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Return To Conquer headed into his raceday debut in Saturday’s Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) with a big price tag, big reputation and big expectations, and the million-dollar colt produced a Pukekohe performance worthy of the hype.
Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis paid A$1.3 million to secure Return To Conquer from the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. The well-related colt is by champion Australian sire Snitzel and is the first foal to race out of the unraced Lonhro mare Vaujany, whose full-sister Ghisoni won the Gr.2 Surround Stakes (1400m) and is the dam of stakes winner Renosu.
Return To Conquer made a favourable impression in putting together a perfect three-from-three record at the trials this spring, winning at Te Rapa on August 6, at Matamata on October 8 and by almost three lengths at Waipa on October 29. He was sent out as a $1.20 favourite for his eagerly anticipated first start on Saturday, and in the end he had too much class for his six opponents.
Return To Conquer broke sharply from his inside gate, and jockey Wiremu Pinn allowed him to roll forward and take the lead. That was where he stayed, cruising around the Pukekohe track and straightening for home under a firm hold.
Pinn allowed Return To Conquer to lengthen stride 200m from home, and the hot favourite soon drew clear with his ears pricked. He coasted to victory by two and a half lengths over Sierra Leone and Vega For Luck.
"He's an absolute machine," Pinn enthused. "I've ridden some pretty good horses in my time, and he's right up there with the best of them. He gave me an unbelievable feel. To be honest, he hasn't even really tried today. He's just a freak of a horse.
"I knew I was on the best horse in the race today, so I just wanted to take bad luck out of the equation and lead. They could try and catch me in the straight if they were good enough, but they couldn't.
"It was obviously his debut today, so he's still got plenty to learn, but he's a super horse."
Return To Conquer is ineligible for the lucrative Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January. His trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will weigh up other options for the late summer and autumn, which could include the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in March or a potential Australian campaign.
"Leading might have been Plan B rather than Plan A for this race today, but he's done it nicely in the end," Walker said. "He can have a little break now and then we'll work out a plan after that.
"We'll look at all options. The main thing will be to give him 10 days out now and see how he does. There's some Matamata trials on January 14, which is where we'll probably have him resume. Then we can think about whether we go to Australia or whether we stay here and concentrate on something like the Sistema."
The Sistema Stakes has been a special race for Te Akau Racing, who won it with Maroofity (2003), Warhorse (2012), Heroic Valour (2016), Sword Of Osman (2018), Yourdeel (2019), Cool Aza Beel (2020) and Sword Of State (2021).
Saturday's bold debut made Return To Conquer the 153rd individual stakes winner for Snitzel. That list includes eight black-type winners in New Zealand, headed by Sword Of State and Summer Passage at Group One level.
"We thought he (Return To Conquer) was the best Snitzel colt in the sale when we bought him," Ellis said. "We could not fault him in any way. There was some very spirited bidding, but we were able to secure him.
"Auckland Thoroughbred Racing has put on a really nice track at Pukekohe today, and it's a pleasure to bring a nice colt like this here for his first start."