Te Akau Midweek Update

David writes:

It's been another fantastic start to the season for Te Akau Racing! 

Te Akau New Zealand is well in front on the Trainers' Premiership already, which is just incredible because we don't normally hit our straps until the tracks firm up.

The Ellerslie track has shown its value in recent times, hosting the first Group 1 of the season, won by Quintessa. We were back at Ellerslie on Saturday and it was a real thrill to see Celestial Wonder salute the judge.

She's a home-bred Xtravagant mare that we syndicated amongst our owners - she's already on three of her seven starts, and finished second on three other occasions - with $91,000 in stakes thus far.  She looks an exciting sprinter in the making and looks set for a good season ahead.

It was a also big thrill to see Fierce Flight score his well deserved seventh career win - and his first over the jumps - when he claimed the Maiden hurdle at Te Aroha on the weekend.  He's a seven year old gelding I bought from the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka for $45,000 - he's now won just on $300,000 in prize money.  Good job Buddy and congratulations to his owners - you may even see him at Warrnambool next season!

A special mention must go to the Te Aroha Jockey Club for staging a wonderful two-day carnival. The racing was top-class and the atmosphere superb. Among the highlights was George Simon’s excellent call of the Great New Zealand Steeple Chase – surely one of the best race calls in living memory. George is truly world-class at what he does, and his ability to capture the drama and excitement of a big race elevates the entire occasion.

To cap off a weekend of success - we are all very proud that Mark Walker was announced as the AJRA Jumps' Trainer of the Year last Sunday at its annual awards' ceremony.  Mark and our Cranbourne team did a terrific job with the three jumping horses we have residing in Victoria - Leaderboard, The Mighty Spar and Prismatic - this trio obviously delivering the trifecta in the Grand National Steeplechase in Victoria - a feat never before accomplished by a trainer or stable.

Speaking of our Cranbourne team, it was a stylish win by Kiwi Raider on debut yesterday at Moe, with Ethan Brown in the saddle.  She is a Per Incanto filly we bought at the Ready to Run sale for a great ownership group, headed by Ozzie Kheir.  It was great to see those colours flying home in a close but determined finish - a filly to keep an eye on.

It is exciting to start the new season, as we finished the previous one, in winning style. If you look back at the last season, not only did Te Akau win all the major two-year-old races last season, but we also won races like the New Zealand Cup and Metropolitan, the inaugural NZB Kiwi, the NZ 1000 Guineas and more - showing that the stable certainly knows how to prepare horses across all levels and age ranges. I already mentioned, seeing the stable trifecta in the Australian Grand National Steeplechase was one of the greatest efforts of all time. 

Congratulations again to Sam and Mark, and our assistant trainers Reece, Ben and Hunter and our trans-Tasman teams, including Deane and our farm team, on the wonderful start to the season. Just watching the horses that we have had trialling in recent weeks, I can see that we have a lot of horses soon to have their first start for the season and of course our yearlings, now two year olds, are continuing to develop in a really pleasing manner.

However, not all recent developments have been positive. I was genuinely dismayed and saddened to read that the Graded Stakes' Committee has downgraded the Thorndon Mile from Group 1 to Group 2 status. I do believe that such decisions risk causing enormous harm to our racing industry. 

In Australia, for example, the equivalent committee has not met for eight years, ensuring no changes to its black-type programme. Yet here in New Zealand, we are 'doing the right thing' working with the Asian Pattern group and we are thus witnessing the downgrading of races like the Levin Classic – a race whose honour roll includes champions such as Imperatriz (winner), On the Bubbles (second), and I Wish I Win (third) – the latter now widely acclaimed as one of the greatest milers in Australia over the past two seasons.

My plea to NZTR is simple: please reconsider this course. If we continue to diminish the status of our premier races, we risk undermining the very foundation of our industry. We cannot afford to weaken our black-type races if we hope to sustain a vibrant and internationally respected racing scene.

