Te Akau Tuesday Update
11 March, 2025
David writes:
What an incredibly exciting weekend it was for everybody in New Zealand racing with the inaugural Champions' Day at Ellerslie!
A feast of black type on the programme, the likes of which has never been seen before in this country, and of course the running of the inaugural NZB Kiwi slot race worth $3.5 million - not only the richest 3YO race in the southern hemisphere but I am reliably told, the richest turf race for 3YOs in the world!
Karyn and I went to the races early and how brilliant it was to see hundreds and hundreds of people streaming through the gates, occupying every hospitality and public area - the vibe was something else, the whole racecourse felt electric.
We were delighted to win the first race on Champion's Day for the Chitty family's Haunui Farm with Francee. Not only did she win the major slice of the $120,000 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Bonus Series Final for hr owners, she also earned $70,000 in bonuses too! It was great to see Mark and Sara Chitty and Mark's parents Ron & Carolyn there.
Ron was a Board Member of the Auckland Racing Club about 30-40 years ago, and of course Mark is Deputy Chairman of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing - the Chitty family has been a wonderful contributor to our whole industry in so many ways! Not only is Mark Chitty the studmaster and Managing Director of Haunui Farm, he is also a qualified veterinarian!
The day just kept providing highlights after Francee's win - it was a fantastic thrill to win a total of four races on Saturday including Balance of Power storming home to win in good fashion at New Plymouth. He showed he is on track to really be competitive in some major races in the coming season, no question he's one that keeps getting better with age.
Then it was the turn of the two-year-olds at Elerslie with Te Akau having three juveniles in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes, a race the stable has won many times previously.
We intended to have four runners in the 2YO feature but sadly our Karaka Millions' and Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes winner La Dorada spiked a high temperature and we had no option but to withdraw her on race day morning. She's bouncing back though and we are looking towards the Group 1 Manawatu Sires' Produce for her at the end of this month.
That meant Snitzel colts Return To Conquer and He Who Dares, together with filly Marokopa Falls, were our stable representatives in the race. Return to Conquer made it four wins from four starts in a gutsy display for visiting champion jockey Blake Shinn.
What a great training effort from the team to prepare this colt to contest four races this season, all stakes' races, and win them all. The Group 1 victory really was the icing on the cake for this colt's owners, and he is now a valuable stallion prospect. To see him win as he did throughout the season showcased his maturity for such a young horse, his professionalism and his tenacity.
I think next season Return To Conquer will improve to another level, so I am looking forward to that. On that note, we have taken the decision to spell him now, and not travel to the Golden Slipper or the Manatwatu Sires' with him - he has accomplished a huge amount this season and we always, always look after the future prospects and well-being of our young horses.
Return To Conquer also saw Te Akau achieve a very special milestone - our 100th Group 1 race victory. So many people have contributed to this and it's incredibly humbling to look back at the history of Te Akau from when I started the operation all those decades ago, from and to where we are today. What a journey and there is so much pride, and so much appreciation and gratefulness to the many people who have been an integral part of the stable's development, achievement and success along the way.
Shanti Brown, Karyn's and my assistant, is responsible for collating the information every time we win another black type race. When we won the Group 1 Sistema on Saturday, she reminded me it was our 100th Group 1 win by horses that we have either bred or trained.
I must admit I found it really quite emotional and I found myself having to wipe tears out of my eyes for quite a few minutes, something I don't normally do! It was just thinking back and remembering just how hard it was over the years to get to where we are today - and what a thrill it was to win our 100th Group 1 race.
It's a milestone that as I said, that is the result of so many people's passion and dedication, and it brought back so many memories. Recollections like winning my first race in Ellerslie in 1979 with a 5YO mare called Magnum. I thought about my first Group 1 ever which was also at Ellerslie, when Cosmetique (pictured below) beat Waverley Star by a nose in the Easter Handicap.
The Easter was a day I will never forget, making my first speech at Ellerslie and the Chairman of the Club was the late Arthur Hughes and my jockey was Craig Grylls' father Gary who did most of my riding in the 1980's.
Back to the important Champions' Day, as there are too many memories to reflect on here!
I thought Qali Al Farrasha went a super race for third in the Group 1 Bonecrusher Stakes while Campionessa was a little bit unlucky finishing fifth in the Group 1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes. She still showed plenty of ticker, only one length off the winner, despite now being a 7YO and arguably in the twilight of her racing career. Our Group 1 NZ Derby contender Hakkinen just needs a little bit more time but will grow and develop into a really good horse – I am absolutely certain of that.
It was then time for the running of the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi colt race.
Last year Te Akau was determined to secure its own slot so that our owners would have the opportunity of definitely being involved in one of the most innovative and certainly the richest, races this country has ever seen.
