Te Akau Ben Victorious - Farewell Singapore

Te Akau Ben was successful on the last day at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore, ending a 14-year term by Te Akau Racing of training at the venue. 

Recording his sixth win from 22 starts, and prize money just shy of S$250,000, Te Akau Ben had been in terrific form lately and made it three wins from his last five starts. 

Although having his first start at 1600 metres, Te Akau Singapore's Donna Logan was confident Te Akau Ben was in good fettle for the S$130,000 Class 3 1600 metres on turf.

Ridden by CC Wong, as he was last time when held up before flashing into second in the Class 3 1400 metres, Te Akau Ben settled among the rear trio after drawing barrier eight of nine. Faced with a wall of horses when turning for home at the 500m, Wong guided his mount through the centre of runners and Te Akau Ben stretched out for a strong win. 

“I’d thought he’d get the mile and he was our best winning chance on a really competitive final day of racing,” Logan said.

“It was brilliant to tick one off for Te Akau on the final day, and being David Ellis’ and Ben Kwok’s horse it was a perfect result. 

“Honestly, it was like a Group One feeling winning at the last meeting with him and it was an absolute peach of a ride by CC Wong. 

“He has been sold to Simon Dunderdale, who is the leading trainer at the Selangor Turf Club in Kuala Lumpur, so he’ll continue racing in Malaysia.” 

On Good ground he ran 1600 metres in a polished 1:34.5 and paid $5.00 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

Te Akau Ben was purchased by David Ellis CNZM for $115,000 at the 2019 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Curraghmore Stud.

Bred by Raffles Racing and owned by Mr. Ben Kwok and Te Akau Stud, his dam Danalaga, a winner of three to 2600 metres, has left six winners of 25 races. This includes More Than Sacred who won the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks, Group 3 Sunline Vase, and Group 3 Waikato Cup; Sacred Empire, a six time winner to 2000 metres, and the winner of five to 2500 metres More Than Ever.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “Danalaga was a stakes' performer by Champion Sire Danehill that placed in the Oaks and already left an Oaks' winner, while becoming a very good producer. 

“He (Te Akau Ben) is a straightforward good type, walks well, and I think he was really good buying.” 

Ellis added that Te Akau Ben was a good deep colour and naturally athletic, he is inbred to immortal sire Northern Dancer through both sire lines. 

The stable also had reason to celebrate when Istataba emulated her performance last year when finishing third in the S$1.3 million Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup.

Prepared with the same in mind, Istataba was caught three wide with cover before improving inside the 600m for jockey Carlos Henrique and in the words of the commentator Scott Bailey “ran the race of her life” when fighting hard for third. 

The oldest racing club in Asia, the Singapore Turf Club announced in June last year it was closing after 183 years with the last meeting on 5 October 2024, and the 120 hectares returned to the Singapore government to be rezoned for housing and leisure. 

It has been reported that anger and disappointment still lingers among those involved in the racing scene, especially regarding the handling of the closure, and the uncertainly that it has inflicted on people now having to relocate. 

After winning five training premierships for Te Akau in New Zealand, Mark Walker moved to Singapore to establish the team's Singapore operation at Kranji Racecourse in 2010. Walker was Singapore Champion Trainer in 2015, 2017 (record 87 wins), 2019, and 2021, and was also runner-up three times, as well as third and fourth.

Walker, who recorded his 2000th career win when Age Of Discovery won on 28 September this year at Riccarton, trained 684 winners in Singapore, of which nine where stakes' wins including Elite Invincible in the 2018 Group 1 Charity Bowl and Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup. 

Walker returned home in 2022, to the helm for Te Akau at Matamata, while Kiwi Donna Logan, who had trained since 2018 in Singapore, was employed by Te Akau and took over running the Singapore team from 1 January 2022.

Commenting on the horses, Logan said: “Axel raced for the last time on Saturday. He won 11 races and $555,000, so he deserves a well-earned retirement in a riding school at Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

“We’ve got other horses going to trainers that we know personally, so we are very comfortable with the re-homing arrangements. 

“Although it was very sad on the last night of racing and a lot of the trainers and staff were tearing-up, it has been a privilege to be here and, true to my word, I said I’d still be here to turn the lights out, basically.

“I was talking to Mark (Walker) about it last week and we both agreed that we had such a pleasurable time living in Singapore, having the opportunities we’ve had. 

“It’s been an honour to be a part of it and through no fault of our own it’s now finished."