Te Akau Sunday Update

David writes: 

Gosh what a busy time we have had in the last week looking at Karaka-bound yearlings, and selling shares in our Gold Coast yearlings that we bought at the Magic Millions' Sale.

Tomorrow we head to Auckland for almost two weeks for New Zealand Bloodstock's Sale at Karaka - we will have all the details for you in coming days but the Book 1 sale starts at 10.00am on Sunday 28 January - with the spectacular Karaka Millions' twilight race meeting the night before, back at Ellerslie!

I have seen some stunning yearlings that will go through the ring at Karaka so if you would like to come out to Karaka and be with the Te Akau team - you will be made to feel very welcome.

I was really proud to see Fierce Flight finish as runner up in Saturday's Group 3 Wellington Cup, a race we won last year with Leaderboard.  Under the top weight, this horse I bought from the Ready to Run Sale for $45,000 showed so much heart and courage and grit - while he didn't win, I could not be more delighted with the fight he showed.

I couldn't quite work out how he finished up with 58kgs - that's a lot of weight to carry over 3200m.  The conditions of the Auckland Cup however will work more in his favour as the race goes from a handicap race to a set weights and penalties event so you'd imagine he would get in with something like 54kgs.

Our New Zealand trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, assistant trainer Nicole Shailer, racing manager Reece Trumper, South Island foreman Hunter Durrant, and our whole team really are doing a simply marvellous job!  We have 97 New Zealand wins for the season, so that magic century is not far off!

The weekend was a winning one for Te Akau in both Australia and Singapore: how good was it to see another winner in the tangerine at Flemington!  

Sans Doute, a mare I purchased from the Inglis Sale, made it back to back wins at Flemington when ridden by talented apprentice Celine Gaudray.  Trained from our Cranbourne stable, it was a real highlight for one of her owners Hayley Govorko, who had travelled especially from New Zealand to Melbourne to cheer the daughter of Not A Single Doubt on.

Hayley's mother Carol just loved racing, and her horses.  She had recently become a Te Akau owner and the last share she purchased was in Sans Doute - very tragically she passed away suddenly and unexpectedly before she had the opportunity to see any of her horses race.  Her beloved husband Tony and family continue to race Carol's horses in her memory - so the win was very special and emotional.

This win puts our Australian stable in 6th place on the Melbourne trainers' premiership for prize money won this season.  Well done to Mark, our Te Akau Australia assistant trainer Ben Gleeson and our whole Cranbourne team.

When you combine our New Zealand prize money this season (1.8.23-31.7.24), with the Australian prizemoney we have won this season, and our Singapore stable too (2023 season) - we have won over $11 million for our owners - $9 million in Australia and New Zealand alone.  We have also won 18 black type races, of which six are at Group 1 level.

It comes down to three key ingredients: having the right horses to train, having the best and most supportive and loyal owners, and of course having the most talented and dedicated team of people.

I would like to congratulate all of our team across all of our stables, and the farm.  It's incredible what work class people we have and how hard they work.  To have won over 100 races in New Zealand and Australia this season already is simply incredible.

Our other weekend win came in Singapore with the grand old campaigner Axel yet again saluting the judge. I purchased this son of Darci Brahma for just $55,000 from the Ready to Run Sale and what a ripper he has been for his four owners, which include Gavin and Shane Wealleans.

This 8YO has raced 77 times and never had a day off due to injury - he has won 10 times, and been runner up 12 times, with nine third placings.  He has earned approx. NZ$633,380 in stakes and with almost 70 starter incentives, you can add another approx. $60,000 to that tally.  We call him the grand campaigner because he truly is!

It's a tough time for Te Akau Singapore's trainer Donna Logan and the team, with the knowledge that this season will be the last, with racing set to cease in October this year due to a government directive to reclaim the land Kranji racecourse sits on.

Because I won't be at Te Akau Stud for the next couple of weeks, I spent the day today going around the farm inspecting each horse and making a list of what needs to be done while I am away.  We are very lucky that we have an excellent team at Te Akau Stud led by Luke Copeland and Will Evans (sheep and cattle) and Deane Lowcay (equine), with an incredible crew including Faith and Amy!

A shout out too for the team who make all the numbers and paperwork happen - the incredible work done by our Business Manager Jenny Jackson JP, Stable Manager Lena Jones, Admin Assistant Anita Kirkland, and of course our EA Shanti Brown (who helps keep Karyn and me on track!!).

We have just begun to break in our home-breds that we have here on the farm and this year we have some real stand-outs.  When you think about the ones we have syndicated with our owners, Group 1 winner and Champion 2YO Maven Belle and Group 1 winner and NZB Filly of the Year Belle En Rouge among them, we hope we can emulate that success with our home brigade of 2022!

This week we are sending two units of steers to Greenlea - Alan Radford has done all my sheep and cattle buying and selling since 1979 so it's been a very happy relationship.  Greenlea does so much for the community and is one of the best companies I have ever dealt with.

All of our sheep go to Wilson Hellaby which is also a top operation.  I have been sending all my sheep there also since 1979 - from 1975 to 1979 I actually worked at its freezing works in Auckland to save money for the deposit on my first farm.

The farm is still in great shape despite the hot and humid weather. There is still plenty of grass and the quality for January is outstanding, with plenty of clover everywhere. Last week we dipped the mixed-aged ewes and tomorrow it is the turn of the ewe hoggets - this is to avoid them getting fly-strike.

The team at Te Akau Stud is also very busy preparing all the equine paddocks for our Magic Millions' and Karaka yearlings who head here after the respective sales.  It is always such an exciting time of the year!

Finally, but very importantly - there is a major announcement being made tomorrow at Ellerslie - as I have mentioned previously, expect more good news.  Since Entain partnered with the TAB we have seen so many innovative and positive developments happening in our industry.  It is a GREAT time to nee involved and race a horse.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Entain New Zealand and Australia and TAB New Zealand are gathering with industry leaders, including the Minister for Racing, Deputy Prime Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters to make a significant announcement on what they say will be  'a momentous day for New Zealand's racing industry'!

We can't wait for all the finer details!!  You will be able to hear this news hot off the press at 10.30am on Trackside - so be sure to tune in.

Best of luck to all our owners with runners this week - only six more sleeps until the Karaka Millions' raceday is upon us! How good will it be to return to Ellerslie!

GO THE TANGERINE!!