Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

The last seven days have been really full on for the whole Te Akau team - on both sides of the Tasman and in Singapore too! There is plenty to report on.

On Saturday Te Akau won its 8th Group 1 race in just under two years since Steve and Jamie joined forces as our Te Akau trainers - the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas, the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas, Group 1 Diamond Stakes, Group 1 NRM Sprint, Group 1 Levin Classic, Group 1 NZ Derby, Group 1 Rosehill Guineas - and although it's not a Group 1 - this year's Karaka Million - and now the Group 1 Manawatu Sires!

There are only two $1 million races in New Zealand each season and this year Te Akau has won them both.

Congratulations to the Fortuna team with Melody Belle - our Karaka Million winner who was unlucky to miss the Group 1 Diamond Stakes but "made up for lost time" by claiming Saturday's $225,000 Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni with Michael McNab aboard.

I selected and bought this filly for just $57,500 from the Karaka Premier sale and the daughter of Commands has now won $695,325 - that's just over 12 times her original purchase price!

We were thrilled to see Michael McNab snap up the first Group 1 scalp of his career - well done to him.  Sadly our Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes winner Gold Fever, who was really unlucky when third in the Group 1 Diamond Stakes, had an elevated temperature on Thursday.  In her best interests we scratched her from the race.  The heavy track conditions also did not suit our other two runners in the race, stakes' placed Summer Monsoon and promising Encosta de Lago filly Swing Note - look out for their 3YO seasons.

The "Sires" is a race that Te Akau knows how to win, so it was wonderful to again claim the 2017 edition - all well with Melody Belle, given her light racing record to date, we are keen to see her join our Te Akau team attack on the Queensland Winter Carnival.

Another horse who I thought went a massive race was Beaumarchais, who had finished fourth in the Group 1 NZ Derby behind stablemate Gingernuts.  He flew home from well back to rattle into second place in the Group 3 Manawatu Classic at Awapuni.  When you read the stipes' report you will see why I called it a massive effort ...  began awkwardly then crowded and steadied losing ground, crowded passing 1800m then commenced to over-race for a distance when having to be restrained to avoid heels, steadied when becoming awkwardly placed inside heels 800m.

He's got a big race win in him for sure.

Melody Belle's win was Te Akau's 11th Group/Listed race win for the season in New Zealand and further boosted the prize money tally that we have won for our owners.  This season we are proud that the stable is the leading New Zealand stable for stake money won - a great result for everyone who invests in us.

We were also trying to win another Group 1 in Australia on the weekend, our second in a fortnight in Sydney.   Karyn and I flew over to Sydney on Friday with our Gingernuts looking for that second Group 1 in Australia.  Make no mistake - it is very difficult to win these top line races in Australia and of course, with what Gingernuts had done when winning the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas a fortnight before, he was made the favourite for last Saturday's A$2 million Australian Derby.

It was great to see so many of the "G-nuts" crew travel to Randwick to support "Jerry" (as we know Gingernuts) and he was gallant in defeat, running fifth.  No question things didn't go his way - he drew wide, struck interference at least three times and, given none except the breathtaking Chautauqua were winning from behind, we could not have been more proud of him.

In two short months Gingernuts won the Group 2 Avondale Guineas, Group 1 NZ Derby and Group 1 Rosehill Guineas in Sydney - he's a very special horse and we admire him so much.  I bought him for just $42,500 from the Karaka Ready to Run sale and he has now earned over $1 million.  We sold shares to our existing owners and Blair Alexander also got some friends and colleagues involved, many first time owners, so it has been a huge thrill for everyone with everything this horse has achieved.

He now heads home today for a well earned break.  "Jerry" will arrive at Te Akau Stud tomorrow at about 5.30am and our equine manager at the farm, Jason Smith and the team will be ready to welcome him back.  The plan at this stage is to head towards the Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival before heading to Melbourne, all going well with our boy.

Thank you Gingernuts as you have captured hearts and imaginations with your feats - he;s actually got a huge following on both sides of the Tasman.  Enjoy your spell and we will look forward to seeing you race again in the new season.

Te Akau's aim to win Group races in Australia actually continues this coming weekend with an interesting new acquisition.  I worked with Mark Walker and Jamie Richards with Fortuna's John Galvin to last week purchase the in-work stayer Chance to Dance at the inaugural Chairman's Sale in Sydney.  The 5YO was fifth in the Adelaide Cup and holds a nomination for this weekend's Sydney Cup - he galloped in Melbourne on Saturday and tomorrow morning arrives in Sydney where Jamie will put the final touches on him for Saturday's A$3 million Group 1 Sydney Cup.

Good luck to the Fortuna team and we look forward to Chance to Dance then potentially joining our strong Queensland carnival brigade before coming back to New Zealand, to our Matamata stable and targeting races like the NZ, Wellington and Auckland Cups next season.

Reflecting on Saturday at Royal Randwick, there were a couple of things that really stood out to Karyn and me - apart from seeing the great Winx in the flesh again.

We felt privileged to be invited by Racing NSW to join the VIP Chairman's lunch - and you should have seen the political support that turned out in force - everyone from the Governor General to leading politicians from all parties who spoke glowingly about how important racing is to both the State and the nation.

Honestly you should see how much government support is provided to racing - both the state and federal governments recognise how important racing is to the whole economy and they step up and they get involved and put their money where their mouths are.

Q: why does the NZ government continue to ignore investment in our industry -

Seriously to hang it's hat on "but we are getting race fields legislation under way" is just not good enough from our New Zealand government!   Racing has never asked for hand outs - there is a huge economic argument that supports government investment in our industry and this evidence continues to be ignored, year after year after year.

So if I sound repetitive - then I am - it is because so little changes!  If you think I have said this before, I have and I will keep going on about this until the industry gets treated by the government with the respect it deserves.

As I say - it is not about racing wanting a hand out - government investment would deliver huge returns for the government, which already does very well out of our industry.

It is election year - make your views known - this government gives money to yacht races, cricket tournaments, rugby and golf tournaments - it provides money to such a wide variety of events and sports - yet it continues to treat racing basically with either disrespect or disdain.

Another thing that we both really noticed was just how much effort and creativity the Clubs and Racing NSW put in to the main stream promotion of racing and race days - the publicity across all forms of media (and not just social media) of 'The Championships' is massive and all kudos to the ATC on a terrific job.  You can't escape the fact this carnival is on - from the shops, to the buses, to TV, radio, newspapers - it is everywhere.  It is also fresh and energised and really encourages young people to be involved in racing.

So why is that not happening in New Zealand?

In other Te Akau news - our Singapore stable is again going great guns this season (which kicked off in January) - Mark Walker had yet another win on Sunday night with Eaton's Gold - as well as three seconds - and Mark continues to head the Trainers' Premiership.  Eaton's Gold was bought by me from the Karaka Select Sale for $72,500 - he has won nine races in Singapore, been second eight times, third nine times and 13 times fourth - for prize money of $510,570.  That reflects the great stakes that Singapore racing can offer.

Today I have spent the day re-inspecting our short list of yearlings at the Sydney Easter Sale - our team of Jamie, Dr Doug Black and I have seen some rippers of yearlings.  It will be a very strong sale here I think as the buying bench looks to be out in force.

I do believe that we will bring some very good young horses home to New Zealand (and of course back to race in Australia in the future) so do keep an eye on our website which Karyn and Julia-Rose, who is also here with us, will update as the action happens!  Our shares always disappear very quickly from this sale so when you see the news, contact us straight away - we look forward to having you involved!