Fast-improving mare Acquarello produced the perfect dress rehearsal for her Karaka Millions Night assignment at Ellerslie on Sunday, putting away a compact field of class horses in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis (1400m).
The daughter of Written Tycoon has scarcely put a foot wrong throughout her five-year-old term, finishing in the first three at every start including a victory in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and a second placing to subsequent Group One winner Provence in the Royal Descent Stakes (1400m).
With a focus on the $500,000 Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) on January 25, Acquarello needed Sunday’s race which fortunately went ahead despite just four nominations, which included last year’s champion three-year-old Orchestral.
Orchestral had opened an odds-on favourite with TAB bookmakers, but punters were hesitant to back the star mare at a distance short of her best, instead putting their faith in Acquarello, with the pair both jumping at $2.10.
Unsurprisingly, the race was immediately a tactical affair, with Ace Lawson-Carroll taking Shamus up to lead at a sedate tempo ahead of Acquarello, while Orchestral was slow to jump and settled last inside of Pour The Wine. After such a slow pace, it was always going to be a sprint home and Shamus gave a sight for a long way, but Acquarello got the better of him late under Michael McNab, powering over the top to score comfortably by a half-length.
Pour The Wine was a further three-quarters of a length back in third, while Orchestral had picked up late, but was unable to catch the first pair and remained in the same position she had been in throughout.
McNab has been Acquarello’s regular rider since her Riccarton success and the top hoop was pleased with the performance.
“She was good, she was really sharp and has made good improvement from first-up to today,” he said.
“Hopefully she can improve off that again into the Westbury, so I’m really happy with her.
“The competition is obviously going to be a lot stiffer, but she had a good hit-out today and she gave me a really good feel. She’s going to be competitive.”
Pike shared a similar opinion, indicating the mare’s solid stature was always going to benefit from another lead-in run.
“That was nice heading forward into the Westbury Classic,” he said. “She’s a very big mare, obviously fresh-up the other day she probably needed that run and had a big blow afterwards, and she probably needed this run today to top her off.
“Shamus is a pretty handy horse in his own right and she took a while to get him, but she was good through the line and won it quite comfortably in the end.
“Thank you to NZTR and Auckland for putting the race on for us, it mapped out perfectly for her. She was good through the line and I’m looking forward to Karaka Millions Night now.”
Racing in the colours of owners Trelawney Stud, Acquarello was bred by Rifa Mustang and purchased for A$400,000 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale out of Sledmere Stud’s draft. Having had just the 14 starts, she has recorded five wins, four minor placings and $243,667 in stakes earnings. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
