Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

The weekend started early for us as Karyn headed south to support Windsor Park's "Rugby, Racing & Beer" initiative in Christchurch.  Taking place at Riccarton racecourse, Windsor Park hosted this event to help promote ownership and participation.

There was a luncheon featuring guest speakers Brad Mooar (Assistant All Black Coach) and Corey Flynn (former All Black) - both keen racing followers.  MC Greg O'Connor did a great job while world class auctioneer Steve Davis added plenty of humour and skill when nine Windsor Park yearlings were also sold on site.

It was terrific to see 2.5% of the proceeds of every yearling sold over $5,000 going to the Ellie Stokes' Trust fundraiser - a raffle to raise funds for this young woman was also very successful.  Ellie's life has changed dramatically - dreaming of being a jockey and a future trainer, Ellie fell riding track work aged just 16 in early January 2019.  She broke her back in five places and severed her spinal cord which left her paralysed from the chest down.  She spent three weeks in intensive care and five months at Burwood Hospital in the specialist spinal unit, and she continues to receive treatment.

A home especially adapted to the needs of a wheelchair has been built but there is an $80,000 shortfall in construction and associated costs so it was a wonderful Trust to support.

Congratulations to Rodney and Gina Schick, and the whole Windsor Park team for staging such an innovative event.  Te Akau was proud to be a supporter.

It was another exciting weekend for Te Akau Racing with four winners across our two stables - two at Te Rapa for Jamie Richards and the team on Saturday and two on Sunday for our Singapore trainer Mark Walker and our team at Kranji - Admiral Winston and Street Cry Success.

Our first runner on Saturday at Te Rapa was Bak Da Master (main picture) who won the hurdle race at Te Rapa in brilliant fashion.  Known as "Milo" he really loves hurdling and he gets very excited on racedays when we get him ready for these assignments.  Michael Roustoby, who is a valuable member of the Te Akau team, does most of the work with our jumpers, and it was great to see him get yet another win in the tangerine.

There is nothing more I love than watching an exciting jumper that really enjoys his craft.  Most horses really do enjoy this discipline and Jamie has handled this horse so well.

Top Brass was our second winner at Te Rapa and we were delighted to notch up his fifth career win for owner Mike Beazley and his team!

I was also reflecting over the weekend just how good this New Zealand season has been for Te Akau and our owners - a New Zealand record for wins, a new record for domestic Group and Listed wins and a new record for domestic stake money won.

ON THE BUBBLES
Karaka 2YO Million & Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes

SWORD OF STATE
Group 1 Sistema Stakes

AMARELINHA
Group 1 NZ Oaks - NZB Filly of the Year

AVANTAGE
Group 1 Railway Stakes
Group 1 Telegraph Handicap
Group 1 Waikato Sprint
Group 1 Otaki WFA
Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes

MELODY BELLE
Group 1 Windsor Park Plate
Group 1 Livamol Classic
Group 1 Thornton Mile
Group 1 Bonecrusher Stakes

PROBABEEL
Group 1 ATC Epsom Handicap (Sydney)
Group 1 Futurity Stakes (Melbourne)

KHAMA LASS
Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas

YES - that's an incredible 15 Group 1 wins this season -
all with horses purchased by Jamie, Mark and me.
PLUS a further 25 Group/Listed wins - 40 in total!

As the flat Group/Listed race programme winds down, I just want to say to the whole team and to our owners once again - well done on such incredible results - a wonderful effort and achievement.

This is also the time of the year when the yearlings are starting to play a prominent part in proceedings - with their education and breaking in underway.    This is a really enjoyable part of the season as we see these youngsters learning and becoming adept with the skills they need to be competitive future racehorses.

I am so happy with the yearlings that we are educating this year and I can't wait until the Spring when the new season arrives and we have them ready to trial.

On Sunday morning we sent 280 lambs off to Wilson Hellaby and 35 steers to Greenlea.  On Sunday night we had 36mls of rain - this is needed on a regular basis so it was good to have the skies open up with a decent downpour.  It is quite incredible how green the farm is and how much grass we have at present.  I don't think we have ever gone in to a winter with more grass and it's still so warm so the growth will continue.

My attention is now turning to the Magic Millions' Yearling Sale in two to three weeks on the Gold Coast.  I am going over for the first time since January 2020.  I have had great success from this sale, having purchased a Group 1 Oaks' filly who also won the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes (twice), a Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas' winner, a Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas' winner, two NZB Filly of the Year winners and a runner up in the Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup - and I only ever buy one or two yearlings from this sale.

If you want Jamie and me to buy a yearling for you - or you are interested in taking a share in a yearling we purchase to bring home and train - give me a call, you will be made to feel very welcome.

Have a great week!