Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

It is terrific to be back at Te Akau after our winter holiday.  It is a great feeling being refreshed and really looking forward to the new season. Karyn and I had a lovely time.

The team at Te Akau has done a fantastic job looking after everything while we are away and although it is wet on the farm the stock all look in great condition and the horses that have been spelling have done very well.

We are looking forwards to the New Zealand Horse of the Year Racing Awards' dinner at The Langham hotel this Sunday where we are finalists in four categories including the Champion Stable for this last season.  Our stable rider Matthew Cameron is also a finalist in the Jockey of the Year award section.

One award that we know we will be getting is the Trainers' Premiership Award.  I can't describe how exciting it was for us all to win the Premiership in two countries in the same season and I must be the proudest man in the world at present.  It was all such a thrill and of course these sort of results only come about through the magnificent team that we have at the farm and in our racing stables.

Yesterday at the Kawhia sale I bought the first lot of cattle yearlings for this season, buying 62 Angus steers.  The market for store stock is a bit high but I think it will only get higher as farms dry out and the grass starts coming away in the Spring.

Jamie Richards is currently in the South Island with Brer who races in the time-honoured Koral Steeplechase tomorrow at Riccarton while in the north our attention turns to Ruakaka where Opulent is racing.  Opulent carries top weight in her race and we have given the ride to our Te Akau apprentice Jasmine Fawcett who is a really exciting young rider.  She claims 4kgs which is a massive weight reduction at this time of the year.  Jasmine will make the grade as a rider - she is very dedicated young person.

We are also pleased to report that Xtravagant #sexonhooves landed safely and well in Melbourne on Wednesday night and is a happy and settled horse at Flemington - Kerry Jones has accompanied him.  kery is one of our finest and Blake as we know him, is in good hands - Stephen Autridge heads over next week to oversee his jump out.  Blake of course is named after the intrepid Kiwi adventurer Sir Peter Blake and is a finalist in both Champion 3YO and Champion Sprinter/Miler categories on Sunday.

I hope you all have a great weekend and go the tangerine at the Awards.