Chief Stipe Posted September 19 Share Posted September 19 Racing: Te Akau move to strike out colt but are feeling love By Michael Guerin NZ Herald· 20 Sep, 2024 05:00 AM 3 mins to read One of Te Akau’s stars of the spring returns the day after another has been sidelined. The racing giant has had to pull Group 1-winning colt Move To Strike out of the 2000 Guineas and his other spring assignments after he was diagnosed with a breathing issue. The exciting three-year-old raced well below his best at Hastings two weeks ago and extensive veterinary examinations have revealed he will need a tie-forward operation. That involves a horse’s larynx being tied forward to prevent its soft palate from displacing and cutting off the horse’s airways. “The tie-forward operation has a far greater success rate than tie-back surgery so we are very confident of getting him back,” says Te Akau boss David Ellis. “After the surgery, he will obviously have a break and then we will set him for races like the Telegraph [Trentham, January 4] or the Railway [Ellerslie, January 25].” Being a Group 1-winning colt by champion stallion I Am Invincible, Move To Strike is potentially one of the most valuable racehorses in the country, particularly if he can return to racing and win an open age Group1 such as either of those two glamour sprints. Although he is gone for the spring, stablemate Captured By Love remains the favourite for next week’s Hawke’s Bay Guineas and last Saturday’s Riccarton maiden winner Age Of Discovery is into second favouritism of the 2000 Guineas. The stable goes into the relaunch of Ellerslie tomorrow in great form, with four winners at Cambridge on Wednesday and Campionessa resumes tomorrow a week later than expected. Last season’s Zabeel Classic winner was to have started at Te Rapa last Sunday but the heavy track saw her scratched and she now meets Orchestral and Habana in the open 1400m. While Campionessa is better know as a 1600-2000m mare she did win the Auckland Breeders Stakes fresh up over 1400m last season, beating Faraglioni and Malt Time, so could sprint well fresh tomorrow. Originally lumped with 62.5kg, she gets a 3kg claim with Ngakau Hailey aboard so now carries less than Orchestral and Habana. “We think she can race well this weekend and then her next aim is the Livamol [Hastings, October 12],” says Ellis. Discover more RACING Habana set to shine as Ellerslie reopens with star-studded 1400m clash The other open race at Ellerslie tomorrow is the 2100m handicap which looks ideal for Nereus, who was heavily backed to win over 1600m at Hastings two weeks ago but should be better suited by tomorrow’s longer trip. He finds himself up in the weights with 59.5kg for a horse who has only had 11 starts. But he did win the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup last season and it is hard to make a case to back any of his rivals to beat him tomorrow. ● Although Ellerslie is the major northern meeting this weekend, today’s Taupō card sees some promising maidens who could have black-type goals before too long. Trainers with three-year-olds looking for a good surface are heading there and horses such as Kitty Flash (R2, No 11), Love Poem (R5, No 9) and Sought After (R6, No 10) are just a few racing today who could be better than maiden grade. Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted September 20 Share Posted September 20 Interesting did I read an article where where they were looking at banning 2yr old racing, may have been in France, citing at 2yrs they are not mentally or physically ready for the rigours of racing, could have ramifications of the rest of the world if it happens.i wonder in the context of things how many are injured or retired, when they don't preform as juveniles, when another one of two years could make all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted September 21 Share Posted September 21 22 hours ago, Shad said: Interesting did I read an article where where they were looking at banning 2yr old racing, may have been in France, citing at 2yrs they are not mentally or physically ready for the rigours of racing, could have ramifications of the rest of the world if it happens.i wonder in the context of things how many are injured or retired, when they don't preform as juveniles, when another one of two years could make all the difference. I agree with the ban , it's a horrible look for the industry and the fact many don't train on tells you plenty about 2yo racing , just as 2 out with wind ops does. Quick bucks high attrition for fabricated owners ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doomed Posted September 21 Share Posted September 21 46 minutes ago, Huey said: I agree with the ban , it's a horrible look for the industry and the fact many don't train on tells you plenty about 2yo racing , just as 2 out with wind ops does. Quick bucks high attrition for fabricated owners ! Hard to see what those two tiny fields at Wanganui so far have achieved. $40,000 for 5 horses yesterday. Seems like a bit of a waste. At the very least the start date for 2yo racing could be knocked back to 1 Oct. