Luke Oliver’s juvenile filly Teine Aulelei (Tagaloa) – meaning beautiful girl in Samoan – turned heads on Thursday 26th June, when she stormed home for an impressive debut win at Bendigo.
Jumping cleanly from barrier seven, the filly settled three-wide, midfield under Billy Egan, before hooking out wide and finishing with a quick turn-of-foot and drawing clear of her rivals to post a 2.75-length victory.
Oliver said: “Obviously when you come to a race like this there’s plenty of owners and trainers who think they’ve got a nice horse, so you don’t really know until you put them under race conditions, especially on a heavy track like today.
“But she’s done everything right at home in the lead up to this and that’s the first time we’ve really asked her, and it was good to see that she had plenty there.”
“She looked to have the race in her grasp when they turned for home, which is an exciting thing and she put them away well.
“She has got plenty to learn, so just a shout out to the staff at home, they have done a great job with her. She’s been a little bit of work, but she’s definitely got the ability.”
Bred by Yulong Stud and by their resident first-season sire Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa), Teine Aulelei was purchased by Luke Oliver Racing at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
She is the fourth foal and third winner out of unraced Shamardal (Giant’s Causeway) mare Lake Hamana, who has already produced Scurry Stakes (Listed, 5f) winner Lady Hamana (I Am Invincible).
Lake Hamana herself is out of Listed winner Lake Toya (Darshaan), dam of Prix Saint-Alary (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Sobetsu (Dubawi), who in turn produced Group 2 winner and Grade 1-placed mare English Rose (Frankel).
Written for ANZ Bloodstock News
