First 2000 Guineas, Now 1000 Guineas

To cap off one of the most memorable days and indeed weeks in the 30 year plus history of Te Akau Racing - we were over the moon to win the $300,000 Group 1 NZB NZ 1000 Guineas for the fourth time on Saturday - and with a filly by the David Ellis purchased, Mark Walker trained Darci Brahma - Risque, entrusted to us by Dick Karreman of The Oaks Stud.

This past week has seen the stable's fifth Group 1 2000 Guineas win, fifth Listed Welcome Stakes' win and now fourth Group 1 1000 Guineas victory ... and our fifth Group and Listed win for the season ...

Te Akau jockey Matt Cameron got his dream when Risque (3 f Darci Brahma - So Explicit, by Straight Strike) put up a mighty performance to win the $300,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on Saturday 14 November at Riccarton.

A week earlier, Cameron had created a new race record (1:33.59) aboard Xtravagant (Pentire) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and was hoping for a Guineas double.

“She got a nice enough trip after a bit of buffeting just after the start, but got into a nice rhythm across the top and the ones in front of me weren't travelling that well so I opted to let her rip around them,” said Cameron.

“She scrambled for a time around the bend but once I gave her one she really let down huge. So, it was a top effort and she put them away quite easily in the end.

“I was a bit worried coming that wide but I saw horses inside me that were struggling a bit and I knew I had the horse. It was just a matter of getting her on the right leg and really let down, and she did. Dezzie's Dream was hard to get past on the fence but I think we were in the better part of the track and she really hummed down the outside so it was great,” said Cameron.

A dreamy time also resonated for Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, who saddled both Guineas' winners, the Listed Welcome Stakes winner and with four victories in total on the day, further extended their lead in the Trainers' Premiership.

The southern team, based at the Riccarton training centre since early September while building towards New Zealand Cup Week, have revelled in the competition to notch 17 wins from only 36 starts.

The win was rich reward for The Oaks Stud, and owner Dick Karreman, and further strengthened their strong relationship with Te Akau.

“Ten years ago we won it with Seachange and we've had a few place since, but that was terrific and a huge thrill,” said The Oaks Stud general manager Rick Williams.

“She was perfect, and a special thanks to Pam Gerard. She's been down here for three months with the horse, I think, putting in the hard yards and thanks to Steve (Autridge), we go back a long way.

“It's a huge thrill today for Darci Brahma and for Dick Karreman,” said Williams.

Darci Brahma (Danehill), a five time Group One winner trained by Mark Walker, has gone on to be a terrific sire at the Oaks Stud and it was their distinctive blue & white colours carried to victory by Risque.

Darci Brahma will forever be a horse at forefront for Te Akau principal David Ellis who, while unable to attend the meeting because of Ready to Run Sale preparations, was understandably excited about the results.

“At the time, it was one of the most unbelievable days of my life when I bought Darci Brahma,” said Ellis. “I'd never paid more than $400,000 for a horse and here was I going home, with Mark Walker, owning a horse we had just paid $1.1m for and we literally didn't have an owner.

“Mark and I worked most of the night and within 36 hours we not only had the colt fully sold, but we had a waiting list.

“The horse gave Mark and I an enormous thrill to see him win five Group One's. He was the champion two-year-old, champion three-year-old and champion sprinter/miler as a four-year-old and I don't think a horse has ever done that.

“Then he went to The Oaks Stud and it wasn't long before we thought he was leaving some pretty good horses, and right now he is the leading sire in New Zealand, and the leading sire in Singapore, which are unbelievably difficult statistics to achieve.

“Dick Karreman and The Oaks Stud always have a horse in work with us, so we were just stoked to win a Group One for them,” said Ellis.

“It's been a huge week and I'm thrilled because all the staff at Matamata backed me and all wanted to be part of the team. I invited them all to ‘get on the bus' for the new season and everyone that got on the bus has been rewarded with the stable going to a new level.

“To have Mark (Walker) nine in front in the premiership in Singapore, and Steve & Jamie ten in front in New Zealand, it's fantastic,” said Ellis.

Ellis went on to say that he feels the true heroes of the New Zealand racing industry are the young people that get out of bed at 3.15 a.m. every morning to start work at 3.55am, and that do so, not because of the money but because they love horses and want to be a part of their success.

“We are fortunate to have some seriously good people in our team, at all levels, and it's nice for me to see them getting the results they thoroughly deserve,” said Ellis.

“And we cannot survive without our owners that support us,” said Ellis. “We had a very disappointing season last year with a virus (as many stables had) but not one person moaned or complained and it gives me so much satisfaction and a big thrill to see them being rewarded for the patience that they've shown."

To achieve such feats as have become the norm in recent times for Te Akau trained horses was certainly not lost on Stephen Autridge, who with co-trainer Jamie Richards have been doing a terrific job at the helm.

“It's been an unbelievable seven days and four winners today - we were only in the four races - and to win a Group one and a Listed race is just unbelievable,” said Autridge.

“We have to thank Dick & Rick,” said Autridge. “When we got the horse, Rick said ‘this is the horse' so he knew a long time ago and we're thankful that he gave her to us.

“We always knew in the back of our minds that she could be special, and today she proved it."

We were also very proud of Fastnet Rock filly Special Memories who didn't have everything go her way and finished on very well for fourth!

Risque extended the record of Guineas' winners for Te Akau to nine in the past eleven years. King's Rose (Redoute's Choice), Insouciant (Keeper), Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago) have been 1000 Guineas' winners, and King's Chapel (King of Kings), Darci Brahma (Danehill), Rock ‘N' Pop (Fastnet Rock), Tell A Tale (Tale of the Cat), and Xtravagant (Pentire), winners of the 2000 Guineas.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz