"Te Akau Lockdown Love"

Welcome to Day 15 of our feature - as our world around us changes indelibly, we want to bring some smiles and sunshine every day - yes a small distraction but it does everyone good to be able to smile when times are tough.

Sometimes a horse simply turns people's heads and makes them "ooh and ah" - each time this horse steps out the comments on him come thick and fast - words like:

"Stunner, fine looker, good-looking, drop-dead gorgeous, delicious, magnificent, knock-out ..." - and yes indeed, he's all of that and a whole lot more ...

Meet Te Akau Caliburn - a son of Camelot purchased by David from the United Kingdom - a horse that we affectionately know as "Camo".

A "looker" for sure - however he's not just a 'pin-up boy'. We are certain he would find that totally gratuitous. Afterall, he has brains and substance as well as beauty! "Camo" has confidence, charisma and character - beauty after all is more than skin deep!! And he's an experienced world traveller with plenty of experience under his belt. The stories he could tell, imagine.

He probably shares those life-experiences with his paddock mates Baby Shark and Bordeaux Le Rouge - look at him (below) skiting to then when David took his cover off over the weekend! It was almost like nah-nah-nah-nah-nah! He's loves to play!

"Camo" is a horse just getting better and better with age - his last start, just before racing was cancelled for a month, was a superb effort when beaten only a neck in the Listed St Leger at Trentham on Oaks' Day.

Watch out for him in the new season - you won't miss this Prince Charming, but once you get past his devastating good looks, you will undoubtedly see the racehorse that lies beneath!

A gorgeous horse, purchased privately by Te Akau principal David Ellis in Europe, Te Akau Caliburn (5 g Camelot - Enchanted Evening, by High Chaparral) is owned by the Te Akau 2019 European Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM).

Bought as a lightly raced staying
prospect in the middle of last year, winning twice up to 2400 metres and registering
a second and two thirds from nine starts, he was good through the line when
resuming over 1400 metres in January at Te Aroha, before displaying terrific
determination to dead-heat for first in the Rating 82 1550 metres on 7 February
at Awapuni.

Unsuited on testing ground in the
Kaimai Stakes (Listed, 2000m) on 22 February at Matamata, he was extremely
brave last time out when finishing a close second, drawing clear with his rival,
in the New Zealand St Leger (Listed, 2600m) on 14 March at Trentham. 

Beautifully bred, the striking gelding has a lot more to offer over staying distances and should continue to improve.

#loveinthelockdown

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