Te Akau Midweek Update

David writes:

The first week in October is always one of the most frustrating times to be involved in racing.

Everyone is so sick and tired of the heavy tracks and we have been looking forward to Spring racing for all least the last month and all we get is rain and more rain.

I looked at my team this morning at Te Akau Stud, full of admiration - I am sure they are over getting soaked through every day but they never complain, they love their work and are a real inspiration.  As is our team at Matamata - thank you all for the energy you put in and for the effort you have made particularly over the past three months - at least now the temperature is starting to improve.

I have never seen my farm so wet but although there is rain forecast for next week, I do think we have turned the corner.

Our co-trainer Jamie Richards flew to Christchurch on Monday afternoon to inspect all the horses we have at Riccarton.  We had seven gallop there on Tuesday morning and the team was very happy with all of them.  Dan Miller who is looking after our South Island team is one of the best judges I have ever employed and he labelled Age of Fire as one of our most exciting young horses.  Age of Fire is a Fastnet Rock colt that I bought in Sydney for $400,000 - he is a ripper of a horse, as good a type as you will see with a huge over-reach and a brilliant temperament.  That's him below at the sale in Sydney.

After completing reports on all the horses for their owners, Jamie flew to Auckland and then drove to Ruakaka where we have a big team racing today.  Isn't it ridiculous that we have to travel five hours to Ruakaka to get a decent track to race on? Then the team is back to Matamata and at 5.00am tomorrow Steve and Jamie and the crew will take 10 horses to Taupo to gallop.

There are two O'Reilly's in today's first race at Ruakaka for two year olds - one I bred and sold (out of Mexican Rose) and one I purchased from Karaka (Irish Cream - pictured below) - they both look top class and I am pretty sure that Irish Cream will develop in to a very exciting filly in the Autumn.

Karyn and I are really looking forward to this weekend.  We are going to Hawkes Bay with some friends on Thursday and back on Monday.

Te Akau has the two favourites for the Group 1 Livamol Classic on Saturday, Hawkes Bay Racing's third day of its Carnival and both Gingernuts and Chance to Dance worked enormously on Tuesday morning.  Opie Bosson, our stable rider, came to the farm for a chat yesterday in the afternoon and he can't believe how Gingernuts has improved.  He really is a beautiful horse with an incredible personality and nature.  He needs to go a massive race on Saturday to confirm his trip to Melbourne.

Gingernuts' little brother Griffin, who has shown plenty of promise, lines up in the Group 2 Hawkes' Bay Guineas also on Saturday.  He too will be ridden by our stable jockey Opie.

We also have a large team racing at Riccarton in Christchurch on Saturday.  This Carnival has been a very lucky one for us over the years and with the calibre of the Te Akau horses already in the South, we are looking forward to that success continuing.

Gee Sunday night in Singapore was an exciting one again for Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker and his team.  Mark was on fire with three winners including a race quinella.  Mark has won 77 races this season already and is an incredible 24 wins ahead on the Trainers' Premiership.  A phenomenal year for Mark and his entire team - like all top trainers, Mark has a fantastic team around him and so my congratulations also go out to Gus and Karen and Robbie and everyone in our Singapore team - you are incredible - well done!

I have spent the last two weeks doing plenty of research in to the pedigrees for the Ready to Run Sale and I must say, what an exciting catalogue - and we love having Gingernuts taking pride of place on the front over too!  Te Akau intends to buy at this sale again so if you are keen to be involved, please let Karyn know - [email protected] as we do have current and new owners already on our priority list to receive the first information as we buy!

Remember two years ago, I only purchased two horses from this sale and they are both Group 1 winners, with four Group 1 race victories between them - Gingernuts and Hall of Fame who have won Group 1 events at Trentham, Ellerslie, Hawkes Bay and Rosehill in Sydney.

Have a great week and GO THE TANGERINE!