Te Akau have a formidable record in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and trainer Jamie Richards is hoping they can extend their association with the race in January.
The Matamata-based racing team has won the past three editions of the race, including taking out the trifecta in this year’s running, and Richards believes his stable will have a couple of nice chances in the juvenile feature next month.
“We have got two nice chances qualified at this stage,” he said.
“Bordeaux Le Rouge is definitely in. He is a horse with some controversy around his win the other day at Ellerslie (when promoted above Taroni), but he’s going well.
“We have another nice horse, Cool Aza Beel, who was an impressive winner on debut at Wanganui and then he was very unlucky at Counties when running fourth.
“He has got close to $9,000 (in earnings), so hopefully that will be enough.”
“Both of those horses will run a fortnight beforehand at Ellerslie on the 12th (of January). It is a race we have used successfully before.”
While Richards looks likely to have two starters in the race, he said there are a number of juveniles in his barn who may make a late run at qualifying for the rich feature.
“We have also go some horses to trial in the next couple of weeks. They are running out of time a little bit, but if they can trial well we will certainly give them the opportunity to race and they might be able to get in late in the piece.”
