Snitzel 2YO colts fill Group 3 trifecta
Snitzel has already compiled 12 winners of 18 Group & Listed Races this season - 10 of them from his 2021 & 2022 crops. (PHOTO: Joan Faras)
What may well be Te Akau Racing’s smartest strategy yet produced its best result – so far – when three of of the 5 Snitzel colts purchased by David Ellis in 2024 filled the first three placings in Saturday’s NZ$150,000 Matamata Slipper 1200m G3.
Hot favourite Return To Conquer made it three stakes victories from his first three starts but He Who Dares, winner of his only previous start, made him work hard for it, eventually taking second by 0.4 length, with two-time winner To Bravery Born in third spot.
Return To Conquer conquers the @TeAkauRacing trifecta in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper
The 2yo son of Snitzel keeps his unbeaten career going, @McnabMjmcnab riding the Colt to win 3 in as many starts
Full race replay: https://t.co/IBDBRlkjmB#BigSaturday @MatamataRacing pic.twitter.com/bLvqJg9NmZ
— Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) February 15, 2025
Jockey Michael McNab said of Return To Conquer, “He is a star in the making as he has a great attitude and you can’t fault him as he has it all there.”
Modestly describing the Snitzel-&-stable trifecta as “a good effort all round”, co-trainer Mark Walker indicated that Return To Conquer & He Who Dares will most likely contest the $550,000 Sistema S. G1 at Ellerslie on 8 March.
A $1.3 million purchase from Blue Gum Farm at Magic Millions, Return To Conquer was bred by Mike Howard with Philip & Patti Campbell from Vaujany, an unraced daughter of Lonhro and dual Group winner Portillo, and full sister of Ghisoni (Surround S. G2), from the family of Group 1 winner Snowland.
The Snitzel/Lonhro cross echoes the success of Redoute’s Choice over mares by Sir Tristram & his sons, with 4 stakeswinners and three other stakes performers, including Group 1-placed Love Poem, from only 23 named foals to date.
The two placegetters were both sourced from the Karaka Premier Sale: He Who Dares (ex Rondinella by Ocean Park) was an $825,000 purchase from Haunui Farm and To Bravery Born (ex Milunka by All Too Hard) was bought for $200,000 from Curraghmore’s draft.
Snitzel has lost none of his touch as a superlative sire of swift & classy juveniles. His 2022 crop has already posted 11 winners from 19 runners, including 5 stakes performers headed by Return To Conquer and Arrowfield graduate colt Blitzburg (ATC Canonbury S. G3).
Already a four-time Champion Sire of 2YOs in Australia, Snitzel is 2nd on the current New Zealand list, topped by Dundeel’s Arrowfield graduate son Super Seth.
Snitzel has also consolidated his second position on the Australian 3YO Sires’ Premiership, thanks to the scintillating return of Lady Shenandoah in Saturday’s ATC Light Fingers S. G2, and appears as damsire of the day’s Group performers Iowna Merc, Clear Thinking & To Cap It All.
Needing no further proof of Snitzel’s worth, David Ellis is sticking with his strategy in 2025, paying $625,000 for each of the colts out of Festivity & Toffee Tongue at Magic Millions.
Snitzel has 8 yearlings on offer at next month’s Inglis Premier Sale and 45 lots catalogued for April’s Inglis Easter Sale, including 7 colts & 3 fillies in Arrowfield’s consignment.
