Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

There is nothing like a racehorse to give you the biggest "high's" and the biggest "low's" in life.  Yes we had two runners over the weekend and with very different outcomes.

Huge thrills to see our Group 1 and Listed winning 2YO Heroic Valour keep his unbeaten career record intact when winning our first stakes' race for the new season - and huge sadness and worry to see what happened in Melbourne with Xtravagant.

Gee some people in life are quick to criticise and especially keen to bag Xtravagant aren't they?  They get so excited if they think they can see some misfortune. Well until Saturday, his formline was 1731114181 with almost $500,000 in prizemoney won and when you are running in Group races against the best horses, that formline (and his times) would suggest that he is a pretty genuine horse.  So what happened on Saturday was pretty disappointing for all the team and his owners.

There was much talk about him playing up before the race but in fact Stephen Autridge who was there said that he was better than he was for the Australian Guineas in March.  He is a colt with a beautiful temperament overall but he really sparks up when he gets to the races, especially when he is a bit on the fresh side.

We took a blood from Xtravagant this morning and if that comes back normal, we will give him a trial next Monday before we make up our mind on future races.

As disappointing as that effort was, the "show goes on" and on Wednesday at Te Rapa we have some really promising horses ready to have their first starts.  Taupo is on the agenda for another group of maiden runners too.

With the breeding also in full swing, it was terrific to see our Burgundy filly win so stylishly at the trials at Cambridge last week - this is the first crop of Burgundy's to race this season and we were proud that his first trials' winner came from our stable where he himself raced from, after being bought by me at Karaka.

Have a great week and I look forward to bringing you more news as the week unfolds.