Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

What a huge weekend for Mark Walker and his team!  It started on Friday night with a win and two second placings from just four starters and then Mark really turned it on at Kranji on Sunday night winning FOUR races!

We also managed to find a new way to lose a race too - Falcon won the event but his jockey, Manny Nunes weighed in light.  Yes even champion jockeys make mistakes and Nunes doesn't make many as his truly great record can testify.

There was great celebration at Te Akau Stud however as we still urged Keen Dragon, Clermont Club and Soul Commander home - the latter two both purchased by me from Karaka.  Ready Fortune (another Karaka purchase) also finished a creditable fourth in Clermont Club's race.

We were disappointed with Rockfast in the Avondale Guineas - but he had reason - it was just too firm for him, he has jarred up and now will have a short spell.  Meantime Karyn's filly Enshrine went a good race for fourth in the Group 3 Taranaki 2YO Classic.

It was work, work, work and more work for Karyn and me this past weekend.  We purchased another two passed in horses from the Karaka Sale yesterday and we are flat tack selling, invoicing and plenty of other work.

We are currently selling shares in the half brother to Champion 2YO and Karaka Million winner Vespa.  This flashy chestnut colt is by the exciting new sire Zacinto , himself by the great English sire Dansili.  This colt's dam Miss Avalon, aside from leaving Vespa, has also produced a half brother to our colt by Zabeel.

Named Hasabeel, he has had two career starts, both over 1200m in the past fortnight in Australia and he has impressed everyone by winning them by three lengths and three and a half lengths.  Exciting times ahead for this colt of ours - his siblings are on fire - and a 10% share in him is only $10,500 plus GST - or $5,250 plus GST for a 5% share.

Today is another important day on the farm too as we begin weaning our foals and shortly I leave for the event no-one would wish to have to attend, the funeral of Hayden Allen.