Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

What a mixed weekend we had in New Zealand.  We all got a huge thrill out of Windborne winning her second stakes' race when she bolted in, in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes, coasting clear to win by three lengths.

Last year we won the same race with her full sister Darci's Dream (who went on to run second in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas) who Karyn and I also bred.

I was thrilled for the Fortuna team and John Galvin who bought this filly, who was a stand-out from the day she was born, from the Karaka Sale.

Pam Gerard, who is looking after our team at Riccarton, reports that Windborne cleaned up all her feed on Saturday night - a great sign.  All credit too to Princess Davone who rattled into third at just her second start, thus earning herself valuable black type, and Special Memories also finished off well for sixth.

These latter two fillies will finish up having their day in the sun for sure. Special Memories probably has the most improvement - this quality Fastnet Rock filly will be right in the finish of the 1000 Guineas.

Well done to Steve and Jamie for now recording their first stakes' race victory for the new season and we look forward to quite a few more!

We have some very good fillies looking towards the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas on the last day of the Cup Carnival at Riccarton - Special Memories, Duchess Kate, Interstellar, Love Triangle, Risque, Princess Davone and Windborne.  How exciting will it be with a team of girls like this?!

Luckily we can split the girls up between now and then.  We also have some nice colts for the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas so it will be an exciting carnival.  Te Akau has the best record of any stable in the 2000 and 1000 Guineas events, having won seven of them in the last 11 years.

Another top performance too from Vive La Difference having her second southern start - she raced very well to be beaten by only a nose - there are some nice wins ahead for her too.

I mentioned Love Triangle above and of course how disappointing was it for her and her owners not to see her step out in the Group 3 Hawke's Bay Breeders' Gold Trail Stakes for which she was hot favourite with the TAB. It has really thrown a spanner in this very good filly's works - luckily we were quickly on to "Plan B". What a tragedy it was to have the Hastings' big day called off.

I want to say just two things on this topic.  Hawke's Bay Racing Inc has done a great job over the years and the team at Hawke's Bay has in that time done a super job presenting tracks year in, year out in great order. Whether they put too much water or not enough is a fine margin call.  The point is that the Club sets out to present the best track possible but sometimes the best intentions don't always work out.

The area of real concern to me is the way the RIU (Racing Integrity Unit) is being operated.  Recently Karyn and I separately wrote to the RIU about an industry issue and it never gave us the courtesy of a reply.  That shows you the arrogance that has developed in this organisation and the culture that has pervaded it.

Recently at the Te Rapa races there was heavy rain and the RIU officials quickly called the meeting off.  That was not the smartest decision - they should have delayed for ONE hour - delayed and waited (as they could have) - and guess what happened?  As everyone with local weather knowledge was telling them, the sun came out and racing could have carried on without any problem.

At Hawke's Bay the decision to stop racing was ridiculous. They could easily have put the groundhog (ripper) around the track and then carry on.  The jockeys reported they would have been happy with that and I know the trainers would have been too.

Now I am NOT suggesting that we should put jockeys at risk - nothing is worth compromising safety - however in my opinion that track would have been fine for racing after the ripper had been around.  I don't think that the stipes realise how much damage they are doing to New Zealand racing.

I was involved in racing administration for 25 years including being Chairman of the Waikato Racing Club as well as the District Committee and sitting on the Board of what is now known as New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. I never received a cent for all my work and did so happily.  Nowadays they all get paid in Wellington and I don't think that the decision-making is any better but gee the costs have gone up and are really out of control.

One bit of good news coming is that we now have Alan Jackson on the Board of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and when Matt Goodson retires shortly, I am sure that the Board will appoint Alan to the Chair - he is an outstanding individual with so much to offer.

On Sunday Karyn and I went for a 6km walk before settling in to watch the Singapore races.  Mark has had plenty of placings on this weekend so it was just brilliant to see The Cosmos win first up at Kranji.  This horse is a very nice gelding by Darci Brahma who had won a race in New Zealand before his owner and my good friend Ian Farrelly astutely decided to send him up to Singapore to race.  What a result - first start, first win and in a $60,000 event as well!

Then a few races later Mark was back in the winners' circle with Q Nine Magic - so another Kranji double for our Singapore team. Mark still leads the Trainers' Premiership with about three months to run. In New Zealand, Steve and Jamie currently sit third on the NZ Trainers' Premiership with eight wins in the first seven weeks of the new season.

Speaking of the home front we have 20 horses heading to the Te Teko trials this week so the days are just getting busier for everyone!