David writes:

Another great weekend of racing for Te Akau owners with our trainer Mark Walker winning his second Group 1 race in a fortnight.  This time at Te Rapa where he claimed two races on the programme.

Gee I thought Imperatriz was impressive on Saturday when winning the final New Zealand Group 1 race for the season - the Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes - by five lengths. This was her second Group 1 title in a row, having also won the Group 1 Levin Classic at Trentham in such style on Group 1 NZ Oaks' Day - that race won by Te Akau bred and trained Belle En Rouge.

It's a major advantage having our stable rider Opie Bosson aboard - he just rode Imperatriz perfectly and took any bad luck out of the equation by getting off the fence at the 600m point.

Opie also rode a pearler on Cote De Beaune who won earlier on the Te Rapa programme, becoming our 122nd winner for the season in New Zealand.  A classy son of Burgundy, he was raised at Te Akau Stud before winning trials and being syndicated amongst our owners.  Her has now won three of his four starts and been runner up on the other occasion and will return to Te Rapa in two weeks' time for the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes.

Opie's win on Imperatriz was also special as this was the only Group 1 race in New Zealand that has eluded him - he has won every other Group 1, many on multiple occasions, but this was the one 'to complete the full house'.

This was also Opie's 87th Group 1 victory (including 10 in Australia) - so look out, the century isn't too far off - I know you will join me in congratulating our simply outstanding stable rider!

Interestingly, I was told on Saturday that in the last 20 years, a Group 1 race in New Zealand has only been won by five or more lengths on four occasions.  Three of those four horses were bought by me and trained by our stable too:

(1) Xtravagant won the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas by 8.5 lengths 

(2) Xtravagant won the Group 1 Waikato Sprint by 8 lengths 

(4) Imperatriz won the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders'  Stakes by 5 lengths

A great racing historian also told us that in the past 35 years only two three year old fillies have won the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes - Imperatriz and also Special Mission who I bred with a dear friend, the late Dr Yau.

Imperatriz's win on Saturday was the 23rd Group 1 winner in the last 18 months that we have bought or bred, and offered shares to our owners in.  Now that is something that we are all very proud of.

These results can only be achieved through all the hard work and passion and commitment of our staff - we know the old saying is 'it takes a team' but it sure does! All our team does an amazing job (main picture features Hunter Durrant)!

Congratulations too, to our owners - so far this year horses that we train have won $8.5 million in prize money in Australasia for their owners ...  and we have also won 35 Group/Listed races for our owners too.  Now that is something that we are really excited about.

Going back to Saturday, the track at Te Rapa was in terrific shape.  It was the first meeting held since the annual track renovations and all kudos to CEO Andrew Castles and track manager Bart Cowan and his team.

It was also great to see NZTR Chairman Cameron George at Te Rapa for the day - I love seeing racing industry leaders and administrators come to the races and get out and about, talking to people.  This is how they can see first hand just how hard Clubs work in putting these race days on - boards and committee after all are made up solely of volunteers who contribute many hours to the well-being of their Clubs, and not just on race days.

Cameron George is a highly capable Chairman and we are very lucky to have him at the helm of NZTR and I look forward to seeing the future develop under this current board and new CEO Bruce Sharrock.

As I have said before, this is a great time of the year and I simply love watching the young horses being ridden around the farm.  It's a terrific place to raise and spell young, and older, horses.

Gosh we have a really beautiful group of yearlings we have bought this year.  Just remember - Imperatriz was the last yearling to sell in her year, as was 9x Group 1 winner Avantage, as was Group 1, 2 and 3 winner Sword of Osman.

We still have a handful of shares available so if you would like to talk to me about the options, please feel free to call me for an absolutely obligation-free chat on 021 925151.  You will be made to feel very welcome.

One colt who I am gobsmacked we still have a share available in is our Savabeel colt out of Leytana, Lot 375.  He reminds me so much of Cool Aza Beel, in fact he was also one of the last to sell in his year and he won the Karaka 2YO Million, then a Group 1 and then was sold to stand at stud in NSW.

He was terrific value this colt when you consider Savabeel's service fee ... and he is all class, breaking in superbly!  Contact Karyn for more details - [email protected]

Now there is only really one thing I am looking for - rain!  The Waikato region is so dry at the moment and, apart from my horse paddocks which always have good grass, we certainly don't have any surplus of grass.  So please someone as the rain to come and make the Te Akau farmer a happy man!

All the very best to our owners with runners at Matamata tomorrow ...

GO THE TANGERINE!