning start to the meeting on 25 January at Matamata, when Patriarca (4 m Savabeel - Baby Shacks, by O'Reilly) scored in the $14,000 Maiden 1600 metres.

After racing very well off a wide trip for second when resuming in the Maiden 1200 metres on 16 September at Taupo, Patriarca had encountered a couple of unsuitable heavy tracks since resuming again in December and shaped to appreciate stepping up to a mile.

Given a lovely trip by Craig Zackey, Patriarca angled clear rounding the home turn after racing in fifth and kept coming before dashing late to get her nose in front on the line.

“She came into it around the bend and should like getting to 2000 metres,” said Zackey, on dismounting.

In buoyant form, Zackey had combined with stable-mate Tokyo Tycoon (Satono Aladdin) to provide Te Akau their seventh consecutive win the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) on Saturday at Pukekohe.

On Soft6 footing, downgraded to Soft7 immediately following, Patriarca ran 1600 metres in 1:39.7, last 600m in 36.2, in the race named Matamata Function Centre, and paid $11.20 & $3.40 on the NZ TAB tote.

“She's a good-looking mare and it was a nice win today,” Walker said. “Maybe the gear adjustment of taking the blinkers off and stepping to 1600 metres really helped her.

“She should take good confidence from the win and she can go on with it.”

On hand to accept spoils on behalf of the owners was Cambridge based Geoff Wilson and his son Luca.

“It's great to see her win like that,” Wilson said. “I've also got shares in Maven Belle, Talisker, and Prise De Fer, and also had a share in the Karaka Million winner Cool Aza Beel.

“I've been involved for many years now and we've had a good run.”

Owned by Te Akau Patriarca Racing Partnership (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), she was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis CNZM at the Karaka 2020 Book 1 Sale.

By eight-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), a Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) winning three-year-old, dam Baby Shacks is a half-sister to 2008 inaugural Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner Vincent Mangano (No Excuse Needed) and sister to multiple stakes' winner Joey Massino.

A favourite in the Waikato Stud draft, Patriarca provided Charlotte Chittick (18) with the first horse she paraded.

Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick said: “She's from a great family and a beautiful filly, and a very proud moment for all of us. She was one of our favourite fillies and we made sure it was the right horse for Charlotte to parade.”

After purchasing, Ellis said: “She's got a lot of class, a lot of quality, and by the all-conquering stallion. She's has a good deep rich colour, much like the stallion, out of a proven mare and it's a beautiful cross.”

Patriarca was strapped by Stephanie Hyde-Richards, who continued a winning combination having also strapped Tokyo Tycoon in the Karaka Million.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz