Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

Tonight we have a very special friend coming to stay at Te Akau Stud.

Hawkes' Bay farmer Peter Grieve is regarded by many of us as the very best farmer in New Zealand.  Pete farms large numbers of sheep cattle and has two dairy farms. He has had a huge influence on my life and has taught me a massive amount about farming.

Pete was also on the board of the Auckland Racing Club and was very much against selling the property at Price's Road which the Auckland Racing Club sold for about $12 million about eight years ago. I am told that property is now worth over $500 million.  It was just an incredible move that the club made selling that land ... very sad indeed.

Also coming north to stay with Pete is his next door neighbour Ken Browne.  Ken is a very successful stock buyer and buys stock for me each year. We also raced the very good mare Thrive together and breed together from the family.

Anyway Pete and his family and I race Brer who is a great jumper (see the video) and is having his first start over jumps for the season at Te Rapa tomorrow.  He will be ridden by Te Akau apprentice Dan Miller, better known as the important man behind Xtravagant.  Dan rides Xtravagant aka Blake every morning and is one of the best judges in the business. We have left Blake in the stable this week to unwind and on Monday he will come home to spell at Te Akau Stud and will have the very next paddock to Heroic Valour.

Can you imagine how proud I am to have the highest rated two year old and the highest rated 3 year old in New Zealand? In fact Xtravagant is rated on 103 and the next highest rated three year old is on 90. They are two beautiful colts with great stallion potential in years to come and already there is huge interest in both colts from Studs wanting to stand them.

I see from ANZ Bloodstock News this morning that Fastnet Rock had his 93rd stakes' winner yesterday what a wonderful stallion - he is being very successful in Europe as well.

Last night we had 5 mls of rain and while we have plenty of grass it is very dry in the Waikato but over all a wonderful season for growing grass.

I was so thrilled to be at the Matamata races on Wednesday to see Fastnet Fire run a great race first up for a good second and to see Splurge win as well at just his third start. He is raced by the same syndicate that races Xtravagant and Beacon of Hope.

Good luck to the team racing this weekend - Mark Walker tonight at Kranji (there is no Friday racing in Singapore this weekend only Sunday with the Club having staged meetings both last Sunday and Monday this week) - Mark leads the Trainers' Premiership there.  Likewise in New Zealand where our team is five wins ahead on the NZ Trainers' Premiership and has won more Group and Listed races (10 - including four at Group 1 level) than any other stable.  Great effort everyone!

Hope to see you at Te Rapa tomorrow and have a great weekend.