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Rich Hill Stud’s golden spring continued at Riccarton on Saturday when their home-bred colt Xtravagant became the 14th Group One winner produced by the stud’s resident foundation sire Pentire.
On Tuesday Rich Hill celebrated an historic G1 Melbourne Cup victory when the $6 million race was won by Pentire’s son Prince Of Penzance.
The Matamata farm was again on a high when the exciting three-year-old Xtravagant produced an extraordinary performance at Riccarton to win the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) in a canter by eight and a half lengths in race record time.Trained by the partnership of Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Xtravagant was bred by Rich Hill from the Zabeel mare Axiom and was offered at the 2014 National Yearling Sale Premier Session at Karaka where he was purchased by Te Akau Stud’s David Ellis for $NZ375,000.
Xtravagant is the fifth 2000 Guineas winner owned by the Te Akau operation, having previously won the classic four times between 2003 and 2011 with King’s Chapel (King of Kings), Darci Brahma (Danehill), Tell A Tale (Tale Of The Cat) and Rock ’N’ Pop (Fastnet Rock) .Xtravagant, who took his career record to three wins from five starts, for NZ$258,000 in prize money, is the 44th stakeswinner by Pentire.
Xtravagant’s unraced dam Axiom has produced three other winners including He’s Remarkable, a multiple Group winner who was second in the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in 2010.A half-sister to the stakes-placed Maythehorsebemagic (Zabeel), Axiom is out of the G2 winner Arletty (Centaine).
Axiom was covered by Redoute’s Choice last November after she produced a filly by All Too Hard.Pentire, rising 24 years old, initially shuttled from Shadai Farm in Japan to Rich Hill Stud and also spent three seasons at Gestut Isarland in Germany.