Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

When I had my first win at the races in 1978 with a mare called Magnum, I thought I could never have a happier day on a race course.

However the last week has been such an exciting roller-coaster, it's really hard to put into words. To see Te Akau Racing and Jamie trifecta a million dollar race, takes excitement to another level.

It's no secret the very high regard I hold for Brendan and Jo Lindsay in and what they are doing for our industry is quite remarkable both as individuals and also through their Cambridge Stud operation. Their Chief Executive Henry Plumptre is one of the most knowledgeable men of racing and breeding matters that I have ever met. So to win the Karaka Million for them with a filly that only 12 months ago I had selected and purchased was hugely satisfying.

Our Karaka Million runner-up Aotea Lad, is a horse that I was involved in the breeding of, and he went a super race, seeing Savabeel quinella the race. The third placegetter Yourdeel was bought by one of the true champions of our industry, Chris Rutten. It was such a thrill when Chris gave Te Akau Racing all his yearlings to train last year.

The Karaka Million race night is my favourite racing events in New Zealand and it was quite incredible to think that Te Akau has now won the million dollar race three years in a row!

However we don't just buy two year olds at Te Akau, don't forget that we were beaten a nose in the Derby last year with Mongolian Conqueror and Te Akau won the Derby the year before with Gingernuts.

My aim has always been to try and buy horses that can race at two years of age and train on to be even better three and four year olds. Melody Belle is a classic example of this philosophy, while Te Akau Shark is an example of a horse that wasn't ready to race as a two year old. We waited until he was three years old and that patience and understanding of the individual horse certainly paid off. His best season of racing will be next season as a five year old.

It's quite incredible driving around the stud looking at all our new yearlings that we have purchased - they have all settled in so well at the farm. My goal all the way through was to buy horses that would be good enough to take to Australia to race, something we want to do a lot more of in the coming years. Starting with Probabeel in the upcoming Sydney carnival.

Today I have been working with our Racing Manager Libby Richards and the phone hasn't stopped ringing with people wanting to invest. Karyn has been doing an incredible job communicating with our existing and new owners with shares selling very quickly, for example our colt syndicate is now 90% sold.

The good news is that with 41 horses to sell, there are still plenty of shares available. Have a look on our website, our daughter Julia-Rose has done an incredible job putting the photos and videos of each horse on the website, along with a description of each horse.

The other exciting fact is that no other stable or racing operation can offer you such an array of quality opportunities.

If you would like to be part of the winning Te Akau Team please feel free to call me directly on 021 925 151. You will be made to feel very welcome! It could be a life changing phone call. I guarantee we have some really exciting race horses in the paddocks here at the farm. My favourite job all year is when I get to show new owners around the farm and introduce them to their new horses.

Karyn and I look forward to hearing from you soon and "GO THE TANGERINE".

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