Group 1 Triumph for Karaka Graduate Hall Of Fame (NZ)

Ready to Run Sale graduate Hall Of Fame (NZ) (Savabeel) has delivered another Group 1 triumph for perennial leading Karaka buyers Te Akau Racing, claiming Saturday’s $225,000 Randwick Meats Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham with an outstanding performance.

Te Akau’s David Ellis has become a powerhouse on the Karaka buyers’ bench, leading away among local and international buyers alike. Many of his purchases have gone on to Group 1 success, from King’s Chapel (King Of Kings) and Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill) in the early 2000s right through to more recent purchases Xtravagant (NZ) (Pentire) and Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock).

On Saturday Hall Of Fame joined that esteemed company. Ridden by Opie Bosson for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Hall Of Fame raced midfield before pouncing in the straight and taking a clear lead.

Savile Row (NZ) (Makfi) and Jon Snow (NZ) (Iffraaj) came back at him in the last 150 metres to provide a scare, but Hall Of Fame lifted and held on by a nose.

“This is a great result for the Te Akau syndicates, especially with the Karaka sales just around the corner,” Autridge said. “It’s brilliant for Savabeel too, having a Group One colt like this. We’re all rapt.

“This is a colt who’s always shown us a lot. He’s a great little colt. He’s come back better than ever in this campaign. It was a good field today. He only just won, but he really gutsed it out. It’s fantastic.”

Bred by MW O’Keeffe, Hall Of Fame was offered by Lyndhurst Farm at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale. He was initially passed in, but Ellis later secured him for $230,000.

He has now won more than that in prize-money, with five wins and two placings from nine starts for total earnings of $232,200. This was his second stakes win, having previously won the Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m).

Hall Of Fame is the third consecutive Levin Classic winner to have gone through the Ready to Run Sale. Gaultier (NZ) (Rios), who is now racing successfully in Hong Kong under the name Simply Invincible, cost $17,500 at the 2013 Ready to Run Sale and won the Levin Classic in 2015.

Last year’s winner Dukedom (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) was purchased for $65,000 at the 2014 Ready to Run Sale.