Te Akau Midweek Update
4 February, 2025
David writes:
Saturday gave me one of the biggest thrills that I have had in racing - to win the inaugural running of the Group 3 Colin Jillings' Classic at Ellerslie was an absolute thrill of a lifetime!
I first met Colin Jillings in 1978 when I won my first race at the Paeroa racecourse and over a lifetime we became great friends. He was always at the races, never missed one, loved having a bet and was one of the best judges of a horse I have ever come across.
He won the Derby at Ellerslie each decade from the 1950s and he taught me a terrific amount about racing. Each year we entered the New Zealand International Trout Fishing Tournament at Lake Taupo and I think we won it something like 17 times out of 21 years.
The team consisted of the late Herbie Dyke, Peter Grieve, Colin and myself. The fun we used to have is very hard to describe.
In about 2002 I was having a glass of wine in the committee room at Trentham with Peter Grieve and Colin Jillings and Colin went over and had a bet. Next minute he bought Karyn back and introduced her to us. She was then working on Trackside and within two years we were married. The best thing that has ever happened in my lifetime.
We had such a lovely friendship with Colin and Alison and often took them out for dinner, epecially on our wedding anniversary. We still stay in touch with Belinda and Clark, and Mark, their family who meant so much to them, and whose friendship we treasure.
So yes to win the Colin Jillings' Classic was a great thrill, also for the owners who have invested a lot of money in this colt. Initially watching the race, the first time I thought it was a good win, but watching the replay a few times I could see that it was a very good win as he covered a fair bit of extra ground getting to the position that he did.
All credit to the colt and also to Wiremu Pinn who had to make some instant decisions when things didn't map out quite as we planned.
Return To Conquer will run next in the Group 3 Matamata Slipper in two weeks and then heads in to the Group 1 Sistema Stakes at Elleslie on Champions' Day - then all going well, he will be going to Australia.
It’s been a beautiful patch of weather for everybody that is not trying to grow grass. It's certainly very dry on the farm but it’s amazing how well the horses do in this fine sunny weather. The horses from the sales are just thriving and every day I inspect them and cannot be more thrilled with the quality we bought.
Today our racing manager Reece Trumper and co-trainer Mark Walker came out to the farm and we inspected each horse that we have bought at the sales plus ones that are spelling. Then on Thursday our other co-trainer Sam Bergerson and our newest appointee Mikey Gray are coming will also come to the farm for their inspections too.
It’s a really important time for a young horse post-sale. It’s important that they relax, it’s important that they eat and generally go forward in condition. We finally believe in this post sale 'down time' as it sets them up for the next step in their careers - their early education.
We still have shares in quite a few yearlings and just today I looked at a Savabeel colt that I bought from Waikato Stud for $190,000 and was just staggered that such a nice colt hasn’t had one share sold. What a cracker he is - no idea why he's been ignored, it defies logic - but then Imperatriz was basically ignored too as a yearling!
When we go to the sales we try to buy horses that will race as two year olds, but will have the strength to go on and have the scope to be better at three, four and five - while we hear some say Te Akau is only good with horses at 1200 metres – they forget the fact that last year we won the Wellington Cup and this year we won the Metropolitan at Riccarton and the New Zealand Cup.
We certainly have some nice horses coming up for the Guineas' races and the Derby this year, so it certainly is a very exciting time for all our owners at Te Akau Racing.
There is a huge amount to look forward to in the next month – starting this Saturday at Te Rapa with two Group 1's on Legends' day and our own race we sponsor, the Group 2 David and Karyn Fillies' Classic. Then we move to the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes/Matamata Slipper day where Te Akau will have plenty of runners.
Then it's only two weeks till the NZB Kiwi Slot Race on Champions' Day at Ellerslie on 8 March - we have the current favourite for the race, our slot rep, Karaka Million's 3YO winner Damask Rose.
Looking to the farm - the Waikato is very dry at present but the good thing is that the stock has done extremely well and I think our cattle are killing out at record weights and the lambs have really done well.
I’d like to thank all our owners, new and existing, who have invested in yearlings with us from the sales this year. I don’t think we have ever sold so many shares so quickly but there are still shares available in some really nice horses that I can see running in the Karaka Millions in 12 months’ time and being in the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, and The Oaks and Derby’s after that. We also intend to be represented in the Magic Millions' races next year!
So if you would like to be involved have a look at our Yearling & Shares page on our website www.teakauracing.com and feel free to give me a ring anytime on 021 925 151, you will be made to feel very welcome.
Best of luck to all our owners with runners this week.
GO THE TANGERINE!
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