Te Akau collect a decisive double at Taupo

Wandering Eyes · August 22

Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were pleased to see the successful return of What You Wish For (NZ) (Embellish) and Trobriand at Taupo on Wednesday as the four-year-old pair collected fresh-up victories on the competitive card.

What You Wish For, a son of former Te Akau star colt Embellish, had shown his prowess over ground as a three-year-old with a close-up third in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m), completing his preparation with a solid sixth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March.

Resuming off the back of two trials, the gelding was tasked with the 62.5kg topweight, which was initially set to be decreased by Tayla Melvin’s four-kilogram claim. The stable apprentice was unfortunately injured at trackwork on Wednesday morning, with the ride then being picked up by Rihaan Goyaram.

Jumping from an outside barrier, Goyaram eased What You Wish For back to the tail of the field, with a solid tempo set up by Phelan The Power and Drum Major. The gelding began to rapidly circle his rivals turning for home and swept into contention at the 200m, powering clear to score from a fast-closing Don Pauly and Kaimai Queen.

The young hoop was grateful to secure a victory for the powerful stable and had plenty of praise for his mount.

“He is a really nice horse and I’m very happy with him,” he said.

“The horse was drawn wide and my instructions were to ride quietly, but he showed a very good turn of foot and he flew.

“I think I got out at the right time and his turn of foot was very impressive.”

Walker was equally impressed with What You Wish For, who picked up his second win from 11 starts for the Te Akau Wish & Win Racing Partnership.

“It was a really good effort to win today, especially from a staying horse over the 1300m,” Walker said.

“We had to have a late jockey change after Tayla Melvin was injured in a fall this morning, which was really bad timing because she had been doing a lot of work on this horse.

“He will only improve with this run under his belt, still has to come on in the coat, but ran home in very good sectionals and has certainly returned to work as a stronger horse in this campaign.”

Later on the card, stablemate Trobriand looked to be finding the form that placed him among the top two-year-old performers of his year when winning the Waikato Stud (1200m).

In the hands of Opie Bosson, Trobriand was ridden patiently in midfield and waited for the gap at the top of the straight, and when it came, the gelding burst into the lead and let down strongly to score by 1-3/4 lengths to Marotiri Molly.

Te Akau racing manager Reece Trumper indicated post-race that Trobriand had been gelded following a disappointing autumn campaign, a change that will hopefully assist in a long racing career for the promising sprinter.

“He was having too much of a think when racing as a colt, so we had him gelded,” Trumper said.

“His trials were very good coming into this, and Opie galloped him on Saturday on the course proper and said he’s absolutely flying.

“He’s probably a horse like Prise De Fer that as an older horse can continue to work through the grades and be competitive in stakes races again.”

Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Trobriand has won five races from 14 attempts and more than $325,000 in stakes earningsMark Walker and Sam Bergerson were pleased to see the successful return of What You Wish For (NZ) (Embellish) and Trobriand at Taupo on Wednesday as the four-year-old pair collected fresh-up victories on the competitive card.