Group 1 Dozen - 4 Karaka Millions

Being involved in 12 Group One winners - and four Karaka Millions' 2YO winners - could be attributed to luck of the Irish, but that may not be the case with these particular Te Akau ownership couple.

The dozen was achieved when Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) won the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas during Cup Week Carnival at Riccarton in November 2024, and interestingly enough their first Group One win came at the same venue in 2015 when Xtravagant (Pentire) won the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas by an astonishing eight and a half lengths in race record time (1:33.5) before going on to beamed Champion 3YO of his year. 

In addition, this winning couple shared in the ownership of Group One winners Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), Hall Of Fame (Savabeel), Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Embellish (Savabeel), On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau), Amarelinha (Savabeel), Noverre (Savabeel), Entriviere (Tavistock), Romancing The Moon (El Roca), and Tokyo Tycoon (Satono Aladdin). 

Among the list are colts that have gone on to stand at stud in New Zealand and Australia, horses sold to Hong Kong, Champion Two-Year-Olds, Champion Three-Year-Olds, and a Filly of the Year. 

Remarkably too, when La Dorada (Super Seth) became Te Akau's 8th Karaka Millions 2YO winner in nine years in January, this couple celebrated its fourth victory in the $1 million feature - the incredible record started with On The Bubbles, followed by Dynastic, Tokyo Tycoon and the quartet became reality this year!

“We’ve had 12 Group One winners since we’ve been back in New Zealand, which is incredible really,” said the humble man that wished to remain anonymous. “A lot of people never get a Group One winner.

“We’ve got horses with other trainers as well, but I don’t think any of them are anywhere close to the success that we’ve had with the horses that David Ellis has bought. It’s the reality of life, actually.

“They are not all expensive horses either, some of our Group One winners have been cheaper horses, but the point is that he buys horses that win Group races and what sets Te Akau apart is that they buy better horses.

“Everyone has the same opportunity to buy them at sales in New Zealand and Australia, but they just don’t seem to. It’s not always because they spend the most money, it’s because they have a better system for selecting, in my opinion – it’s consistent.

“We have an understanding, or a belief, that it’s a numbers' game, which is why we usually taken smaller shares in lots of horses, because at the end of the day they weed out the horses that aren’t going to shape up.

“The communications from Te Akau is first-class, David Ellis runs a business that is consistently successful and we’ve always enjoyed it. 

“Syndicates are not always easy, but we’ve met some fantastic people and we’ve come to know most the identities in the racing world.

“Racing is a very interesting sub-culture and it’s not called the ‘Sport of Kings’ for nothing, because there is no thrill like having a good horse win a good race. It’s just amazing. 

“The best horse we’ve had a share in, in my opinion, is Te Akau Shark. Winning a Group One in Australia, finishing third in the Cox Plate, he had a high rating, and it ended up being a tragedy when he developed a mysterious eye disease. 

“There was a lot of satisfaction and vindication when Captured By Love won her Group One because she may have left one on the track last season as a two-year-old at Ellerslie, but that’s racing.

“I think most in the syndicate feel she is a true Group One horse and she’ll now get the chance to prove that in Australia, with a bit of luck. I think she’ll show that she’s a pretty remarkable horse in the future, too.

“And these good trainers make a difference, like Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, who are operating in partnership, and they have an instinct for the horses. They have to understand horses.

“The other thing I like about David Ellis is that he’s really interested in and backs the young people. He’ll keep them on a tight rein, but he gives them a go.

“Mark (Walker) was a young man when he joined Te Akau, also Jamie Richards, and now Sam Bergerson, Reece Trumper, and Hunter Durrant, and a lot of the young people that work with the horses are good quality horse people.

“And David Ellis is a particularly good farmer, with what he has made of the land out at Te Akau Stud. 

“The buying team of David, Mark, Sam, Marcus Corban, and Reece, are working very well together, and I don’t think you’d find a better judge of a horse, for someone so young, as Reece Trumper.”

It's a remarkable story of success, with many chapters yet to be written for this wonderful couple - remember this too, can be you!  Check out our Yearlings & Shares page now!

Te Akau has trained 45 individual winners of 96 Group Ones, with 35 either bought or bred by David Ellis.