Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

Well the rain has put a stop to the shearing but was great for the farm.We have some top quality grass for all the stock at present.

 

In the last eight weeks we have bought several hundred store cattle and this coming week we are starting to sell the finished product - four truck and trailer loads of bulls and two units of steers - 210 cattle in total.  They are expected to kill out about 350-360 kgs.

 

This weekend is all about the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas for us. This will be the first year for at least 15 years that I have not attended but my specialist wants me to have at least one more week at home before I travel however I am hoping to go down for NZ Cup Day.

 

I love racing at Riccarton. The big track really seems to suit our horses and we have won the NZ 2000 Guineas four times with:

 

King's Chapel - ridden by Opie Bosson
Darci Brahma - ri8dden by Michael Walker
Tell a Tale - ridden by Troy Harris
Rock 'n' Pop - ridden by Jamie Bullard

 

This year we have a good horse with Chambord - a horse I bought at the Karaka Premier Sale for $200,000.  He is a really good horse and Pam Gerard, our Assistant Trainer, has been down there for a month now looking after him.  She is thrilled with the way he is working. The trip south will be the making of him and look out for him come Derby time.

 

Congratulations to Bill Gleeson and his team on Kirramosa (by Wellfied stallion Alamosa) winning the Group 1 VRC Oaks yesterday.

 

I love these Alamosa's.  They just want to run. We have two 3YOs that we rate very highly by this sire.  Quintette, who is back in work after pulling a muscle badly, and Aspen - both of whom I rate very highly.  Watch out for Aspen on Boxing Day and Quintette in January.

 

As I write, poor Karyn is stuck in Welling airport with the fog delaying all flights.  She arrived there at 8.00am and still hadn't taken off by 2.00pm!!

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