Te Akau Thursday Update

David writes:

Karyn and I had a great day at the Matamata races yesterday.  Bill Ewen and his team did a top job staging a farewell party for Jim Marks, a local vet and partner in the Marks Ewen practice.  There were a lot of familiar faces there, people that I first met when I first got involved in racing and it was great fun catching up with them again.

The best we could do on the track was a second placing but Bronte Lass went a huge race, only being beaten a nose!

Our yearlings are still selling really well and yesterday I sold two Fastnet Rock colts both of whom are breaking in really well.

We only have shares in a very small number of horses now BUT actually they are some of the best - I say this every year but it is true - last to sell is often the best!  There may not seem to be logic to that, but the facts speak for themselves.

A few years ago, I went to the Gold Coast sale and bought a yearling filly for $11,000.  Nobody wanted to be involved in her (probably thought she was "too cheap") and I finished up keeping a third of her.

Anyway she won her first three races and we soon knew we had a top filly.  She actually ended up winning 13 races in her career.  She won Group races on both sides of the Tasman and was EIGHT times runner up in Group 1 races.  She won over $700,000 in prizemoney before we sold her to Japan for very good money.

Her name was Integrate and what a star she turned out to be.

So now take a look at this filly bought by me for $45,000 plus GST - she is a beauty!  This is the last time that this filly will be mentioned for sale as Karyn has already taken a share in her and is dead keen to take the balance!

A 10% share is just $4500 plus GST so if you are keen to be involved with Karyn in a super filly with a really good pedigree - call us today on 07 825 4701 or email Karyn - [email protected].

Next week Karyn and I are going to Sydney for the week for the sales and to the races.  Our yearlings have sold so quickly this year that we may even be doing some buying!

Also we will be attending the South Island Sale in two weeks looking to buy more horses for Singapore.  With the huge increase in prizemoney (see yesterday's story under our News section) already announced for Singapore as well as stake increases in New Zealand next season, we need to buy more horses.

If we can buy a nice athletic colt in the South island for say $20,000 - $40,000 he will have his first start in Singapore for $75,000 - and of course no GST is paid on the purchase because he will be exported.

I am really looking forward to having Mark Walker home to stay on the farm in May.  He is home for a week then we are off to the Gold Coast sale to buy more horses.

Isn't ours an exciting industry to be part of?  we are so lucky to be able to do for a business what our hobby and real passion is.

Talking about the South Island - everybody knows how I love racing there, it is great fun but can someone please explain to me how Southland can have about half the turnover of Ellerslie last Saturday but yet have much better prizemoney - it is hard to work out.

(Please check our news section for all the latest stories as we have more new postings from yesterday and today).