Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

Gee isn't Mark Walker on fire in Singapore with another three wins this past weekend.  One of those was Aspen, who I bought for $180,000 at the Premier Sale from the draft of Pencarrow Stud.  he should have won his last start which was the same night as the Karaka Million race, he was desperately unlucky so it was wonderful for his owners to see him drive home in such strong fashion.  This son of Alamosa is a pretty good horse and he has plenty more wins in the tank. He is raced by the best bunch of people you would ever meet.

Darci Brahma has been in super form this season, siring winner after winner and across all distances too, such is his versatility.  He had a winner at Awapuni on Saturday and his Group 1 winning son Nashville was runner up in New Zealand's richest WFA the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa also on that day.   Then in Singapore, Darci sired three of the Sunday night winners.

The weekend's success for the stallion that I selected, purchased and we trained to win five Group 1's did not stop there either!  Ray Coupland owned the winner of the Dunedin Guineas at Wingatui on Friday which I was thrilled about.  Why?  because I bought both the father Darci Brahma and the mother, a mare by Encosta De Lago called Gingernut Coup.  She is now a great investment having left a stakes' winner at her first foal.

Mark Walker currently remains in the lead on the Trainers' Premiership in Singapore and when you think our stable is now split between Singapore and Matamata this is an amazing achievement.

We all had a great day at Te Rapa on Saturday.  The track was in great condition and the was some terrific racing.  There were a lot of young people at the races all enjoying themselves.

We have had lots of owners at the farm looking at the yearlings and we have had a great weekend selling shares.  Yesterday we sold shares to owners from Winton, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Perth, Singapore and Queensland.

Yesterday I bought a further two horses that were both passed in at the sales and they were sold within 24 hours. We have now bought 37 yearlings.   Last night Karyn and I went all around the farm inspecting each yearling and I am just so thrilled with the young horses that we have bought.  They are just thriving.

When we sat down working out how many yearlings to buy we tried to buy enough to last the whole year.  Like all good "shop keepers" we need stock on the shelf but the way horses are selling, the shares will all be gone by the end of February.  After the sales I never have a drink until all the horses are sold and my goal is get them sold by the end of February!!

This week we are concentrating on handling all the foals and branding the remaining foals.  I have told you many times we have so many top foals this year by Burgundy and Rock'n'Pop and they are all growing into lovely individuals with great temperaments.