Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

I really enjoyed watching the races at home on Saturday afternoon.  The Great Northern Steeplechase over the gruelling 6400m is just an unbelievable event and so exciting.  It is the first Great Northern meeting that I have missed for 40 years and I was disappointed that I could not be on course to witness such great racing. Isn't it exciting when a horse goes out by 50 lengths, gets headed as they turn for home and then fights back to win?

I also got a huge thrill out of seeing two horses win consecutive races on Saturday.  King Montrose is by one of my favourite horses King's Chapel.  I purchased King's Chapel for $35,000 and he was trained by Mark and was Champion Sprinter Miler, Champion 3YO and Horse of the Year all in one season - he now stands at stud in South Africa.  Then within half an hour to see Nashville decimate a field of open sprinters like he did, tells me that we are in for a very exciting Spring and nothing is beyond him by the look of things.  There was some great racing from across the Tasman which at this time of the year is full of excitement.

To cap it off, the All Blacks beat the Pumas and the Springboks showed their prowess cleaning up the Wallabies - the Boks/AB's matches will be very interesting.

Yesterday we had 20 people for drinks and dinner at Te Akau Stud to farewell Sam Boyd.  Sam has lived in Te Akau all of his life and at the age of 66, he has decided to retire.  He has worked with me at Te Akau Stud for over 30 years and has been a big part of the success that we have had. Sam was an extremely good polo player and a very good horseman and I have learnt a tremendous amount from him over the years.  He is one of the most capable guys I have ever met.  He can shear 300 sheep a day, put up a fence as good as anybody, build a house, play polo and he was in the New Plymouth Boys' First XV for three years when JJ Stewart was the coach of that school's rugby team.

Sam has decided to crew a boat from Miami to New Zealand with another one of his friends which will take about five months but luckily we have not lost him full time from Te Akau Stud.  He will always be welcome to come back and stay here and he has kindly said that he will always be available to help in any way that he can, once he gets back from his sailing expedition.  For example when we go overseas, Sam will come and live in our house and keep an eye on everything (and look after the dogs!! - Ed).

So we had a big party here last night and I think (I KNOW - Ed) some of the staff are a bit worse for wear this morning but luckily the boss was the first one into bed at about 9.30pm and he is feeling pretty well today. 

I got a big thrill out of Irish Rebel winning last night.  Mark has done a fantastic job to get this horse back into winning form.  He is not an easy horse to train but he has sure got some ability and Joao Moreira thinks he has a really good future in Singapore once his racing manners are ironed out.

We have some exiting young horses racing at Taupo today and after working on the farm this morning I will certainly be watching them this afternoon. Although Irish Rebel was Mark's only win last night he had seconds and thirds and his team are racing in good form.

Last week Te Akau celebrated being in Singapore for three years and I think the achievements that Mark has had in such a short time are amazing results by a very fine trainer.

Back