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The departure of 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz has done little to slow Te Akau Racing’s progress in Australia, and trainer Mark Walker hopes the stable’s strong spring momentum will continue at Caulfield on Saturday.
Walker trained nine black-type winners on Australian soil last season, six of them with Imperatriz in a sparkling campaign that earned her New Zealand Horse of the Year honours.
Imperatriz has since been retired and sold for A$6.6 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, but Te Akau's black-type successes have continued to come thick and fast.
Walker has already trained five Group or Listed winners in Australia this spring, headed by Fortuna Racing's flying filly Bellatrix Star in the Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m), Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) and Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes (1100m). Quintessa carried Te Akau's tangerine colours to victory in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m), while Midnight Blue took out last Sunday's Listed Seymour Cup (1600m).
Te Akau will be represented on Caulfield Cup Day on Saturday by a trio of Group Two contenders – Quintessa in the Gr.2 Sharp EIT Solutions Tristarc Stakes (1400m), Sans Doute in the Gr.2 Millennium Sprint (1000m) and Exuberance in the Gr.2 Manhari Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).
Quintessa was a Group One winner in New Zealand last season in the Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham, and she went on to prove herself across the Tasman with a second in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) and fourth placings in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and Australian Oaks (2400m).
The daughter of Shamus Award kicked off her four-year-old season with an outstanding win in the Cockram Stakes at Caulfield on August 31, then was tripped up by a heavy track when unplaced in the Gr.2 Let's Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 14.
A minor setback later ruled her out of a run in the Gr.2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) on October 5.
"She just had a bit of a hoof issue that forced her out of that race, but she's well and truly over that now," Walker said. "She went to Caulfield this week and galloped particularly well.
"Caulfield seemed to suit her nicely in her first-up win in the Cockram, which was her first start at the course. It's good that we were able to book Zac Purton to ride her this weekend as well. We know he'll give her every chance."
Sans Doute won four consecutive races between December and March last season, culminating in a black-type success in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap (1000m).
She resumed with an eye-catching finish from last to run third in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes (1000m), which was won by subsequent Group One winner Mornington Glory, but then finished only seventh in the Gr.2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m).
The five-year-old was nominated for Saturday's Listed Alinghi Stakes (1100m) as well as the Millennium Sprint, but Walker opted for the Group Two.
"I had a conversation with Ben (Gleeson, assistant trainer) and we came to the conclusion that the Group Two would be the more suitable target," he said. "We think she gets in well enough at the weights. She's already a Listed winner, so we're looking to increase her value if we can with a run in the 1000m race at Group Two level.
"A wet track brought her unstuck last time out, but she's pleased us since then and also galloped well at Caulfield this week."
Te Akau's Caulfield contingent is completed by the three-year-old Savabeel filly Exuberance, who steps up into Group Two class after a last-start maiden win at Cranbourne on October 2.
"She's a talented filly," Walker said. "It's obviously a big step up from a maiden to a Group Two, but she deserves her opportunity. She's another one that had a nice look around Caulfield this week and did everything well. We're very happy with her."
Exuberance will be ridden by world-renowned jockey Joao Moreira, who formed a highly successful association with Walker when the multiple premiership-winning trainer was based in Singapore. Moreira rode 48 winners from just 204 rides on Walker-trained runners at Kranji.
