Final Travel Update

David writes:

It is always the highlight of travelling for me to actually arrive home.  The farm looks amazing - plenty of grass and the stock are all in wonderful condition, reflecting a very mild winter - so far we have only had two frosts.

It was a marvellous holiday - really a special time spent with great people - you never stop learning in this business. I certainly picked up a few things at the Deauville Sale where I bought a quality Fastnet Rock colt for just 70,000 euros.  This colt sold within an hour - being Lot 1 I believe was the secret to getting him at such a steal of a price.

Next year I am going back to the Newmarket sale in October where the cream of the yearlings are sold and I intend to buy a couple of colts and two fillies and we will leave them in Europe to race.  I will keep you in touch with this as the time gets closer and if you want to be involved you will be very welcome.

In the last month I have been to Singapore, England, France, Switzerland and Germany and one thing really sticks in my mind.

In the last two World Wars, New Zealand lost more soldiers per head of population than any other nation YET young New Zealanders can only get a visa for two years into the UK and the Germans and Italians and other EU nations can come and go as they please.  After our long historical association with, and loyalty to, the UK it just doesn't seem right to me.

I love visiting London but would hate to live there - it is just so expensive and getting from A to B can be dynamite.

On our last day on Monday Karyn, Lydia and I went to Harrods for lunch.  I saw fillet steak for sale there for 61.75 pounds per kg and over 50 pounds per kg for lamb racks.  The farmers in New Zealand are currently paid about NZ $4.50 per kg for beef and about $6 per kg for lamb and we have to give the works the pelts for nothing - it doesn't seem very fair!

There has been plenty of action with Te Akau racing while we have been away too.  We have a super team to race in the next month.  It was terrific to see Daniel Miller, our stable apprentice, win his first race - this lad can really ride!

This weekend we have our very good friend David McCarthy coming up from Christchurch to stay for 10 days so we are certainly looking forward to that!