Te Akau Sunday Update
23 May, 2021
David writes:
You really know winter is here. It's been very brisk in the mornings here at the farm and last week we had another frost. The good thing about frosty mornings (even though they are tough on the team who are well rugged up - like our horses) it usually means we have a brilliant, clear day.
Of course winter means the tracks are deteriorating and you won't see too many of the tangerine team out and about racing. However there are some exceptions to this! With winter also comes the jumps' season and yesterday Karyn and I went to Te Rapa for the Waikato Racing Club's prestige jumps' day - featuring the Waikato Hurdles and Waikato Steeplechase. I am told it was the 90th running of the hurdle and 99th edition of the steeple so these races have stood the test of time.
There is always a great crowd on course to enjoy this spectacle and they were not disappointed. Te Akau was represented by Bak Da Master in the Waikato Hurdle and he went into the race with a top effort to win over the hurdles on the same course last start. He was sent out favourite with rider Michael Roustoby aboard and what a sight he provided. He loves cruising along out the front and getting on with the hurdles, he really enjoys jumping and you can tell. He looked as if he was about to pull off Te Akau's first Waikato Hurdle title but just bungled his last jump, leaving the way clear for The Cossack to win.
Interestingly, the winner is also a son of the same sire, and a year older at seven. He is raced by some very good friends of mine including Peter Grieve and his son Doug, and John Frizzell who hark from Hawkes' Bay. They were all on course with Peter's wife Barbara and John's wife Jan and even though we had to settle for second, it was just great to see how much joy they got from their win. Peter is one of the country's best farmers and I served on the board of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing with him for a number of years when we were both volunteers representing our regions. It's a friendship that has spanned decades, and we have spent many wonderful times during Hawkes Bay Racing carnivals with this team - so congratulations to them - and look out next year!
We then stayed at Te Rapa to watch Melody Belle's final race in the Group 1 Doomben Cup. From her wide draw, she was a brave fifth for Opie Bosson in the feature which brings the curtain down on her illustrious career. A career that sees her retire as New Zealand's most prolific Group 1 winner; a career that sees her remain the only winner of the Hawkes Bay Group 1 Triple Crown; a career that saw her win Group races as a two, three, four, five and six year old - culminating in over $4.2 million in prize money for her Fortuna team of owners (she is the main picture above).
I am so proud of this mare who we know as Valerie - from the time I selected and bought her for just $57,500 at Karaka through to her grand finale. I am especially proud of the way Jamie has handled and trained her, together with key players in her racing life including Nicole Shailer and all the team who strapped and rode her over those years.
Most importantly for us all - while we will miss her presence and personality terribly - she has retired happy, healthy and sound. She will go through the Magic Millions' Broodmare sale ring this Tuesday and we will follow her new life with great interest as she will always have a very special place etched in our hearts. If you go to the Magic Million's website, you can follow her sale live - she will be one of the first to go through the ring, being about the ninth in the catalogue for the day.
I head to the Gold Coast tomorrow to see Valerie sold and then attend the Yearling Sale - I have bought some terrific horses fr0m this sale including Group 1 winners Princess Coup and Costa Viva (also both NZB Filly of the Year winners) and Tell A Tale as well as multiple Group 1 performer Integrate.
Jamie and I have our eye on a couple of horses there so keep an eye on our website for any purchases we make - shares always sell faster than you could believe. We have a waiting list currently of people wanting to be involved with Te Akau but we haven't got one single share available right now - all sold and snapped up!
It was terrific to see our Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker celebrate another winning double at Kranji on Saturday night. This is quite a common occurrence for Mark and the team and just last month he had four runners salute the judge at one race meeting. Mark is now in front again on the Singapore Trainers' Premiership - although tied for the number of winners, he has had more second placings so that brings him out on top. He looks to be in for another good season with 38 wins and not even at half way point, with the season ending in July.
From 01/01/2021 To 23/05/2021