Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

Well it was a really exciting day all round - three things happened today that put me in a great frame of mind.

The first thing was that it was 20 degrees today which ensures beautiful grass growth for the farm.  The next pieces of very good information came out of the Cambridge trials which I attended today.

The first person I bumped into at the trials came over to tell me what an exceptional foal they had by Burgundy. Then I had good catch up with Jamie Richards who had just been to Brighthill Farm where I have two Burgundy foals of my own, a filly and a colt.  He reported what sensational types they both are.

Then I caught up with Sir Patrick Hogan who told me the same thing - everyone is reporting quite exceptional foals from Burgundy.  I have already said on numerous occasions that I expect Burgundy to be a really good stallion.  He will certainly have every opportunity and it is great to see people who have put their hard earned money into service fees getting good results.

I also saw Garry Chittick of Waikato Stud at the trials who reaffirmed that Waikato Stud would be sending 35-40 of their own mares to Rock ‘n' Pop, so delighted are they with his first foals - wow isn't that a great start for this stallion!

The track at the Cambridge trials today was in pretty good shape and absolutely beautiful for educating and running two year olds.  The first 2YO heat was won by our Encosta filly out of Love Diamonds who I bought for Coolmore Stud for $400,000 at the Karaka Premier Sale.  She will be trained by Te Akau and will race here in the famous Coolmore colours.  This filly really looks something special in the making to me.  I loved the way she accelerated in the last 200 metres of her trial and she really showed me that she has potential at Group level in the years ahead.  She obviously has a beautiful action and Matt Cameron was very impressed with her turn of foot.

The next heat winner Te Akau had was Splurge - the Savabeel/Splashing Out colt that I purchased at the Karaka sale for $500,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud - their highest ever priced yearling.  He too was very impressive and what I love to see is a colt that goes to the trials for the first time, is nice and relaxed, does a beautiful preliminary and then shows natural speed leaving the barriers. He really accelerated nicely in the straight and this colt has a very exciting future as a racehorse I think.

Splurge is one of four colts that I put together in a Four Colt Syndicate from Karaka this year - two Fatsnet Rock colts, one out of Randaroo now called Beacon of Hope and the other out of Beyond the Sunset called Rocksun, Splurge and also the Pentire/ Axiom colt who has been named Xtravagant.  The latter will be ready to trial in about five weeks and the two Fastnet colts have been fully educated at Matamata track, have had a jump out and gone shin sore so are having a month in the spelling paddocks at Te Akau Stud.

The other 2YO heat winner who also impressed was the Exceed and Excel colt that I bought from the Sydney Easter Sales - he is now named Unsurpassed and he certainly wasn't surpassed today! This colt showed good pace from the barrier to lead after being slow out and quickened up nicely in the straight to win easily.

Matt Cameron educated them all well and was suitable impressed with our team.

I often get asked by people what makes David Ellis really excited - and I have just answered that question - seeing young horses I have purchased come out, well-educated by our track work riders and well handled by our ground staff and it is a terrific feeling watching the potential of the stable unfold.

Tomorrow our attention turns to racing at Te Rapa with three runners and then next week I am taking some friends down to stay with Peter Grieve at his Hastings farm - we will be going to the Taupo races on Friday where we will have some nice horses running and we will go to Hawkes Bay for the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate day on the Saturday at the Hastings track.