Te Akau Reflections

Enjoy some upcoming reflections on exciting Te Akau horses and experiences ....

When Darci Brahma (2 c Danehill - Grand Echezeaux, by Zabeel) returned to the birdcage after an impressive debut win on January 31, 2005, at Avondale, it became obvious he was special - and a bit different.

While most juveniles would have been wide-eyed and bristling after such an experience, Darci Brahma stood like an old pro between the steel bars of the winning stall.

For a full thirty-seconds after Michael Walker had thrown the reins and let his feet hang down from the stirrups, sitting astride while he recounted the performance to trainer Mark Walker alongside, Darci just put his head down and stood still, quite content, like a horse that had been there a thousand times before.

His temperament seemed uncanny, so docile and at ease for one so young who had just let rip on the racetrack to break 1:10 for 1200 metres.

Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased Darci Brahma for $1.1m as a yearling at the 2004 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud, and recalled the second start win by the colt as one of his most monumental in illustrating the quality and class he possessed, when he swept up wide from back in the field before racing away by three-and-a-half-lengths in the Listed, Fairview Ford Slipper (1200m) at Matamata.

After a Group One second in the Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie, at his next start, who could forget his telling performance when he boomed home from the rear of the field, down the outside, to beat the best Australia could offer in the Group One T. J. Smith (1600m) at Eagle Farm, in Brisbane, to complete his two-year-old season.

Astonishing came at his next start in the Group Two Hawkes Bay Guineas, his first as a three-year-old after winning three preparatory trials, when he overcame checks in the running to nail the talented and speedy colt Dr Green (Fusaichi Pegasus) over a gut-busting 1400m run in track record time: 1:19.97.

A few pundits were quick to suggest the run would have flattened him, but when he returned to the track 21-days later to win the Group Two Wellington Guineas (1500m) in a ‘hand canter', it implied if anything that he had derived benefit from the exertion at Hastings.

To complete the hat-trick of his spring assignments at three, he ventured south to Riccarton, in Christchurch, for the Group One 2000 Guineas (1600m) where he made a mess of some better than useful gallopers to win easing down by nearly four-lengths.

Into the New Year of his three-year-old season, Darci Brahma showed tremendous courage to beat the older horses in the Group One Otaki-Maori Weight-For-Age over a mile (1600m) in a sizzling time of 1:33.67, before finishing second to super galloper Apache Cat (Lion Cavern) in the Group One Cadbury Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

At four he turned the tables on Seachange (Cape Cross), after finishing second to her in the Group One Mudgway Stakes (1400m) in the spring at Hastings, to blow her and eleven other high-class sprinting rivals off the racetrack at Trentham with an electrifying turn of foot in the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m). After exercising the afterburners to flatten out and race clear a furlong from home, jockey Opie Bosson was afforded the luxury of easing up near the line to stop the clock in a riveting 1:07 flat.

At his very next start, 20-days later, Darci Brahma recorded his swansong victory at Te Rapa on February 10 2007; his second at weight-for-age, in the Group One Waikato Draught Sprint (1400m) and the illustrious racetrack career of a true gentleman of the sport came to a close having recorded 10 wins, five at group one level, and 5 seconds from 19 starts for earning of $1,230,186.

He was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old, Champion Three-Year-Old, and Champion Sprinter.

Gearing up to stand his fifth season at The Oaks Stud in Cambridge, having served four outstanding books of mares, Darci Brahma (Bay 2002 16.1hh) has had four stakes performers from only thirteen starters and a yearling colt that sold through the ring for $625,000. His 2011 yearling sale average was $126,500.

With his oldest progeny having just turned three, some astute judges considered Super Easy (3 B. C. Darci Brahma - Parfore, by Gold Brose) the best two-year-old they saw race in New Zealand last season. The classy and good-looking colt became the first winner for his sire when he proved too slick in an impressive debut performance in track record time for a two-year-old (56.20) over 1000m at Trentham.

Super Easy then lost the bob when beaten a nose by subsequent dual group one winner Anabandana (Anabaa) in the Group Three Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie, and, but for a tough run three-wide on the pace could have been heralded the winner of the Listed, Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie where he finished one length from the winner, in fourth.

Super Easy commenced his racing duties in Singapore on August 7 with a hollow all-the-win by nearly six-lengths over 1000m. Jockey Joao Moreira never had to move a muscle as the colt charged down the straight.

Darci Be Good (3 B. C. Darci Brahma - You Can't Say That, by Fusaichi Pegasus) became his first stakes winner when he took out the Listed, Fernhill Handicap (1600m) at Randwick, in Sydney, in April and has since returned to the track for a fresh-up win over 1400m at Rosehill to make it four starts for two wins and a second for trainer Bede Murray. His grand-dam, What Can I Say (Khozaam), was an impressive winning race performer of eight races, who had an affinity with yielding ground and Darci Be Good shows a similar empathy with his ability to handle give in the footing.

The Darci Brahma progeny have been purchased by international leaders in the thoroughbred industry and exciting times lie ahead for the stock of a truly amazing horse.

For obvious reasons, David Ellis has kept a close eye on family relatives to Darci Brahma; his dam, Grand Echezeaux, was a group one Oaks winner and a three-quarter sister to Hong Kong International Cup winner Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram), who in turn is the dam of Queensland Oaks, Melbourne Cup, and Caulfield Cup, winner Ethereal (Rhythm). Ellis purchased his half-brother Saperavi (Stravinsky), who unfortunately had his brief racing career curtailed by injury and now stands at stud, while Te Akau have in their midst a mouth-watering three-quarter brother, Burgundy (3 B. C. Redoute's Choice - Grand Echezeaux), that was bought as a yearling by Ellis for $1.3m at the 2010 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud. He displayed special attributes when winning his only trial, at Cambridge in February, and waits in readiness for his second trial outing on August 30 at Te Teko.

Thankfully, the influence of Darci Brahma will be around for years to come.

Footnote: Standing at the Oaks Stud, Cambridge, for a fee of $15,000 + GST, Darci Brahma has sired eight Group One winners among twenty-eight stakes winners.