Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman unleashed Burgundy against the LR Canterbury Stakes field on Sunday and the impeccably bred colt didn’t let the team down.

Burgundy (3c Redoute’s Choice – Grand Echezeaux by Zabeel) landed two lengths in front at Riccarton and controlled the race from the front end.  He lengthened in the straight and scored by over a length from last start LR Coupland Stakes winner Shuka (Bachelor Duke).

“He’s athletic, clean-winded and bombproof,” Bridgman said.  “The full package.”

Burgundy becomes the 80th stakes winner for Redoute’s Choice.  The Arrowfield champion is firing on all cylinders and his three year-olds are leading the charge this season.  He has been represented by 22 individual winners from his southern crop foaled in 2008.  

Burgundy (NZ) won his first two in restricted company at Taupo before graduating to stakes company.  “He used to be quite aggressive but is now far more relaxed,” Bridgman added.  “He’s a Group 1 horse.”

The up-and-coming colt is a three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma and is on course for the G1 NZ 2000 Guineas in November.  He is owned by Te Akau Stud boss David Ellis who also raced Darci Brahma to a NZ 2000 Guineas victory in 2005.  

Bred by Peter and Philip Vela, Burgundy was a $1.30 million purchase from Pencarrow Stud at the 2010 NZ Bloodstock yearling sale.  

The Velas owned his dam Grand Echezeaux and she was a G1 winner of the 2000 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.  The brothers also raced his close relation Ethereal (Rhythm) to G1 triumphs in the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup and STC BMW Stakes.