Te Akau Midweek Update

David writes:

Every Monday and Tuesday I try and spend time in Matamata - at our stable and at the track.  On Monday afternoon, we inspect all the fillies and geldings and Steve and Jamie have a really good look at each horse and the trot them up to ensure they are 100%.

On Tuesday afternoon we do the same thing with our colts at our Matamata racecourse stable.

I was at the track at 4.30am yesterday morning and it was minus 4 degrees and I can't tell you how cold it was!  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the real heroes in our industry are the people who get out of bed every morning at 3.30am to look after and work our horses.

It's not so bad in the spring and summer and autumn but at this time of the year, when it is either freezing with bitter frosts or pouring with rain, it is very character building working with horses.  These young people never complain or moan and they work so hard because they truly love the horses and I am so full of admiration for them all!  We have the best team of people working with us that you could ever find!

We were very fortunate to have Matt Cameron, Michael McNab and Cameron Lammas along with Kate Hercock riding the gallops yesterday.  It is just such an advantage having light weight gallop riders.

Steve and Jamie have the horses going really well and they couldn't look better for this time of the year.  In the next three weeks you will see the horses lose their winter coats and start looking streamlined and ready for action.

There was another cracking frost at the farm this morning but it has developed into a beautiful, clear and fine day.  There is not much grass anywhere in New Zealand but the days are getting longer and it won't be long before the grass starts growing again.