Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

It has been a busy, but hugely successful, two weeks since the Ready to Run Sale.  The Te Akau team of Mark Walker, Jamie Richards and I purchased 10 horses and we now only have one share remaining in two horses and these are two of the nicest individuals you will ever see!  They will be "the last to sell" just like Gingernuts was!

LOT 25 is a Delago Deluxe gelding who went straight in to our Matamata stable - he is working in great style and will be ready to race most likely in January!  All of my team really love this horse and the reports are most encouraging!  I can see this lad running in the Group 1 Diamond Stakes in March at Ellerslie.

Some people might not know a lot about his sire Delago Deluxe - a son of superstar sire Encosta De Lago, Delago Deluxe was the Champion South African Sprinter who was the unbeaten Champion 2YO who returned as a 3YO to win the time-honoured Group 1 Golden Horseshoe.  He was the Leading First Season Sire by average at last season's Inglis Classic Sale.  He is out of a Flying Spur mare called Succeed, she a half sister to the Group 1 stars Duporth, Excites and Tickets - he boasts a superb pedigree.

His wins included:

Then we have LOT 154 a striking So You Think filly who came home post-sale for a spell.  She was so popular at the sale and had been paraded and paraded on the sale grounds so we thought the break would really be good for her.  This beautiful filly will have one more week spelling at Te Akau Stud and then she will head in to the stable.  I do see her as a real Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas' filly who has the scope to train on to contest a Group 1 Oaks.

As I said, it is always so amazing how some horses sell so quickly and some take a couple of weeks - all I can tell you is that the last horses to sell include horses such as Gingernuts, Avantage, Te Akau Nick, Integrate etc - all really top horses.

This week we have sold a top filly from last season in Gold Fever - Group 1 placed, she won the Group 2 Matamata Breeders' Stakes and was a finalist for the Champion 2YO of the Year award, won by stablemate Melody Belle.  Sadly she didn't look like she was coming up - Waikato Stud has bought this filly for a sum that has given her owners a fantastic return on their investment.

Today we are making haylage at Te Akau Stud - we cut about 85 acres yesterday and it is being baled today.  Great weather for that - even though I really want some rain for the farm.

I mentioned Gingernuts previously and unfortunately the latest news on our much-loved Jerry is that he has had a set-back.    He had a number of perfusions over the weekend however the specialists were still concerned and yesterday they sent him back to the University Clinic (Hospital) at Werribee.  He had been discharged a week ago to a rehabilitation spelling farm.

Despite looking well and outwardly appearing in great shape, the veterinary team overseeing his recovery have become concerned over a possible infection developing as a result of the surgery. There is a genuine hope that he's responding well to the latest round of treatment.   Everyone in Australia raves about him - they just love him, he is such a wonderful patient that they can do anything with and for. He has a massive fan club and he deserves that, he is a true gentleman and such a kind horse in every way.

He will remain at the University Clinic until at least the end of the week - let's keep sending him all our positive thoughts as he is not out of the woods yet - the best thing is that he is in the hands of world-class professionals who really care about him and his future.

It's a big, birthday week for the Ellis family - tomorrow Karyn and I are going to Auckland to take Julia-Rose out for her birthday with her fiance Hamish and a couple of friends.  Next birthday she will be a Mum!!

(PS - Editor adds - it is also David's birthday on Saturday)

Have a great week!