Te Akau Midweek Update

David writes:

Just when you think we didn't really have a summer, bang the weather bomb hits again and we have more torrential rain - and a Heavy10 track at Matamata today which has seen our horses scratched.  After such heavy overnight rain our trainers made the wise decision not to start our home track team today.

We had been looking forward to them all stepping out including debutant 2YO Embellish, a very smart recent trial winner, that I purchased from Karaka last year for our 2016 Te Akau Breeding Syndicate.  It wouldn't have been the right thing by this colt to have his first start on a heavy track, so he will keep!

You will see a few stories on our website this week about our latest headline 'grabber' Gingernuts, our Group 1 NZ Derby and Group 1 Rosehill Guineas' winner.  I remember when Xtravagant was racing in Australia someone said to me - 'he's not your only horse, who report so much about him?'

The reply to that was quite simple - no he's not and all of our horses get looked after equally and treated as the individuals that they are.  Our stable would not be winning as many races as we are if we did not pay attention to, and understand, every single horse.  We know each horse inside out, what their quirks may be, what they like and dislike - getting inside a horse's head is the key to unlocking its performance - and to making a horse, a happy horse.  Never underestimate the impact of happiness and love - we certainly don't.

The Gingernuts' stories you will read are not written by us - mostly they are reports that we simply share - in the past two days for example from the Stuff news service as well as the New Zealand Herald today.

There is a huge amount interest in Gingernuts, who we know as Jerry, and he is developing a massive following in Australia. I suppose it's a bit of a fairytale story for many - I bought him for $42,500 and he has earned over $1 million in fewer than 10 starts.  he got held up by injury so wasn't NZ Derby nominated.  we late nominated him after that gobsmacking Avondale guineas' performance and the rest is history.  He's now a trans Tasman Group 1 winner and favourite for this Saturday's Australian Derby.  The media just can't get enough of him - we'd be just as happy if he wasn't favourite, but he is and so it's good to help the media when they want to talk about him.

Jerry is a courageous fellow and he has had tough racing to win a Group 2, followed by his New Zealand and Australian Group 1 titles but we are happy with how he has come through all of this (including travel to Australia) and we know that he will give his very best and try his heart out on Saturday in the A$2 million Derby.  Jamie has done a great job looking after him and of course with Opie Bosson in the saddle again, he will have the best aboard.

Karyn and I head over the Sydney on Friday and are looking forward to Day 1 of The Championships as they are known at Randwick - the elite level of Group racing will be a sight to behold.

We then will be straight into inspecting our short list for next week's Sydney Easter sales and yes, I have my eye on one or two fantastic young horses so watch this website!

Last weekend ended in fine fashion with Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker adding another two winners to his season's tally - keeping him well in the lead on the Trainers' Premiership table.

Mark won firstly with Clermont Club, a Casino prince gelding that I bought from the Karaka Ready to Run sale for $165,000.  He has now won seven races, with 21 second, third and fourth placings and earned his owners $246,501 in the process.  In an interesting turn of the tables, he had been beaten into second the start prior by stablemate Clutha Lad.  The two met again on Sunday and this time is was Clutha Lad who had to settle for second.

Clutha Lad is another example of good buying - I paid $36,000 for this son of Thorn Park from the Karaka Select Sale and he has collected $332,572 for his owners from his six wins and 21 minor placings under Mark's guidance in Singapore.

You know it never ceases to surprise me and I know I repeat myself in saying this - why some horses sell faster than others.  It is a complete fallacy to think that because shares are left in some horses or they sell more slowly then "they must not be as good" or "there must be something wrong with them".

I never buy a horse I would not happily race myself and if shares do not sell that is what we do - Karyn actually smiles a lot because she loves it when we race these horses together!

An example of a horse with a couple of shares remaining that Karyn and I will be racing is our Declaration of War colt - and this has amazed me, that there are shares remaining, as he is just a damned good type.  Perhaps Declaration of War is not well known as a new, and up and coming, sire but I really think he will be very successful.  He was an outstanding racehorse himself and he has stamped himself all over this colt.

We have just started to break this colt in this week and our breaker contacted me to say what a ripper he thinks this colt is - beautifully built, strong and he looks an early runner! Just take a look at him and how he holds himself ... his Christchurch based breeders love him so much they have bought a small share back in him and are really excited about his prospects.  They just said they couldn't NOT be involved.  So think about taking a small slice to race with Karyn and with me ...

A 10% share is $14,600 plus GST and a 5% share only $7,300 plus GST - he was great buying and we are really excited about his potential!

Time to head out on the farm now to inspect the yearlings that are still at the farm - email Karyn about our colt (we have called him "Dirk") - you'll have a lot of fun with him!  [email protected]