David writes:

Well I arrived safely in Singapore in the early hours of this morning.

With the global pandemic it has been a few years since I have been able to visit our Singapore owners and our stable at Kranji.  I have also scheduled a meeting with the CEO of the Singapore Turf Club and look forward to having a number of important discussions with him.

I am very much looking forward to meeting up with owners and attending the races on Sunday where will have some very nice chances.

Our Te Akau Singapore trainer Donna Logan is flying - barely a weekend passes where she and our team don't record winning doubles, or as with last weekend, winning trebles.  Donna currently leads the Trainers' Premiership with 50 wins for the season.

I could not be more proud of both of our tangerine teams - leading the Premierships in both New Zealand and Singapore.

It's another busy weekend also for Mark Walker and our team - today we have eight horses racing at Te Rapa - gee Butch Castles, together with track manager Bart Cowan, does an amazing job.  The weather has been appalling with plenty of rain yet the track currently is a Slow7.  The picture below of course is on a better day!

Our Australian bound Champion 3YO of last season, dual Group 1 winner Imperatriz will have an exhibition gallop between races 1 and 2 as well.  She is due to fly to Sydney on Tuesday and we are keeping a keen eye on the weather forecasts there too - as rain looks unavoidable at the moment.  it really is a very frustrating time of the year.

Our new Racing Manager Reece Trumper will be at Te Rapa today, so if you see him, please go and say hello to him!  Meantime Mark Walker flies down to Christchurch today to oversee the large team we have stepping out at Riccarton tomorrow. Karyn heads to Hawkes Bay early tomorrow morning - so we are all spread far and wide at the moment!

You will have seen our new horse we purchased to racing in Singapore - Maximum Control - he is beautifully bred horse who originally cost A$625,000 yearling (below). He was purchased by a major stallion-making syndicate so, as a gelding, he no longer fits their business model. Now a 3YO, he will head to Singapore unrated which means he is eligible for novice and maiden races of S$75,000 - about $90,000 NZ dollars, great stakes.

There is only 5% now available in him - you can secure this share for only $4,950 so if you are keen, let Karyn know.  The horses we have recently syndicated to race from our Singapore stable really have been flying this season:

Charminton (below) has had four starts this year for two wins, two seconds and $86,000 already.

Reignite has won four races placed five times, winning $134,966.

Stenmark has won three times, six placings for $155,788 and in this year alone.

Aftermath has won $60,000 with his win, two seconds and third.

All these horses have raced 20 or fewer times so the results speak for themselves.  At the other end of longevity - Axel (who I bought from the Ready to Run Sale for $55,000 four years ago has won seven races and placed 18 times for earnings of $408,903.

These figures do not include the lucrative starter incentives offered in Singapore - $600 is paid to owners if your horse finishes 2nd-8th.  This is to attract owners to race in Singapore - this along with heavily subsidised veterinary costs and great stake money make it Singapore a fantastic place to race!!  We will also be organising another owners' trip to Singapore next year.

Good luck to all our owners with runners over the weekend - starting today ...

GO THE TANGERINE