Heroic Valour to Stand in Queensland

David writes:

Te Akau Racing is thrilled to confirm the sale of Heroic Valour to Raheen Stud in Queensland where he will join its stallion roster for the coming season.

Heroic Valour was a much better horse than his statistics may suggest - he was probably the most unlucky horse Te Akau has ever trained!  It was just incredible the bad luck he copped with outside draws.

Heroic Valour was unbeaten as a two year old, winning a stakes' race at just his second start and going on to win the Group 1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie at just start number three.  That win made him his sire Fastnet Rock's only Group 1 winning two year old world-wide - and today he remains the only colt by the superstar sire to have achieved this.  He went on to record many Group and Listed placings, including being beaten a lip in the Gold Coast Guineas, again from a wide draw.

Know as "Senna", Heroic Valour was one of the gutsiest colts we have ever had in the stable and threw his heart and soul in to his racing with a "never-say-die" attitude.  He was a beautiful yearling and as good a type as you would ever see - and a big plus was his attitude, a very easy colt to handle.

It is hugely sad that no New Zealand stud showed any interest in this special horse.  Karyn and I will definitely be sending mares to him.

Heroic Valour's constant companion during his racing career was Te Akau's Teina Walters - these two have a very special bond - and are both champions in my mind.

We are sad to see "Senna" leave Te Akau but wish Raheen Stud all the very best with this much-loved and respected horse - we can't wait to see his progeny hit the tracks!