3 minute read

Four-time Group 1 winner looking to frank standing west of the Tasman

David Ellis is a name anyone who follows the yearling sale circuit would be familiar with.

Particularly at Karaka, where Ellis dominates in his role as boss of Kiwi racing and breeding giant Te Akau Racing.

But Ellis is also willing to spend up in Australia with the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale having proved a particularly happy hunting ground.

Just two months ago Ellis spent a tick under $2.5 million on eight yearlings, including $650,000 on a Snitzel colt, $525,000 on a Written Tycoon filly and the same amount on an I Am Invincible colt.

Ellis has fond memories of buying I Am Invincible progeny on the Gold Coast, having paid $360,000 for a filly by the champion Yarraman Park stallion out of the Shamardal mare Berimbau who was offered through the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft in 2020.

That filly was named Imperatriz, who will be looking to take her career Group 1 tally to five in Friday night's $1 million William Reid Stakes at The Valley.

The 1200-metre weight-for-age contest will be only her second start in Australia, having finished second to Artorius in the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes on March 4, a performance that earned her a Racing And Sports rating of 118.

That is the same Australian peak owned by 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle and the previous member of the 'Tangerine Army' who had come to Australia and performed with distinction, Entriviere.

But the Mark Walker-trained Imperatriz owns a 122 peak in New Zealand, a number only two Te Akau horses have bettered in Australia.

Te Akau Shark ran to 125 when he defeated champion mare Verry Elleegant in the 2020 Chipping Norton Stakes, while Probabeel– who was bought by Ellis but raced in the Cambridge Stud colours – posted a 123 figure when winning the 2021 Futurity Stakes.

Imperatriz is favourite for a William Reid Stakes that boasts only one horse who has run to 122 on the RAS rating scale, Masked Crusader, who has run to 125, but back in the 2021 The Everest when narrowly beaten by Nature Strip.