Te Akau Singapore Update

In Singapore, the monetary benefits associated with racing horses are plain to see.
With the Singapore Dollar virtually on par with the New Zealand Dollar, the Singapore Turf Club recently (April 1) increased their Maiden races to $75,000 and Te Akau horses in Singapore, under the tutelage of five time premiership winning trainer Mark Walker, are reaping the benefits.

Acclimatized now into his fourth year of training in Singapore, Mark improved his standing to second on the premiership table last season, and horses in his care have clicked over $1 million in stakes' earnings five months into the season on 9 May.

Clutha Lad (Thorn Park) has won three races and $142,000. Rise ‘n' Shine (Zabeel) with $142,000 has notched three wins in as many months of racing. The stalwart Affirmation (Fastnet Rock) was sent to Walker from the outset and has kept kicking goals to win eight times for $300,000. Select Gathering (Choisir) has won four and $168,000. Soul Commander (Commands) three for $167,000 and Golden Sand Steed (Pins) nearly $400,000 from his seven wins.

“Not all horses can make it to Group races in New Zealand but the bread and butter horses have still earned over $100k up here with plenty more to come,” said Walker.

“We have recycled a few of the older horses over two or three seasons and that they are still paying their way, makes all the difference and we have some nice younger ones coming up too.

“Riedel (Saperavi) for example picked up $43,500 for winning last Friday and $16,000 the other day when running second in an $80k race.  He's won three times, has $130,000 in stakes and will just keep chugging away,” said Walker.

“The key to it up here is keeping them sound. We don't work them nearly as hard and just keep them on the racetrack and the more runs they can have, they can go up and down in the grades quicker, and while we focus on strike rate at home it means nothing up here. The owners get $900 each time their horse runs (if not first or last) and if a horse doesn't quite measure up we can still pick up $10,000-15,000 when we sell them to Malaysia and that pays for the freight,” said Walker.

“Owners now realise that once their horses are here in Singapore then they don't have to pay any more travel costs."

"What I found here is that even the staying horses are better off having their first couple of runs sprinting, even if they are destined to get over ground, just to acclimatise and it's not hurting them. Until they're really acclimatized, you don't want to get them up over a trip, rather you just want to harden them up - toughen them up a bit first.

“The staying types are quite well catered for over ground here and the Turf Club really helps make racing attractive and financially rewarding for everyone involved. I just wish the New Zealand Government would realise that racing employs so many people and a lot of them are getting little for it,” said Walker.

With a long queue of highly credentialed trainers regularly knocking on the door wanting to be based in Singapore, Te Akau was fortunate it had the track record and professionalism required to be granted permission for Walker to set up shop in Turf Club Avenue at Kranji Racecourse.

“We're very lucky to be here,” said Walker, “It is a great privilege these days to be granted a trainer's license in Singapore and with what is currently the best team of staff we have ever had back at Matamata, across our two bases we have a really top operation.”

Just last week, during the International meeting at Kranji, Rise ‘n' Shine produced a super effort for fourth in the $500,000 Singapore Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and a bulk of the owners in the Te Akau Rise ‘n' Shine Syndicate were there for the occasion. The race too was a feather in the cap for Te Akau principal David Ellis, for not only had he purchased Rise ‘n' Shine at the Karaka Sales (for $130,000) but he also bought the race winner War Affair (O'Reilly) for a Singapore client for $70,000.

Educated and trialled through the Te Akau operation at Matamata, before transferring to Singapore, War Affair was named Champion Two-Year-Old and has now won nine of his twelve starts and amassed $1.2m in prize money.

Trevor Duggan from Nelson, Jim & Donna Henderson from Hawera, Ray and Jan Batten from Auckland and Alex Mahoney from Auckland and Dylan Venter from Wellington were among the Kiwi travellers present to see Rise ‘n' Shine contest the Guineas. While Luke O'Toole and Yolanda Evagelistis made their second trip from Melbourne to Singapore see him run.

From Nelson, Trevor Duggan who was one of the owners on hand to see Rise ‘n' Shine contest the Guineas.

“It was really enjoyable and eye opening and well worth going up there,” said Duggan. “He (Rise ‘N' Shine) put on a pretty good performance finishing fourth in track record time (1:33.69 for 1600m).

“The horse looked beautiful, a picture and what I'd term a really athletic type. He's got plenty of leg, plenty of length and I think in another twelve months he would furnish a lot. The comments from Mark (Walker) and Gus (Clutterbuck) is that there is plenty more to come.

“The stable set up is amazing; security and cleanliness is really apparent. The long course itself, the straight is as long as Flemington and the members grandstand and facilities are amazing,” said Duggan.

“Mark has got a great right-hand lady in his wife Julia: she is right up with the play, very intelligent and knowledgeable and was a great host. They both went out of their way to do as much as they could for us. It's a great set up and very friendly people, all-round.

“Friends at home saw us on TV, so we got a bit of exposure as well,” said Duggan. All the owners fitted in really well together and overall it was very good."

(Te Akau Racing will be organising another visit to Singapore in May 2015 - contact Karyn if you would like information as it becomes available.)