A tilt at Group company is now on the cards for Qali Al Farrasha following her convincing maiden win in the Wexford Stables (1600m) at Matamata on Wednesday.
Heading into the meeting off the back of three successive placings, the daughter of Almanzor was backed into $2.10 favouritism at the midweek meeting and duly delivered for her supporters, running out a comfortable four length victor.
“She looks a nice staying filly in the making, from a classy family, and we just love the progeny of Almanzor and have always been a strong believer in the stallion,” said Mark Walker, who trains in partnership with Sam Bergerson.
Qali Al Farrasha has yet to be tested over further than a mile, but Walker believes she will be suited over more ground and is looking forward to taking her to Hastings later this month to contest the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m).
“Once she gets to the Lowland Stakes, I think she’ll show her staying ability and it looks like she’ll measure up to Group racing,” he said.
“She was building nicely to that win today, has a bit of race experience now, and it was a lovely ride of Opie’s (Bosson, jockey).”
Bred and owned by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis and David Peacocke (Weston Lea Bloodstock), her Te Akau trained dam, Nucleonic, impressed winning on debut over 1200m as a two-year-old, while her granddam Mexican Rose was Champion two and three-year-old in Singapore, having first impressed when winning two of her three starts in New Zealand.
“Greg Tomlinson (Nearco Stud) and I bought Mexican Rose,” Ellis said. “We sold two O’Reilly colts out of her for good money and her weanling topped the sale in 2016.
“She was pretty smart, Nucleonic, and this is her second foal, so it’s great to get a promising filly like this early in her breeding career.
“The Peacocke family has had a lot of success with Te Akau, racing Avantage among others, and have a long family involvement in racing.”
Following the purchase of about 40 yearlings in January from the Gold Coast and Karaka, Ellis has been busy with farm inspections and selling shares.
“We’ve had people booked in during each day to come and see the yearlings in the paddocks at Te Akau Stud,” he said.
“We’ve bought a lot of nice horses and it’s just so good going around the farm each day and showing them to people that are interested in getting involved at such a buoyant time for the New Zealand racing industry.
“I must say I love the (Lot 601) Almanzor – Bavella filly that I bought at Karaka, from Cambridge Stud. She just looks a readymade racehorse to me.
“People love coming out and having a look at the horses, they really do. They love going around the farm and seeing all the yearlings and other farm stock, and I love showing them what we’ve got out here.”