Te Akau - Again World's Leading Syndicator

Te Akau Racing, the leading thoroughbred syndication business in the world, is firmly entrenched in the TRC Global Owner Rankings.

Akin to the ATP Tennis Tour Rankings, or PGA Golf Tour Rankings, the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC) Global Rankings are the measure of achievement over a rolling three-year period, based not on prize money but the quality of performances by the horses in Group and Graded races, while an individual’s ranking, such as Te Akau Syndicates, depends entirely on how well their representatives have been running. 

Racing Post Ratings (RPRs) are used to help calculate the merit of every performance and to ensure TRC Global Rankings maintain their principled hierarchy. 

In Owner Rankings, headed by Godolphin, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Te Akau rose to sixth last year in the heady days of 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), but at 10th it uniquely remains the top syndication business, with those ranked above all being privately owned. 

The Logines Highest Rated Mare and Best Sprinter in the World last season, Imperatriz was also crowned Australian Champion Sprinter, Champion Sprinter/Miler in New Zealand, and New Zealand Horse of the Year.

The highest rated performances this season have, understandably, been the Group One wins by Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas, La Dorada (Super Seth) in the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes, and Return To Conquer (Snitzel) in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes.

But, also by Damask Rose (Savabeel) winning the inaugural $3.5 million NZ Kiwi, Qali Al Farrasha (Almanzor) placing in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile, Group 1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic, and Group 1 Bonecrusher Stakes, and Hostility ((I Am Invincible) finishing second in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes.

As well as highly-rated performances by Campionessa (Contributer), Quintessa (Shamus Award), Hakkinen (Savabeel), He Who Dares (Snitzel), To Bravery Born (Snitzel), Born To Be Royal (King’s Legacy), Midnight Blue (So You Think), and Sans Doute (Not A Single Doubt). 

For trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson, who combined last season to win the 15th Premiership for Te Akau, they again have a commanding lead with 100 wins, while the recent Champions Day (8 March) at Ellerslie, provided Te Akau with its 100th Group 1 victory when Return To Conquer (Snitzel) won the Sistema Stakes.

In order to retain their mantle domestically and internationally, Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis CNZM recently outlined what continues to drive him and the business to be the best they can.

“In 2023 the global sports betting group Entain joined in a 25-year partnership with TAB NZ, with a commitment to invest $900 million over the next five years,” Ellis said.

“Because of the increase in prize money, and the terrific stakes in Australia, we’ve backed ourselves to buy another 65 yearlings so far this year, and I’m thrilled with the support from our loyal owners, and new owners to the sport, that have got involved.

“We go out on a limb to buy almost all of them on spec and it’s pretty overwhelming the support we receive in selling them.

“We’ve got a few shares still to sell, that are listed on our website, and hopefully among them is the next La Dorada, Damask Rose or Return To Conquer.”

Ellis has shared on many occasions how some of the last yearlings to sell have turned out to be Champions, with horses like Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) and Avantage (Fastnet Rock) that won 19 Group One races between, and Damask Rose (mentioned above) who still had shares available in her when she turned two years old, and now won $2.2 million with four wins from seven starts.

“We’ve still got some lovely yearlings here at the farm (Te Akau Stud) with shares to sell, and people are always welcome to get in touch and come out and inspect them,” Ellis added.

Commenting previously on the position of Te Akau in the hierarchy of global rankings for owners, NZB international bloodstock agent Michael Kneebone said: “For Te Akau to even be on the list is incredible, and it’s a great thing for the New Zealand industry and recognition of what superb judges they are and the excellent training setups that they have.

“Their recipe for success in the syndication ownership model is unmatched, really, in Australasia, at the moment and not only through Imperatriz, but week in, week out, they come up with the right results.

“I think it’s a great credit to them and I think what they’re doing now in Australia, having set up the stables at Cranbourne (Victoria), is just a natural progression for such a powerhouse syndication business.

“It’s not just one horse, either, and the clear indication of that is the horses they’ve on-sold back into the breeding industry and how well they have achieved.

“The horses that they train, especially fillies and mares off the track, are wanted from Europe to America to Japan and to Australia. Everybody wants them and that’s a great indicator as to the quality of horses that they buy and the way they produce them on the race track.

“There are not a big number of stables that can produce stallions, either, and that’s another string to their bow, with about a dozen of their colts having gone on to stand as stallions, going back to Darci Brahma.”

And racing historian Brian de Lore had this to say: “David Ellis, Karyn Fenton-Ellis, and Te Akau Racing have done a remarkable service for New Zealand racing over a long period, and as each year has passed the tangerine and blue army has grown and become an increasingly important component of the industry.

“To think that David bought his first yearling at the sales in 1984, has bought every year since, and has clearly been the leading buyer at the National Sale for the past 20 years, through two recessions and COVID-19 is a remarkable effort.”