The $1.3 million colt Burgundy made a solid return to winning form at Ellerslie on Saturday with a stylish victory in the Listed Coolmore Australia Mr Tiz Trophy.
With the Jason Bridgman trained three-year-old coming back in distance from his last two starts over a mile, Burgundy (Redoute's Choice x Grand Echezeaux, by Zabeel) was forced to race three wide for jockey Matthew Cameron but proved too strong in the concluding stages, getting the better of rival St Yazan (Keeper) to win by a short neck.
"It was an impressive performance," commented trainer Jason Bridgman. "After being forced to race three wide the time he ran was very good and the manor of his performance was also pleasing.
"We are keen to give him another run this season and we are looking at aiming him at the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes next month."
Saturday's win by the son of Redoute's Choice was his fourth from seven starts, which included a Listed victory in October. He came into Saturday's race after running third consecutive placings in the Group 2 Great Northern Guineas behind Knight's Tour (Reset), and the Group 3 Wellington Stakes behind AJC Derby hopeful Ocean Park (Thorn Park).
The colt won his first three starts in succession including the Listed Canterbury Stakes (1600m) at his third appearance but was unplaced in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas for the only time in his career to date after later being found to have contracted an illness.
Bred by Peter and Philip Vela, Burgundy was offered by Pencarrow Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2010 Karaka Premier Sale where he was purchased by David Ellis of Te Akau Stud for $1.3 million. He is raced by the Te Akau 2010 Breeding Syndicate.
From one of New Zealand's premier families, Burgundy is out of the Group 1 winning Zabeel mare Grand Echezeaux and is a three-quarter brother to the five-time Group 1 winner and promising young sire Darci Brahma.
A $1.1 million graduate of the 2004 Karaka Premier Sale, Darci Brahma was also bought by David Ellis and is currently leading the New Zealand Sires' Premiership for 3YO winners with 16, two clear of O'Reilly on 14.
In Singapore the Mark Walker trained Flying Fulton capped off a big weekend for the Te Akau operation when claiming his third black-type win in the Polytrack Mile.
The victory was the five-year-old's second at black-type level this season after winning the Group 3 New Year Cup at Kranji on New Year's Day. His nine race wins also include the Sgp-3 Committee's Prize which he won in September last year.
Flying Fulton was offered by Trelawney Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Karaka Premier Sale.
He was later offered by Mana Park at New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds where he was purchased by David Ellis for $210,000. He has now won over $730,000 in stakes.