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 1 hour ago, Huey said: I agree with the ban , it's a horrible look for the industry and the fact many don't train on tells you plenty about 2yo racing , just as 2 out with wind ops does. Quick bucks high attrition for fabricated owners ! But on the other side of the coin there are many instances of where some of how best racehorses have had very successful two year old seasons and go on to compete at all levels for many seasons. Arguably the majority of top horses have had success as two year olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 On 21/09/2024 at 8:53 AM, Shad said: Interesting did I read an article where where they were looking at banning 2yr old racing, may have been in France, citing at 2yrs they are not mentally or physically ready for the rigours of racing, However the very best 2yr olds are up to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted September 21 Share Posted September 21 1 hour ago, Doomed said: Hard to see what those two tiny fields at Wanganui so far have achieved. $40,000 for 5 horses yesterday. Seems like a bit of a waste. At the very least the start date for 2yo racing could be knocked back to 1 Oct. Or March / April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted September 21 Share Posted September 21 43 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: But on the other side of the coin there are many instances of where some of how best racehorses have had very successful two year old seasons and go on to compete at all levels for many seasons. Arguably the majority of top horses have had success as two year olds. How much wastage is occurring because of 2yo racing though? Particularly in the pursuit of sales races , Stud prospects etc . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 38 minutes ago, Huey said: How much wastage is occurring because of 2yo racing though? Particularly in the pursuit of sales races , Stud prospects etc . Been like it for 40 years or more. There will always be "wastage" or attrition. That's the nature of the game. Champion horses handle racing early. Most don't. If you haven't got a 2yr old at least to winning a trial then the odds of it being successful are greatly reduced. Lonhro had his first race at 22 months of age. Won his first race on 27 January 2001 which is roughly the same date as the Karaka Millions. Take probably our best 2yr old to compete in Australia - Our Marscay - had its first race 3 September 1994. He had 11 starts as a 2yr old. So as there is always an attrition rate what should that rate be? Probably not the Tommy Smith or Gai Waterhouse rate. However I do see some merit in @Doomed 's suggestion that the first 2yr old races are not to October or even November. Still enough time to get stakes to get into the KM or MM. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 There is another thread specifically on this very topic, so I won't wade into that. But it is worth remembering that one of our greatest ever horses, champion staying mare Princess Mellay, raced very early as a two year old - McLean Stakes - and remained sound all her life, some 40-odd years ago. Ok, only one horse. But horses have been raced as two-year-olds for two hundred years, or more. I would think that in that time, knowledge about nutrition and exercise techniques have advanced exponentially since then. It's not a new phenomenon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 32 minutes ago, Freda said: There is another thread specifically on this very topic, so I won't wade into that. But it is worth remembering that one of our greatest ever horses, champion staying mare Princess Mellay, raced very early as a two year old - McLean Stakes - and remained sound all her life, some 40-odd years ago. Ok, only one horse. But horses have been raced as two-year-olds for two hundred years, or more. I would think that in that time, knowledge about nutrition and exercise techniques have advanced exponentially since then. It's not a new phenomenon. I'm sure there are several examples of this , but have a look at the KM 2yo fields and they are littered with waste. I don't see a problem in them running as 2yos & its been proven to be a fairly positive thing for most of them, what I take issue with is the focus on getting them to these 2yo races at all costs when a Trial or a race and some time in the paddock would be much more beneficial for the animal and a prolonged career. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 16 minutes ago, Huey said: what I take issue with is the focus on getting them to these 2yo races at all costs when a Trial or a race and some time in the paddock would be much more beneficial for the animal and a prolonged career. Where is the evidence to support your assertion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted September 22 Share Posted September 22 40 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Where is the evidence to support your assertion? What do you want a sponsored study? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted September 22 Author Share Posted September 22 32 minutes ago, Huey said: What do you want a sponsored study? No just some examples of where trainers have targeted the KM "at all costs" and to the detriment of their horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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