Te Akau Thursday Update

David writes:

Gee I don't think we have experienced many more exciting Boxing Days than we had at Pukekohe on Tuesday.

Winning hall the Auckland Thoroughbred Racing card, including the Group 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic - on one of its biggest race days of the year - as well as a stakes' race at Wingatui - make this one of the stand-out days ever for Te Akau Racing owners and our team.

Days like this only happen because of the incredible effort of our team at Matamata, Riccarton and Te Akau Stud - thank you and huge kudos everyone, you made this happen!

However we only train the horses we have in the stable, because of the amazing support of our owners who invest in us, and also entrust us with the training of their horses.  The success is not possible without having the very best owners, and the huge support we receive.

This time of the year, we also turn all our attention to the upcoming yearling sales - we are deep into our Magic Millions and Karaka catalogues, and we head firstly to the Gold Coast in early January.  We have already been in the Hunter Valley and inspected the yearlings bound for the Gold Coast sale, and I can promise you, we will be buying some beauties!

It's also fun to reflect on where we bought our winners from (if they are horses we have purchased). I love to go back through the respective catalogues and see what our notes said on the various horses - and whether they have developed and performed as we expected them to.

The January Magic Millions' sale has been a successful sale for Te Akau - I have bought proven horses such Group 1 winners Sword of State (who now stands at Cambridge Stud) and Imperatriz, who has won more group 1 races in the world than any other horse in 2023 - in total she has now won eight elite titles - six of those this year.

I have also purchased some very exciting current 2YO's from this sale - in 2023 we put together a two colt syndicate and a two filly syndicate from the Gold Coast.  The colts are Move to Strike who won very impressively on debut and Unbridled Joy who also impressed finishing second at his first start.

The two fillies are Captured by Love - she won on debut and then claimed a Group 2 victory at her second start, so is unbeaten.  The Victress will race soon and she too is certainly one to watch.

I also purchased Dream of the Moon at this sale - she too is already a winner - in fact the race she won at Riccarton was, until this year, a stakes' race that we had won previously on a number of occasions.

So yes, we will be back buying, and a mixture of yearlings - some to be trained in Australia and some New Zealand, depending on the individual.

On Boxing Day and then again on Wednesday we won both the 2YO races in New Zealand - at Pukekohe Cool 'N' Fast showed plenty of courage and a striking turn of foot, to come from last at the turn to win the $80,000 event - ricocheting him to a high position on the Order of Entry for the Karaka Million next month.  

Cool 'N' Fast is a full brother to our previous Karaka 2YO Million, Group 1 and Champion 2YO of the Year winner Cool Aza Beel, who now stands at Newhaven Park Stud.  I purchased the colt from hallmark Stud for $350,000.

Wednesday we were off to Taranaki and Damask Rose, a Savabeel filly I purchased from Karaka for $200,000, and home-bred Quintefeuille, an Xtravagant gelding went head to head.  The filly prevailed in a very good battle and she too now has the chance to be a Karaka Million contender.

Other winners this week that I purchased included Wild Night (Karaka for $50,000) and Group 1 winner Campionessa (Magic Million's June Sale for A$60,000).

Today I am spending the whole day going through the Magic Millions' catalogue again with Marcus Corban and we will then be able to give our veterinary team a short list to start the vetting and x-ray inspections.

Karyn and I had a lovely Christmas with family - it's special to spend time with children and grandchildren, they do so enjoy the traditions don't they! While the weather at Christmas wasn't good for beach goers or BBQ's, it was amazing for the farmer at Te Akau!  

We had 42mls which is just what we wanted. The lambs are really thriving at present and the cattle are still putting on 1.5kgs a day.

All the very best to our owners and supporters for a great New Year celebration - we hope that 2024 is a wonderful year for you, with an abundance of all things good, and success on the track! We will be doing our very best to make that happen!

GO THE TANGERINE