On a personal note, after two weeks in hospital followed by three weeks recuperating in Auckland, it is simply wonderful to be back home on the farm. I owe heartfelt thanks to our entire team for their outstanding work in my absence – everything ran seamlessly, which is a testament to their professionalism and dedication.  Karyn and I are really blessed to be surrounded by the very best, most loyal team you could wish for.

I am pleased to report that my health continues to improve daily, and I look forward to being back at the races before too long. Nothing lifts the spirits quite like seeing our horses compete and our owners enjoy success.

The farm itself has weathered winter well. Although the past six weeks have brought challenging conditions, we can be more than satisfied with how the land and stock have come through. With warmer weather and longer days approaching, I am eager to see the grass growth really take off.

Market conditions have been equally heartening. This week we sold culled ewes at $162 each, and the prices for beef and lamb are at record levels. Strong commodity prices like these provide vital support for the wider New Zealand economy, helping to strengthen rural communities and the national balance sheet.

Attention now turns to Te Rapa on Saturday, where we have a number of promising runners engaged. Our two mares from the first Group 1 of the season, the Proisir Plate won by Quintessa, both face off again in the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile at Te Rapa - all the very best to their owners!  This meeting is of course the second leg of the Hawkes Bay Carnival, which has been relocated to Te Rapa this year, so we will also see He Who Dares line up in the Hawkes Bay Guineas.

We are hoping the weather co-operates and the rain stays away but the outlook isn't brilliant.  In fact is is pouring down right now on the farm as I write and I am about to head back out on to the farm with Marcus Corban to inspect our broodmares and spelling horses.

Another milestone this week to look forward to is seeing our first two year olds step out for the new season.  I see it's a small field of four at Otaki on Friday where we will have our first juvenile debutante step out -  a Hello Youmzain filly called Enchantment that we have been entrusted to train.

Saturday will see the second of our youngsters lining up - and the first starter for our new Tangerine Army partnership - Out of the Blue.  This is a Tivaci gelding that I purchased at Karaka and our daughter Julia-Rose has syndicated to many people new to racing. He literally with have an army of supporters cheering him on.

Finally, it was such sad news for the thoroughbred world as we read overnight of the death of champion stallion Wootton Bassett at Coolmore Australia.

He developed acute pneumonia, which deteriorated rapidly. Despite intensive around-the-clock care from a team of veterinarians, he could not be saved.  What a loss he is going to be worldwide, as his progeny has been on fire.

Wootton Bassett’s rise to stardom as a sire was remarkable. He began his career in France , before being acquired by Coolmore in 2020, where he quickly developed into one of the world’s elite stallions.

From his current two and three-year-old crops conceived in Ireland, he has produced 25 stakes' winners, including six Group 1 stars. Among them are multiple Group 1-winning colts Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse, as well as this season’s brilliant filly Whirl.

His European two-year-old crop of 2025 is already among the most exciting ever seen at Ballydoyle, featuring Group winners such as Albert Einstein, Constitution River, Puerto Rico, Composing and Beautify. Albert Einstein, in particular, has been hailed by Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore as one of the best juveniles they have ever trained or ridden.

In Australia, Wootton Bassett made an immediate impression through Golden Slipper runner-up Wodeton, the first colt home in this year’s race, who will contest the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes this weekend.

When you think he was set to stand at A$385,000 per service this season, it's remarkable that we still have final shares available in our Wootton Bassett filly - now named Power of Pleasure, she has flown through her breaking in, as one of our stand-out yearlings.  Back in the stable, she hasn't put a foot wrong and our track riders, including Opie Bosson, are giving her big wraps!

There won't be too many more Wootton Bassett fillies to be had now, with the sire's passing, they are truly (sadly) a limited edition - if you want to know more about this promising filly, and see her latest updates, just email Karyn - [email protected]

To all our owners with runners this weekend, we wish you the very best of luck. Your support and enthusiasm are what fuels our energy and our drive to keep winning races for you! 

GO THE TANGERINE!