Te Akau Monday Update

David writes:

Probably the most frustrating time of the year has arrived!

Yes I always say that September is the 'worst' month because we all trudge through winter, looking forward to some good racing but then - even though it is officially Spring - the tracks are still heavy.  Apparently there is also a lot more rain to come, especially when you look at the forecast for the next 10 days with rain forecast for seven of them!

Well, one thing that we cannot control is the weather.  However the days are getting longer and within four or so weeks, we will start to get improved tracks - "BRING IT ON"!!

On Saturday we saw the first Group 1 event of the new season and we had Gingernuts stepping out in that race at Hastings and we were rapt with the way that "Jerry" went in the Tarzino Trophy.  Despite copping a massive check on the corner, he picked himself up to run a massive fifth.  As our stable rider Opie Bosson said - he would have been in the first three home had he not copped that interference.  His performance gives us plenty of confidence for the season ahead.

Gingernuts' one-year-younger brother Griffin also went a super race in the Listed 3YO El Roca Sir Colin Meads' Trophy and he looks like he just might have inherited some of those staying credentials - time will tell.

Karyn and I had a lovely weekend in Auckland with our children and our grandchildren.  On Sunday, it was a very special Fathers' Day as we caught up with all our northern based clan!

All the media talk at the moment seems to be focussed on New Zealand's general election and who is promising what or taxing what.  All of these promises (made across the political spectrum) are coming from our money - yes yours and my hard-earned - and there are some promises being made that see spending like there is no tomorrow.  At least we only have three more weeks of this.

It's a busy week at the farm and the stables - this weekend the NZ Horse of the Year awards will be staged in Auckland on Sunday night at the Langham Hotel.  We have Melody Belle and Gold Fever as Champion 2YO finalists and Gingernuts is one of the Champion 3YO and Champion Stayer finalists.  We are also looking forward to seeing our Irish based horse Torcedor contest the Group 1 Irish St Leger this weekend - how exciting is that!