Te Akau Thursday Update
8 February, 2018
David writes:
Wow - did you see Mongolianconqueror's run in the Group 2 Waikato Guineas on Tuesday?
Another stride and he was home! It will be a major surprise to me if he doesn't run in the money in the Group 1 NZ Derby at Ellerslie in three weeks' time. He can have one more run before this in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas which is also at Ellerslie. These two races, the Derby and the Avondale Guineas, were both won in sensational fashion by our Gingernuts (more on him shortly).
The track at Te Rapa on Tuesday was outstanding and, on the subject of the Waikato Racing Club, congratulations to the team for the brilliant job they have done with their new stand renovations - it all looks amazing. I am really looking forward to Te Rapa's biggest day of the year on Saturday - two Group 1's and a Group 2 - Ladies' Day should be huge for the Club.
Apart from running the farm, my sole focus at this time of the year is selling the shares in our yearlings. It is incredible how many people have come to the farm (six groups today alone) already to buy shares in our horses - and they are selling like hot cakes. While the shares are selling very quickly, always remember the record of the 'last to sell have been among the best on the track' - there is no rhyme nor reason why some yearlings sell faster than others.
The 'last to sell' brigade includes horses such as Te Akau Nick who was runner up in the Melbourne Cup; triple Group 1 winner Gingernuts; Spellbinder who won the Karaka 3YO Mile and was a Group winner; and Group 1 performer, Integrate and many others - that's just to name a few.
I have a filly today that we have started selling shares in and she is as good a type as I have ever bought.
If this girl isn't a Group 1 Oaks' filly, I have never seen one! This filly has class stamped all over her and has a fantastic pedigree - she covers more ground in one stride than any filly I have seen for many years. Yes the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas and NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series (which we have won five times) is certainly our plan for this beautiful filly.
Her second dam is the Zabeel mare Bagalollies who was the New Zealand Broodmare of the Year - and so the filly is out of a half sister to WERTHER, the New Zealand and now Hong Kong star who was rated as the 5th best horse in the world last year! You can't get much better related than that!
This is a breathtakingly gorgeous filly so be quick as I think she will sell quickly - Karyn has already booked her share! I can just picture Opie Bosson riding her to victory in the 1000 Guineas!