Splurge
Trish Dunell
Promising galloper Splurge got the day started on the right note for the powerful Te Akau Racing team at Ellerslie on Saturday when he added another victory to his burgeoning record.
The four-year-old Savabeel gelding had been an impressive winner at the track on Boxing Day before suffering an interrupted run at Trentham where he was beaten into second behind classy mare Volks Lightning. Punters were keen on his chances to go one better on the weekend and they weren't disappointed as he produced a dogged finish in the hands of Danielle Johnson to claim the Ophthalmic Instrument Company sponsored rating 85 1200 metre event.
Co-trainer Jamie Richards was upbeat about the gelding's future prospects as he discussed the performance after the race.
"He continues to step up every time he comes to the races", he said.
"We thought he was a little bit stiff at Wellington last time and today he looked like he may have been a little bit of trouble at the 600.
"He closed really strongly though which is the sign of a good horse."
Richards, who prepares the horse with training partner Stephen Autridge, indicated a step up to elite company could be the next assignment for him.
"He's only lightly raced so we think he will continue to improve," he noted.
"He could go straight to the Darley Plate but we'll just get him home and have a talk to Dave and Steve and see what we want to do."
Splurge was a $500,000 purchase for Te Akau boss David Ellis at the premier session of the 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale. He is the last foal of ill-fated mare Splashing Out and a half brother to three individual winners including Packing Pins who has won six times in Hong Kong.
The Gr. 3 Darley Plate (1200m) is the feature sprint on the programme at Ellerslie on Saturday 4 March where the Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby is the headline act. – NZ Racing Desk
The four-year-old Savabeel gelding had been an impressive winner at the track on Boxing Day before suffering an interrupted run at Trentham where he was beaten into second behind classy mare Volks Lightning. Punters were keen on his chances to go one better on the weekend and they weren't disappointed as he produced a dogged finish in the hands of Danielle Johnson to claim the Ophthalmic Instrument Company sponsored rating 85 1200 metre event.
Co-trainer Jamie Richards was upbeat about the gelding's future prospects as he discussed the performance after the race.
"He continues to step up every time he comes to the races", he said.
"We thought he was a little bit stiff at Wellington last time and today he looked like he may have been a little bit of trouble at the 600.
"He closed really strongly though which is the sign of a good horse."
Richards, who prepares the horse with training partner Stephen Autridge, indicated a step up to elite company could be the next assignment for him.
"He's only lightly raced so we think he will continue to improve," he noted.
"He could go straight to the Darley Plate but we'll just get him home and have a talk to Dave and Steve and see what we want to do."
Splurge was a $500,000 purchase for Te Akau boss David Ellis at the premier session of the 2014 NZB National Yearling Sale. He is the last foal of ill-fated mare Splashing Out and a half brother to three individual winners including Packing Pins who has won six times in Hong Kong.
The Gr. 3 Darley Plate (1200m) is the feature sprint on the programme at Ellerslie on Saturday 4 March where the Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby is the headline act. – NZ Racing Desk
