Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

There were lots of talking points around the Queensland Carnival, particularly around Eagle Farm and the transfer of the remaining programme to Doomben - from a Te Akau perspective, whilst we might not have had the Saturday we all hoped for, if you won a Group 2 and a Group 3 at every Carnival you attended, you would be a very happy person!

Well done to Melody Belle and Shocking Luck's owners - their Group victories at the Carnival are something that we are all proud of.  We were also very proud of the stakes' placings by Zambezi Warrior (2nd), Jimmy Rea (3rd) and Heroic Valour (2nd).

Congratulations too to Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker on an unbelievable weekend - in fact an unbelievable week.

It started last Sunday with Mark training three winners on the card at Kranji - he repeated that on Friday this past weekend with another winning treble and followed that up last night by winning four races!

That's seven races for the weekend and 10 for the past week.  What a massive achievement by our whole Singapore team - and Mark is now 13 in front on the Trainers' Premiership.

The win that probably gave me the biggest thrill was that of Bringer of War, a 2YO Burgundy filly that we bred at the farm.  This filly showed terrific potential at the Matamata training track and Mark purchased her for the Jubilant Stable.  While she still has plenty to learn, her natural acceleration and turn of foot was very evident.

Burgundy (main picture) is going to be a really good sire as I have said so many times before.  Te Akau is sending 10 mares to him this coming season such is our confidence in him.  He is also currently the leading first season sire.  The Burgundy's that we have, all have terrific temperaments and just about all of them can really gallop.

If you have a mare to send to stud then you should take a close look at sending her to Burgundy but be quick in booking as he will be full very soon.

The season for Te Akau Racing in New Zealand is almost over (ends 31 July) and we have just a handful of runners remaining - so currently one of our main aims is the further education of our young horses.  Gee we have a lovely team to race next season - I have never been so confident and happy with the yearlings we have bought - good luck to all of our owners.

I guess the most exciting news though of the weekend is that my eldest daughter Joanna and her husband Leon had a baby girl on Friday - so with two grandsons already (and another one due) we now have a granddaughter!