Te Akau is Ready to Run

The 37th New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale takes place on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 November at Karaka.

In recent years, Te Akau principal David Ellis has bought Group One winners Hall of Fame (Savabeel) and Gingernuts (Iffraaj) and other quality gallopers Te Akau Shark (Rip Van Winkle), Royal Success (Savabeel), Gris Dame (Reliable Man), and Interstellar (Shamoline Warrior).

“We like buying horses from this sale that we think we can improve,” Ellis said.

“We don't pay a lot of attention to the speed of the breeze up, rather we like horses that are professional, show a good action, that are sound, and good athletic types.

“If you had a look at Gingernuts breezing up, for example, there was nothing special about it but I could see at that point of time he wasn't ready to gallop at speed and that he would develop into a really decent sort of horse.”

In 2015, Ellis purchased Gingernuts for $42,500 and he is now the winner of six races from 12 starts and $1.27 million in prize money. His three Group One wins: New Zealand Derby (2400m), Rosehill Guineas (2000m), and Windsor Park Plate (1600m).

The only additional horse that Ellis bought at the 2015 sale, Hall of Fame ($230,000), was a Group One winner of the Levin Classic (1600m), registering five wins from 12 starts before being sold to Hong Kong.

From the 2016 sale, Ellis bought Te Akau Shark for $230,000 - the winner of his first two starts then finished fast for fourth in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 11 November at Riccarton, and looks a real Derby type.

Royal Success was a $250,000 buy, winning five of 11 and racing very well in his current campaign.

Recent stylish Maiden winner Gris Dame was bought by Ellis for $125,000. A filly with a pedigree and type to contest prestigious staying events, she has certainly started on a bright note.

Interstellar was a $125,000 purchase by Ellis, showing a lot of ability to impressively win two of her five starts before being sold and transferring to Australia.

“Jamie (Richards), Mark (Walker) and I have put in a lot of work leading up to the sale and during the inspections, and we're really looking forward to securing some lovely individuals to take home and prepare for racing”, Ellis said.