Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson continued to extend their unassailable lead in the National Trainers’ Premiership at Riccarton’s Synthetic meeting on Thursday, recording a winning double courtesy of Caravella and Treaty Of Paris.
Caravella kicked off proceedings in the Coca-Cola Open Handicap (1200m) when getting the better of the Les Collins-trained Dear Oh Dear by a long head.
“It was a great effort to win like she did today,” Walker said.
“She’s really started to mature and come into her own now and Dave (Ellis, Te Akau Racing principal) loves buying horses from Wentwood Grange. They’re great breeders and they breed tough, sound, racehorses that continue to improve with age.
“She had to do it the hard way, from back in the field, which indicates she’s competitive and capable of winning more races under Open Handicap conditions.
“She’s continued to improve consistently through the grades and I think she’ll be competitive at stakes level next season as a five-year-old.”
Caravella is a half-sister to Our Abbadean, a dual Group 2 winner and twice Group 1 placed for Te Akau.
“She was very unlucky last start at Wingatui, so it was pleasing to see things go her way, and it’s great to have had good success with both her and Our Abbadean,” Ellis said.
“It’s a terrific effort to have won four times this season and she seems to have really settled in well and thrived at our stables on the course at Riccarton.
“Hunter (Durrant, Riccarton stable foreman) and the staff down there are doing a great job and we have always loved stabling and racing horses in the South Island.
“We had her half-sister Our Abbadean in the stable for the Hawkins family at Wentwood Grange, who performed very well.
“She ran in all three legs of the Triple Crown during the Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival, and came of age as an older mare when winning the Awapuni Gold Cup (Group 2, 2000m) and Travis Stakes (Group 2, 2000m).
“She was a really good stakes quality mare and the more wins Caravella can get on the board the more valuable she becomes.
“It’s a good family and Wentwood Grange is one of the very astute breeders in our industry.”
As they did a day earlier at Cambridge, Walker and Bergerson produced back-to-back winners at Riccarton when Treaty Of Paris took out the Fire Fighters Challenge – Phil Leabourn Rating 75 (2200m).
“It was a really good win and a lovely ride of Warren’s (Kennedy),” Walker said.
“He’s been a slower maturing horse, but now he’s getting some age on him he’s getting stronger and becoming a decent staying type.
“He was a magnificent sort of yearling when Dave (Ellis) bought him, now coming to it as a proven racehorse and he’s certainly got a good record on the poly track.
“We’ve always rated his ability, but he’s just needed the time to develop, and I think he’ll make a nice Cups horse next year with even more maturity.”
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