QUINTESSA

This daughter of Shamus Award was one of the final yearlings to sell in her year - purchased by David Ellis CNZM from the Karaka Book 1 Sale for $170,000. 

Winning decisively on debut in March 2023 on a heavy track, she was spelled and returned stylishly in August where she drove through to snatch victory by a nose on the line over Oneira. Her quest to remain unbeaten in three starts was achieved easily in the $120,000 Group 3 Hawkes Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes 3YO SW for fillies over 1200m.  It was a picture book ride by stable jockey Opie Bosson ONZM who was three wide from the outside gate (13), improved as they turned for home, and scorched home in a huge finish for this valuable win - and first points in the prestigious NZB Filly of the Year Series.

Narrowly beaten into second on Waikato Cup Day at Te Rapa in December 2023, she replicated that when finishing runner up again to Pendragon on Boxing Day 2024 at Pukekohe in the $225,000 Group 2 Shaw's Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas 3YO SW 1400m - with Michael McNab aboard, there was only .2 length separating her from the winner.

Resisting the allure of the Karaka 3YO Millions, Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson elected to hunt down valuable Group 1 honours for the talented 3YO filly. In January 2024, she took her place in the $500,000 Group 1 Cambridge Stud Levin Classic 3YO SW 1600m at Trentham with Bosson back on board.

It was a sight to behold as she staved off all her determined opposition to record an important Group 1 victory by, again, .2 lengths, this time in her favour!

Quintessa then lined up in February 2024 against the older horses in the $400,000 Group 1 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa over 1200m. It was a tough assignment, and she certainly lost no fans when finishing 4th, just two lengths from the winner.

Her undoubted ability saw Quintessa then travel to Te Akau's Australian base to contest high level age group racing.  She acquitted herself with distinction when finishing second, beaten a lip in the hands of Opie Bosson ONZM at Moonee Valley in the A$500,000 Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes over 2040m. Desperately unlucky, and immensely brave, she went down a whisker in a race where she not only lost a plate in the running, but was also found post-race to have been galloped on during the event.

Very competitive in her 3YO season in Australia, the filly finished 4th in both the A$1 million Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington in March 2024 and A$1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks in April in Sydney, before returning home to spell at Te Akau Stud.

After trialling in New Zealand in early August 2024 to prepare for her four year old season, Quintessa returned to Australia for unfinished business - making an immediate impact.

Fresh up in to the A$200,000 Group 2 Tobin Brothers Cockram Stakes over 1400m, a race for 4YO+ Mares, she showed a stunning turn of foot to claim victory in the hands of former Te Akau apprentice Daniel Stackhouse.

Raced by the Te Akau Awarded Racing Partnership (Manager: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM) she has won five times, and been seven times placed, in just 12 starts for her owners, which include One Warriors' Assistant Coach Stacey Jones, earning $794,808 in her career to date.