Te Akau Thursday Update
25 January, 2018
David writes:
This week I have been staying in Auckland and going out to the Karaka Sale ground each day.
I have now personally inspected almost every one of the 700 horses in Book One. Yesterday afternoon I started going back through my short list of 126 horses and by tonight I will have that down to about 60 horses. Jamie and I will inspect those horses again tomorrow and Saturday.
By the time we go to the Karaka Million meeting on Saturday at Ellerslie, we will have completed our inspections. Mark Walker, who arrives from Singapore, will cast his eye over them too. After that we sit down with our vet Dr Douglas Black and we discuss each individual horse and put our value on each one. Then we drive out to Karaka and get ready for the sale which starts on Sunday at 5.00pm.
Yesterday we were at Karaka for the live draw for the two $1 million races - 2YO favourite Avantage drew 5, Al Hasa (10), Sword of Osman (9), Pinot Grey (1) and The Real Beel (14). For the 3YO event, Embellish drew barrier 13.
Karyn has such a busy weekend organising all of the tickets for our owners for Karaka Million night - we are so proud to have five of the 14 starters for the Karaka Million 2YO event and Embellish, the favourite in the $1 million Karaka 3YO Classic. Karyn will be with us at the race meeting of course and then she hosts the Trackside programme Weigh In on Sunday morning in Auckland before she heads out to Karaka to co-host the four days of TV coverage.
I don't know who has the busiest job - Karyn or me - but the reason we do it is because we love it and we are both so passionate about our industry. Some people like going to the beach, we like going to the sales!
This year for the first time I am putting a filly syndicate together to buy the best three fillies in the sale. I always put a colt syndicate together but I have seen some truly outstanding fillies this year that I really want to bring home for our owners to enjoy and fort Steve and Jamie to train.
So if you would like to be part of my filly syndicate, it's already over 60% sold so give us a call 021 925 151 or email [email protected] to book your share!
Also some good news from the farm - more good rain is greening our horse paddocks up, so our new yearlings from Karaka have the most beautiful grass to come home to and relax after the rigours of the sale.
Back to Karaka Million night - I can't tell you how proud I am to have purchased the favourites for both of the $1 million 2YO and 3YO races. It really is such a thrill for Karyn and me and the whole team to see five runners in the Karaka Million - just so exciting for our owners.
Good luck to all of our owners and thank you for your confidence in the Te Akau!
The sale this year presents some unique opportunities - there is real quality at the top end and of course with some outstanding news to come from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Racing Hon.Winston Peters at the start of the sale on Sunday - there has never been a better time to be involved.
So please call me on 021 925 151 and get involved, have some fun in your life and be warmly welcomed, with world class communication and our personal attention! Come out to Karaka and sit with me and enjoy the action first hand - we will look forward to making you feel part of all the action!