Te Akau Monday Update
Date: 5 Feb 2024
David writes:
What an exciting last week it has been. Three Group winners in three days!
Starting with the $160,000 Group 2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guinea at Te Rapa on Wednesday where Ascend The Throne announced his Derby credentials - he has moved from something like $31 to second favourite at $8 and we will next see him in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas. What a run too by What You Wish For to run a huge third - he too reinforced his Derby aspirations.
Then we moved to New Plymouth on Saturday for the Group 3 2YO Taranaki Classic - very talented filly Captured By Love showed massive heart and fight on a track she despised to dig deep and remain unbeaten. She has now had three starts for three wins, this Group 3 scalp and a Group 2 prior. What a thrill for her owners.
Captured By Love is one of two fillies I bought for our 2023 Magic Millions' Fillies Partnership - the other filly is The Victress who is already a winner, and like her partnership-mate, has a hugely bright future ahead of her.
We purchased two fillies for the 2024 partnership again from this sale - a Snitzel girl and one by Savabeel, so be in to secure one of the final three shares!
The black type winning continued when Perfect Scenario defended his crown when winning the Group 3 White Robe Lodge Stakes at the Otago Racing Club's meeting.
All three horses were bought as yearlings by Team Te Akau.
There was one other very special winner on the weekend - Kith 'n' Kin also won at the Otago meeting. She was bred and is raced by our very good friend Ronald Lau. For us all, to win the Steve Anderton Memorial was an emotional and special win, we constantly have the Anderton family in our thoughts with its great losses in recent times - they are world class people.
These wins continued our incredible New Zealand season - below you will see the latest Trainers' Premiership statistics which show what a brilliant season Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are having for our owners.
The Gold Coast and Karaka yearlings have arrived home from the various sales and are on brilliant grass at Te Akau Std - all have settled in superbly and and are absolutely thriving. Interestingly Joe Walls, the Chairman of New Zealand Bloodstock, rang me tonight and said:
“David, that is the best lot of yearlings I have ever seen you buy! I’ve been looking at every one, either at the sale or on the internet, and I am convinced you have never bought a better lot!”
Joe is one the the very best judges of a horse you would find anywhere, so that's a great endorsement.
This afternoon, our Te Akau Racing Manager Reece Trumper and I went around the farm and inspected every yearling. To say that I am excited would be the understatement of the century.
Today I want to share my thoughts on two of those promising youngsters:
The first is the Magic Million's fillies syndicate that I mentioned earlier - two fillies who, if they live up to expectation, will race from our Cranbourne stable, and also one of the fillies that I think is a real Karaka Million filly who could also campaign in Australia in the future.
The two fillies in the Magic Million's fillies' partnership are Lot 81 our Snitzel/Re-Edit filly that I bought for A$440,000 and Lot 327 the Savabeel/Urban filly I purchased for A$400,000. Both of these fillies were bought at the Gold Coast Sale in early January. Both of these fillies will be educated in New Zealand and before possibly going to Melbourne to be aimed at the A$3million Magic Millions' classic race.
Our 2023 Magic Fillies' Partnership is flying as I said above: Captured By Love is three starts for three wins, including a Group 2 and Group title. The Victress has also shown huge talent and is already a juvenile winner.
The filly I think is a cracking Karaka Million type is Lot 44 a King’s Legacy fillyout of Enjay. that I purchased from Cambridge Stud. Some of the comments in my book state 'a very athletic filly and definitely one for the race'.
A 10% share would cost $23,200, a 5% share is $11,600 and a 2.5% share is $5,800.
It's a simply fabulous family, full of two year old form - and her sire of course was a dual Group 1 winning two year old himself.
The shares in yearlings are selling quicker this year than they have, and it’s very exciting welcoming existing owners and new owners who have joined the team.
If you are interested in being involved, please feel free to give me a call any time on 021 925 151 or email Karyn at [email protected]
It is a big week of racing ahead with Matamata on Wednesday and Legends Day at Te Rapa on Saturday - where we can now confirm our retired mega star Gingernuts aka Jerry will be making a cameo appearance, the legend he is.
Best of luck to all our owners with runners .... GO THE TANGERINE!!!