Te Akau Travel Update

What an amazing day for Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker on Sunday at Kranji!  Not only did he train two winners but Te Akau apprentice Shafiq Rizuan, who we call Suppy, won five races on the Sunday card!

Suppy came to work for us in Matamata just out of school from Malaysia. He arrived in mid-winter with a pair of shorts, a singlet and some jandels and nothing else.  So Mark has done an amazing job to take him to this level.  He has already been the champion apprentice two seasons ago and he looks on target to again secure the title for this current season which concludes on 31 December.

Mark now leads the Trainers' Premiership by eight wins - it is tough to stay in front in such a competitive environment which just proves what a great trainer he is.

We have had a hugely busy time since I left Te Akau Stud this time last week. I flew straight from Auckland to Los Angeles, then one hour in the lounge and off to London and then it was "show time"!!

It was wonderful to see our daughter Lydia for the first time (for me) in 12 months and of course Julia-Rose was already in London with Hamish.

On the first day we went off to one of my favourite restaurants in London called Zuma and it was non stop after that for six days.

Royal Ascot was a huge success. We went on the Friday - there was wonderful racing and the atmosphere, tradition and fashion are just amazing.

We started by having lunch and a glass of bubbles in the car park then went into the Royal Enclosure to see the Queen arrive in the carriages down the long Ascot straight.  The British do it so well, it was an incredible display.  We stayed next to Covent Garden and each day walked down past the parliament buildings and Westminster Abbey. The tradition of this country is wonderful and very special.

There was actually a lot of business discussed at Ascot and I really enjoyed talking to the various bloodstock agents and the studs about the trends and the stallions that are doing well.

Yesterday we left London and flew to Portugal for five days then I fly to Ireland on Friday for the 150th Irish Derby weekend - all very exciting. Karyn stays in Portugal until Sunday and then we will have a final few days in London with Lydia - Julia-Rose and Hamish headed to Europe today with their first stop in Amsterdam.  They then go to France before heading back to the UK and with Lydia, they are Glastonbury festival bound!

On my way to Europe I read the autobiography of Julia Gillard who was the Prime Minister of Australia for three years and three days ... I love political books but was saddened by just how badly Australia has been run.  You can see just how lucky we are in New Zealand to have a stable, well run government with strong leadership … if only they would pay attention to racing!!

I am told that there will be a good frost at Te Akau tonight by the sound of things but a beautiful spell of weather is due.  All of our horses are thriving while at Matamata, Steve and Jamie are starting to get very excited about the coming season.

Just before I go - I was very proud to see a horse that I selected and purchased from Karaka for just $70,000 win his fifth Group 1 race last night.

War Affair is by O'Reilly and I loved him from the moment I set eyes on him - he was terrific buying from the Trelawney Stud draft and has been the Champion 2YO of Singapore, Champion 3YO, Champion Miler and Horse of the Year for last season.

This classy galloper is just one race away from the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge Triple Crown after he easily scooped up the second Leg, the $500,000 Group 1 Patron's Bowl (1600m).  The perfect clean sweep in the the new format of the famed series (1^st Leg: Stewards' Cup, 2^nd Leg: Patron's Bowl and 3^rd Leg: Singapore Derby) has yet to be etched in the record books as Jolie's Shinju took the Triple Crown in 2009 when the Singapore Derby Trial (1600m) was then inserted as the middle leg of the Challenge and the Patrons' Bowl was then slated as the first instalment and run over 1400m.

If a horse can do it, War Affair looks the one!

War Affair (Alan Munro) sweeps away the competition and triumphs in the Patron's Bowl on Sunday.

The race was over in the blink of an eye. With a few shakes of the reins, War Affair produced a devastating acceleration to easily carve up his opposition which, to give them credit, still stuck on valiantly in his wake. The Patron's Bowl success, his 14^th win in 19 starts, has now taken his prizemoney past the $2.5 million mark for his owners.

Have a great week!