Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

It certainly feels like it is Spring after the most beautiful 10 days we have ever experienced here in August.

Just to prove the old adage that "you can never keep a farmer happy" - we actually want rain to freshen the grass - and perhaps we will get it later as the skies are very overcast today.  Although Spring is just around the corner, I am sure we still have some unpleasant weather yet to come and it's not really until mid October that the tracks start to improve.

It is a very quiet time of the year for Te Akau Racing but we still had two winners over the weekend - one at Taupo for our New Zealand team and one at Kranji for our Singapore team.

O'Naturelle, our Taupo winner on Friday and our first winner for the new season, is a filly that we are privileged to train for James Chapman who owns Jamieson Park in the Northern Waikato.  Sam Munro, his manager, runs an excellent ship and most of the horses that I have bought from Jamieson Park can win races.  Just recently we purchased a Darci Brahma filly out of the paddock from them and she looks to have exciting potential going forward.

Since she entered the stable, I always thought that O'Naturelle looked to have a touch of class about her. She was sent out a hot favourite on Friday after two wins from her two trials and was most commentators' "Bet of the Day". Just wait for her to get on a bigger track with that long, fluid stride - she has terrific potential.

Our other winner was with Dream Comes True at Kranji on Sunday night.  He won a S$75,000 Initiation race over 1200m - yes S$75,000 for a maiden race!  This Alamosa gelding was passed in at Karaka and was purchased for $5,000 - he ran fourth on debut in Singapore and it's great to see him win at just his second start.  He looks like a horse with a lot more wins in the tank.

This past week we have had Karyn's mother staying with us and on Wednesday, Karyn will fly with her Mum back to the South Island to see her home safe and sound.  It has been lovely to have Sylvia with us and she has also enjoyed her drives around the farm and to Raglan.

This week we are having a team evening in Matamata to celebrate the wonderful season that we have just completed.  I am still very excited about Te Akau winning nine of the 11 awards last Monday at the Matamata Training Centre awards organised by Racing Matamata.

Now that is an achievement that is really special for all of us - but that was last season and now we are fully concentrating on "starting all over again" and our goal is to repeat the success in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore this season.

This week we are also looking forward to the Te Teko trials where we have 25 horses lining up plus we have a couple of runners at Hawkes Bay on Saturday as the season slowly starts to build and we look forward to improving tracks.

Stephen Autridge is currently in Melbourne supervising Xtravagant and Shillelagh and he reports that he is really thrilled with the way that both are thriving in Melbourne.  Top Australian rider Damien Oliver, who has ridden both in track work and at their recent jump outs, has also been glowing in his praise of the pair.

My attention now turns to the Ready to Run Sale where I intend to be very active this year.  So far this year we have bought 42 yearlings and every share in every horse has been sold.

What a weekend too - before I sign off - for New Zealand!  Our Olympians have really done us proud haven't they?  as Karyn reminds me that this year for the first ever time, our Kiwi team comprised more women (100) than men (99) and they actually have claimed more medals.  We can be so proud too that there were new names joining the famed ones - most likely be household names of the future - it's great to see young Kiwis shine.  It's also great to see stalwarts such as Sir Mark Todd and Mahe Drysdale still competing at this elite level!

Also a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our stable jockey Matthew Cameron who is celebrating his 30th Birthday today! Team Te Akau hope you have had a lovely day.

And as for the All Blacks ... I need say no more than one word - proud! Have a great week everyone!