Award winning broadcaster, indeed one of New Zealand’s brightest broadcasting talents, Andrew Gourdie, was appointed as Head of Communications and Content for the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race and what a stellar job he has done. He deserves all kudos for the leadership role he has fulfilled in promoting this incredible event not just in New Zealand, but globally.
To see Damask Rose, our Karaka 3YO Million's winner, basically miss the start and settle last saw us with our hearts in our throats, as she was literally giving the field some 12 lengths at the 600m. Then to see her drive through on the fence in a stunning Blake Shinn master-class was nothing short of sensational - as you can imagine her owners and team all really lost the plot with joy!
Prepared to the minute by Mark and Sam and our team, not having raced since the Karaka Millions in January just underlines what a talented training team we have. However also all credit to Blake Shinn who is as professional jockey as you will ever meet. Gee that was a 10/10 ride!
Damask Rose not only won the major prize of $1.2 million, she also takes home both bonuses associated with the race, approximately an additional $700,000. Next year the prize money rises from $3.5 million to $4 million, and in 2027 int will hit $4.5 million. Te Akau purchased its slot for three years, so our owners are guaranteed one of our horses at the very least will be involved!
For a Te Akau horse, one that I purchased from Karaka for $200,000, to win the inaugural NZB Kiwi was indeed one of the biggest thrills you could ever have in racing - for her owners, for her trainers, our whole team and of course for Mark Chittick and the Waikato Stud team where her sire Savabeel stands, and to Milan Park's Tony Rider who bred her.
And guess what - YES - like Imperatriz and Avantage and Cool Aza Beel - she was among the very last to sell in her year. I smiled when her breeder Tony Rider told the press that he missed his chance when we approached him trying to sell her final 25% to him!! I remember that day well, she had already turned two and I thought she was shaping as a special filly.
The man who really nailed the race was race caller George Simon - who on Tuesday night said Damask Rose was his bet of the week and at that stage she was paying 9 to 1 – George you are a great judge and a first class commentator.
Karyn and I were very humbled by how many text messages and emails that we received after the NZB Kiwi victory. We have tried to reply to everyone but if some replies are delayed we deeply apologise, as we greatly appreciated all the incredible support from so many people.
Well done to everybody who was involved in the fantastic execution of the first Champions' Day! From its inception driven by Cameron George, Lachlan Fitt and Cam Rodger, with special appreciation to Auckland Thoroughbred Racing and its Chairman Doug Alderslade, his Board and CEO Paul Wilcox. Also to the Entain/TAB team, New Zealand Bloodstock, NZTR (especially Emma Thompson) - everybody did a great job! Acknowledgement too of the other slot holders - it was a big financial commitment to make to purchase a slot, so to you all, thank you for your passion for our industry as well.
I also wanted to mention some very special people Karyn and I, along with Julia-Rose and Hamish, had the pleasure of hosting on Saturday - we had offered a race day and stable visit experience recently to be auctioned for a melanoma fundraiser. The prize was purchased by the wonderful Gattsche family who had tragically lost their beloved son and brother Sam to this lethal illness. We really enjoyed spending time with the family, and hope their experience as owners in Qali Al Farrasha for the day was one they will remember, especially given the sadness they have had.
This week Karyn and I are still flat-out selling shares in horses and we are really looking forward to selling the last few but interestingly enough, even though they have sold at record speeds, we still have shares left in very, very nice horses. So if you want to get involved feel free to ring me on 021 925 151 or email Karyn at [email protected].
Tomorrow, we have an interesting runner in the two year old called Hostility. A colt by I Am Invincible out of the Group 1 winning mare Shillelagh, I purchased him at the Ready To Run Sale from breeder Christopher Grace QSM. It's his first start and I am not expecting him to win, however I think he is a very smart horse in the making. Everyone who rides him has been very impressed and we hope that with his pedigree, one day he will stand at stud.
Best of luck to all our owners and congratulations again to all our owners who won races in the last week. Mark and Sam are absolutely on fire and will train that 100th season winner in the next ten days for certain. As you can see, Te Akau is well ahead for wins, black type wins and prize money won for owners - I am also very proud of our strike rate. Well done to our whole team - north, south and farm!
I was driving around the farm today and it is the driest today as it has been for at least ten years. Most of the Waikato is in a serious drought but apparently there are some pockets over by Morrinsville that have had quite a bit of rain and are in good shape.
The pleasing thing is that the sheep and cattle are still doing really well, and I couldn’t be happier with them. All the wether lambs that we sell have been sold for what I consider to be very good prices and 90% of the beef that we market has all been sold at record prices.
At the Ellerslie races on Saturday I was quite surprised the number of people that came up to me and said that they really enjoy reading my updates and one question that someone asked me was ‘what is a unit of steers?’ A unit of steers is a truck and trailer load of steers which normally have 40 per unit. A unit of lambs is a truck and trailer of lambs that normally have about 550 lambs on board. Very good question!
Have a great week and ... GO THE TANGERINE!