Te Akau Singapore Saturday Double

Te Akau Singapore owners celebrated a double on Saturday at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore.

Good money spinner Axel (8 g Darci Brahma – Josephines Fortune, by Encosta de Lago) won the S$50,000 Class 4 1400 metres, having last won in the same grade and distance in January.

Purchased for $55,000 by David Ellis CNZM at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, Axel recorded his 11th win for his owners which include Gavin and son Shane Wealleans, and took his career earnings well past S$550,000 (approx. NZ$665,490).

Off a good third at his previous start, Axel was allowed to settle back, as is customary, by Brazilian jockey Bernardo Pinheiro. The pair negotiated conditions of torrential rain to charge through late and claim stable-mate Te Akau Ben (Tavistock).

“Axel, just, from Te Akau Ben, the Kiwis have dominated,” said commentator Ethan Mills, a 21-year-old from Australia. 

On his favourite (turf) course and distance, providing five of his 11 wins, Axel has shown a liking for rain-affected ground.

“He loves the long course and he loves it when there’s rain on the day, but yesterday was unbelievable because in his race we couldn’t see them,” Te Akau Singapore trainer Donna Logan said. 

“It was three times heavier than normal.

“Te Akau Ben, he’s been ultra consistent lately. It was a close finish and I’m very pleased with both horses. David (Ellis) probably would have preferred Te Akau Ben to win because he and Ben Kwok own him, but he’ll be happy that Axel won, too, because some of his long time clients Gavin and Shane Wealleans have shares in him.

“The old warhorse Axel has had 11 wins, 12 seconds and 10 thirds. I told Gavin that there was more wins in him, so that’s why we’ve kept him going.”

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Red Maned (5 m Burgundy – Imagunakepa, by Keeper) won the S$30,000 Class 5 1200 metres on poly track for owner Ng Boon Kiat.

Ridden by the former dual Singapore Champion Apprentice Simon Kok, Red Maned began swiftly from barrier 10 to position outside the leader, arrested the lead mid-straight, and kept producing to win nicely. 

Red Maned finished solidly for third at her previous start, when ridden by Darren Danis, formerly an apprentice in Matamata, who earlier in the season combined with Te Akau-trained Star Of Justice (Justify) to win the Barneswood Farm Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) at Ashburton.

But Danis was by hospitalized by dengue fever and had to forgo his mounts.

“Simon had just come back from being overseas in France, on his honeymoon with his French wife, and we’ve had a good association with him in the past,” Logan said.

“Darren (Danis) had been in riding the horse in work and straight after the race he was the first one to message me with congratulations. He such a positive young guy and he’ll be back soon.

“The horse had been knocking on the door for some time and everything just panned out perfectly for her.

“Her action was great and he looked comfortable throughout the whole race. She’s a bit one-paced, so I told Simon to get her going early in the straight.”

Red Maned paid $28.40 & $7.80 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was a good day for the team,” Logan added. “We had two firsts, two seconds, and a third.”

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Logan was also happy with the performance by well performed five-year-old mare Istataba (Treasure Beach) in the S$70,000 Class 3 1800 metres, and aims to contest the $1.38m Singapore Gold Cup (Gr. 1, 2000m) at the last race meeting in Singapore (Saturday 5 October).

Logan prepared Super Impact (Real Impact) to finish second in the Gold Cup in 2022, while Te Akau trainer Mark Walker, who won four premierships in Singapore, produced Elite Invincible (Archarcharch) to win the race in 2018 and NZ 2000 Guineas' (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Tell A Tale (Tale of the Cat) to finish runner up in Walker's first season training in Singapore.

“She was huge,” Logan said. “She’s always got top weight and I just can’t wait to get her to the Gold Cup because that’s her race.

“She’ll be freshened now and can have a lead-up in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Gr. 1, 1800m) in September.

“She’s a very strong contender for the Gold Cup and we’ll have her there at her second or third start, back.”