Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa (Shamus Award), and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
The $400,000 weight-for-age triumph came almost exactly a year after the Te Akau Racing mare’s last win, which was a first-up victory in the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 31 last year. Another 12 months before that, she kicked her three-year-old season off with back-to-back successes at Taupo and in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings.
Quintessa headed into Saturday’s Proisir Plate on a seven-race winless streak, during which a third in the Gr.3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February was her only time in the top five.
But the Te Akau team approached Saturday with a quiet confidence, boosted by the fact that Quintessa’s three previous starts in a fresh state had produced two wins and a placing. In fact, earlier in the afternoon, co-trainer Sam Bergerson commented that Quintessa was worth “a dollar each way” if she got the right run.
That part of the equation was left to jockey Rory Hutchings, who these days is based in Australia but made a flying visit home to take the ride.
Quintessa drew gate 15 in a 16-horse field and was taken back to a clear last by Hutchings as Dusty Road and Herbert led the field around the first turn and down the side of the track.
The race rapidly changed complexion coming into the straight as the field bunched right up and the leading lights made their moves.
Qali Al Farrasha was the first to pounce, quickly joined by El Vencedor, La Crique and Tuxedo. The likes of Grail Seeker, Legarto, Waitak and Tomodachi were searching for runs just behind them.
Hutchings opted to avoid all that traffic and switch to the outside, angling Quintessa out to be the widest of all with just under 300m to run. He pushed the button and Quintessa exploded. She roared past all 15 of her rivals in the blink of an eye, opening up a winning margin of a length and a half as Hutchings stood high up in the saddle in a triumphant salute.
Quintessa continued the Te Akau stable’s proud recent record in the first Group One race of the New Zealand season, following on from Melody Belle (2018 and 2019) and Skew Wiff (2023).
That win by Skew Wiff was the first Group One success for Bergerson, who is now in his third season in partnership with Mark Walker.
“Quintessa was incredible today,” Bergerson said. “It was a very patient ride. We left it up to Rory, really. I asked him what he thought, and he said, ‘I’ll go back and will probably ride for luck,’ but then he ended up going the widest.
“I was actually watching the other mare (Qali Al Farrasha) for most of the straight, and then at the last minute, she was flashing and we started really screaming.
“Fair play to her. She’s come back in fantastic order from Australia. I can’t thank the team at home enough, and the veterinary and farrier team as well. They do an amazing job with her, and she’s just a sound, happy horse.
“We were quietly confident coming into today, without being overconfident with the quality of the field. But she’s a fantastic mare and it’s great to see her back in form.
“She’s pretty unassuming at home. She’d be one of the worst trackworkers in Matamata. But once those shades go on and she sees the crowd and gets a bit of a buzz for it, she’s just so genuine and tries so hard. That’s always going to hold her in good stead.
“It was fantastic to get Rory over. He gave her an A1 ride, so patient. Full credit to the horse and Rory.
“It’s special to get this win with my parents here today, and awesome to do it at Ellerslie. We’ve had a bit of a frustrating day until now, just being edged out in the three-year-old races and having a couple of disappointments, but that’s racing. It’s a great leveller.
“I’m really stoked and just taking it all in and pinching myself, really.”
Quintessa is now rated a $6 chance for the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa on September 27. She shares second favouritism with La Crique, while Legarto heads the market at $4.
“I think the mile is the logical next step,” Bergerson said. “But we’re get her home and make sure she’s come through it well and then go from there.”
That could throw a spanner in the works for Hutchings, who during the week announced a permanent move from New South Wales to Queensland. Hutchings has now won four Group One races, all of them in New Zealand, having previously taken out the Zabeel Classic (2000m) with Soriano and the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) with Soriano and El Vencedor.
“Might have to think about changing those plans now,” Hutchings said. “I love this place.
“The plan was to go back today and try to ride for luck, but it got a little bit messy through the middle stages and I decided I’d be better off keeping her out of trouble and getting to the outside. She went past them in a few strides. That was electric.”
Quintessa was bred by Peachester Lodge and is by Shamus Award out of the five-race-winning High Chaparral mare Chaquinta. She was offered at Karaka 2022 by Wentwood Grange, who also sold Saturday’s Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) winner Affirmative Action. David Ellis bought Quintessa for $170,000.
From a 19-start career, Quintessa has now recorded six wins and four placings. She has earned $1.05 million for her owners the Te Akau Awarded Racing Partnership.
Runner-up La Crique continued a remarkable run of second placings at the elite level. She has now done it in five consecutive races, having finished her previous campaign with seconds in the TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m), Zabeel Classic (2000m), Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and New Zealand Stakes (2000m). She has now been runner-up in seven Group One races in her career, which is a New Zealand record.
Emerging star Tomodachi caught the eye with her strong finish for third, just ahead of Sterling Express, El Vencedor and an unlucky Legarto.
