The stars are aligning for Age Of Fire to kickstart a huge fortnight for Te Akau's team of superstar youngsters.
The tangerine army have horses close to the head of the markets in both the $1 million Karaka Million and the new $1m Karaka Classic for three-year-olds at Ellerslie onJanuary 27 as well as the Telegraph, Thorndon and Wellington Cup on Saturday week.
But their first real chance of group one glory for the year comes with Age Of Fire in the $225,000 Levin Classic at Trentham on Saturday and the closer the three-year-old 1600m gets the better chance he starts to look.
Age Of Fire came from well back, albeit with a beautiful inside run ride from Matt Cameron, to down Ever Loyal and Embellish (fourth) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, that trio having earlier provided the trifecta in the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton, won by Embellish.
But of the three, only Age Of Fire heads to Trentham, with the other two staying in the north aimed at the Karaka Classic, Ever Loyal having a lead up at Ellerslie on Sunday.
So not only does Age Of Fire not meet the two other best male three-year-olds of the summer but he has drawn ideally at barrier two, while Hawke's Bay Guineas winner Hard Merchandize will have to start from barrier 12.
And well-backed Matamata filly Spring Heat has also drawn wide at barrier 11, all of which saw Age Of Fire open the $2.80 TAB fixed favourite with the very real chance he could approach even money by race start time. "He has kept improving all summer and has ticked over nicely since his win on Boxing Day," says co-trainer Stephen Autridge.
Meanwhile, Cambridge Stud's new owners have already made a significant move into the stallion market.
He has kept improving all summer and has ticked over nicely since his win on Boxing Day.
Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who take over the iconic nursery in April, have purchased a 50 per cent interest in the Group One winner Embellish.
The Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards-trained Savabeel colt's stallion profile was given a major boost in November when he triumphed in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
Te Akau principal David Ellis confirmed Embellish will be raced by current owners the Te Akau 2016 Breeding Syndicate with the Lindsays before his retirement to Cambridge Stud.
"He is a magnificent colt and was an absolute stand-out from the day I first set eyes on him during my pre-Karaka inspections that year," Ellis said.
"I was determined to buy him and at the time he was the highest priced lot ever sold by Waikato Stud. That's no surprise as he was a magnificent individual that I could see evolving into a top class racehorse, and he certainly has."
A brother to the Group One winner Diademe, Embellish was purchased by Ellis for $775,000 at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale. His pedigree also features the dual Group One sprint winner Sacred Star.
He will make his next appearance in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 27. He is currently the $3.80 favourite for the race.
"It's so important to keep quality horses like Embellish in New Zealand and for people to see them perform at the highest level on the racetrack and then to have them stand at stud," Ellis said.
"This is something that I have been committed to in recent years and we are proud to see two stallions at Cambridge Stud (Burgundy the other) that I have purchased and that Te Akau has trained.
"It is exciting to have this joint venture with Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who are already making a massive contribution to our industry and will continue to do so in the years ahead through their ownership of Cambridge Stud."
