January 26, 2017MEDIA RELEASE – NEWHAVEN PARK TO STAND XTRAVAGANT
“He was a breathtaking racehorse with phenomenal speed. His eight-length win as a two-year-old was incredible, then his record victories in the Guineas and the Waikato Sprint against older horses (beating five individual Group One winners) were unbelievable. You don’t often see horses win by eight and nine lengths in Group One company which he did” said John Kelly.“He is a superb looking individual with a truly international pedigree that is an outcross for Australia’s Danehill line mares – we thought he was a wonderful opportunity that should not be missed. He will stand for a fee of $15,000 (plus GST) which will offer Australian breeders great value given his credentials.”
The most expensive yearling of his year by outstanding sire Pentire (GB) sold in 2014, Xtravagant caught the eye of renowned judge David Ellis, who paid $375,000 for the stunning colt who won six of 12 starts in the famed Te Akau Racing colours.
An eight length debut win at Hastings as a two year old put Xtravagant in the picture for the major three year-old events and stakes success followed swiftly, view race replay here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Luswfk6NRws&t=9s
Prepared by Te Akau co-trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Xtravagant scored an earth shattering eight and a half-length victory in the Group One New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas running a new race record. View race replay – https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h_xekcwq9FE
“Xtravagant is certainly one of the most exciting three year olds that Te Akau has had in the last 35 years. He is the highest rated 3YO in New Zealand since Bonecrusher, winning two Group One races by a combined margin of 16 1/2 lengths. As a 3YO he raced in August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March & April and won his last start for the season in the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders Stakes in the fastest time since we went from furlongs to meters. He is a wonderful example of equine excellence, has a wonderful temperament and I will be sending mares of my own to Australia to mate with him. Congratulations to Newhaven Park, they have bought a wonderful racehorse” said David Ellis.
He clocked 1:33.59 for the 1600 metres in the Guineas, bettering the race record set the previous year by Turn Me Loose, who would go on to win two Group One races in Australia.
“Nobody wins Group One’s like that,” said winning rider Matt Cameron.
“How impressive is this horse? He’s just absolutely dominated them.”
Xtravagant proved the win no fluke when repeating the performance to win the Group I Waikato Sprint at weight-for-age at Te Rapa beating older rivals by eight lengths.
He again ran blistering time, covering the 1400 metres in 1:21.92 second, view race replay – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRnvZzyEg3k&app=desktop
“Stephen and I were so lucky to train such a gifted and talented horse, he was incredibly fast, had a wonderful turn of foot and everything you look for in a racehorse. To be involved in such a horse this early in my career was a privilege and we wish the team at Newhaven all the very best with a truly wonderful racehorse” commented Jamie Richards.
Xtravagant is a full brother to multiple Group I placed Group III winner He’s Remarkable and his three year-old half-sister Axiomatic (by O’Reilly) is regarded as a likely stakes performer during the Sydney Autumn Carnival for the Chris Waller stable.His first two dams are by champion sires Zabeel and Centaine and his female pedigree is packed with Black Type performers including Group I winners Legs, Guyno and Sixty Seconds.“He has all the attributes we look for in a stallion and we look forward to presenting him to Australian breeders this spring,” Kelly added.