Te Akau Monday Update
Date: 15 Nov 2021
David writes:
It's certainly a very busy but enjoyable week coming up with the Ready to Run Sale taking place on Wednesday and Thursday.
I have done more homework on this sale than any Ready to Run sale before. I have seen some really promising horses in this sale so if you want to be part of the team call me on 021 925151 - or email Karyn on [email protected]. You will be surprised how easy it is to be involved with Te Akau Racing.
You can purchase a horse outright or you can have a share in a small syndicate. Either way we are proud to have new owners involved and of course our existing clients have a very high level of reinvestment too.
What a great week NZ Cup Week was for the Te Akau team in Christchurch! How fantastic for our returning stable rider Opie Bosson, who maybe pinches himself with a Group 1 double with the NZ 1000 and 2000 Guineas, the Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries' Mile and Group 3 Stewards' Stakes.
We could not be more thrilled for Opie - and for our trainer Jamie Richards and the team. A very special shout out too to our Assistant Trainer Sam Bergerson who has been in the south for almost eight weeks, ably assisted by Lydia Truesdale. What an incredible job they have done with our southern brigade!
In seven days to win the:
$500,000 Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas
$300,000 Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas
$230,000 Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile
$100,000 Group 3 Stewards' Stakes
It just doesn't get any better. On the Wednesday we had three starters for three winners including the Group 2, Group 3 and of course gutsy mare Zouluminous.
We have now won 13 Group 1 Guineas in the past 18 years, an incomparable record. Well done Opie you are in the zone mate and we are very proud of you. Imagine now having 85 Group 1 race wins on your resume! Such a deserved holder of the New Zealand record.
What a thrill it was run 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas. It is always a special thrill when top breeders like Tony Rider call me to entrust a filly to us to train. This is our first Group 1 winner for Tony and it was a big thrill to have the Dennis Brothers involved with this filly from their great family. Thank you to all the owners who had runners in this race with us, we are so proud to have your support.
I am sure everyone will agree that the biggest thrill for the weekend was seeing Jamie Richards record his 50th Group One win. To think a lot of trainers never have a single Group 1 winner. To have trained 50 by the time you are 31 is incredible. Well done Jamie - we are all so proud of your achievements.
Te Akau is really privileged to have two outstanding trainers leading our stables in New Zealand and Singapore. Our Singapore trainer Mark Walker is another highly talented trainer. Mark won five Trainers' Premierships in New Zealand before he relocated to Singapore to help establish our stable at Kranji. When in New Zealand, he trained plenty of Champion winners including King's Chapel, Darci Brahma, Maroofity, Princess Coup and many others.
Mark is well in front in the Singapore Premiership with only two more meetings to go until the season ends. If he maintains that lead, it will be his fourth Premiership title in Singapore since we set up our stable. Mark had yet another winner last night, this time for Karyn with a horse she syndicated for Mark called Stenmark. Stenmark is raced by a wonderful team of our owners and was ridden a treat by our apprentice Jerlyn Seow.
I must say I am looking forward to getting back to the races. My gut feeling is we will be at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and I certainly hope so. There is nothing like being on course to enjoy our beautiful thoroughbreds in person.
During the weekend we had had 44 mls of rain at Te Akau Stud. Gee the farm has never had so much grass. It is incredible how well the stock is doing at present. This week we are sending three units of prime beef plus our first lamb draft and some ewes.
Best of luck to all our owners with runners this week. The Counties' meeting this Saturday is being held in Te Rapa and will be 'behind closed doors'.
I can't wait until Wednesday when I will be hunting down the next Group 1 winner from the Ready to Run Sale - the next Gingernuts, Te Akau Shark or Hall of Fame! If you are keen to be involved with Te Akau in taking a new share in a horse purchased from the sale this week please do not hesitate to contact us any time.
Riccarton team photos credit - Charlotte Mooney, MASH
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