Te Akau to split rising three-year-olds aimed at Group 1 targets

Te Akau’s $480,000 Ole Kirk colt System Of Play, who was ultra impressive in winning on debut at Te Rapa on Saturday in the Beyond Water 2YO, will be set for Classic targets in the spring. 

“He’s a nice horse. He relaxed beautifully back in the field and he rounded them up efficiently,” trainer Mark Walker said of the Gerry Harvey-bred New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale graduate. 

“He’s gone for a break and will be set for the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.” 

While System Of Play will be aimed at the Riccarton feature, Group 1-winning Te Akau juveniles Seize The Day and Lara Antipova are destined to race from the Melbourne stable in spring.  

“We have the Caulfield Guineas in mind for Seize The Day. Now he’s got a Group 1 at home, it’s important to add to his CV as a colt by I Am Invincible and target an Australian Group 1,” Walker said.

“Lara Antipova had a temperature the day before she was due to fly over for a Group 3 at Flemington, so we spelled her and she’ll be at the Cranbourne barn about mid-June. She’ll have the short-course three-year-old spring races in mind over here.”

Walker confirmed that the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick is on the cards for Belle Cheval, who was beaten a whisker by unbeaten filly Well Written in the NZB Kiwi, with the pair both facing the daunting task of taking on fellow rising four-year-old Sheza Alibi. 

“I went and saw Belle Cheval yesterday, she’s spelling on the Mornington Peninsula and she’s doing well,” he said.