There was no rest on the Sabbath for Jamie Richards despite having plenty to celebrate after a history making Saturday of racing.
Richards, who was not on hand to see Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) record her ninth Group One win and become the first horse to win the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown, flew back from Sydney on Saturday night after Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) both finished runner-up in their respective Group One tests at Randwick.
The Te Akau trainer then travelled to Te Teko on Sunday with four runners and came up trumps with Prise de Fer (NZ) (Savabeel) in the HJ Asmuss Kawarau 1400m.
The addition of blinkers and a patient ride from Opie Bosson worked a treat with the son of Savabeel running on strongly from the rear of the field to beat Verbalizer (NZ) (Tobique) by a head, with stablemate Meteoric Lass (Stratum) taking third place.
Richards has plans to travel south with Prise de Fer to target the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton next month.
“We do like him, we like to think he could be good enough to get to the Coupland’s in November,” he said.
“To be fair he did have to win and he got there and did the job nicely on ground that is slightly beyond him.
“He will continue to improve a bit further into his preparation.”
Bred by Raffles Dancers Pty, Prise de Fer was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Trelawney Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $100,000.
