Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

Another fantastic weekend for the tangerine!!

Another Group 1 winning Te Akau colt flying home in the tangerine!

Another Group 1 for Steve and Jamie and yet another Group 1 for Opie Bosson (his fourth in the Levin Classic).

Back to back victories in the Group 1 Levin Classic with Age of Fire joining our last year's winner Hall of Fame - both colts purchased by me.

Gee didn't Age of Fire show some heart on Saturday?  To give really top fillies two kilos is a big effort and I loved the way he drove to the line - it was another 10 out of 10 ride for certain by Opie and I am STOKED that Age of Fire has come through his trip away so well - he just loves eating and sleeping.  It will be exciting getting him up over ground in three weeks' time.

Then of course on Sunday we saw classy Fastnet Rock filly Avantage win so impressively at Ellerslie en route to the Karaka Million, for which she is now favourite.  Te Akau is looking at having five in the field of 14 for the Karaka Million for 2YOs and we also have the favourite for the million dollar 3YO Classic in Embellish.

We also were delighted with another winning weekend for 2015 and 2017 Champion Singapore trainer Mark Walker with Elite Invincible making it two wins from three starts at Kranji.

This morning at 4.30am I switched my office light on and had a look at all of the photos of major wins that we have up on our office walls - it is just amazing how many big races Opie has won for us over his long association with Te Akau.  He first came to work for me as a 14 year old.

Opie is indeed a champion rider and also a champion bloke.  One of Opie's stand-out qualities is that he has an amazing ability to assess a young horse - he is so accurate and when he tells you that a horse has worked well, you know he is 100% spot on.

This morning Opie was at the Matamata track at 4.30am where he gave Trentham-bound Heroic Valour and Splurge the thumbs up.  Michael McNab rode Chambord who is also off to Trentham and he too was very happy with his work.

I really hope that the weather office is correct with the forecast rain in the Waikato later this week.  Today I am putting fertiliser on and some rain to wash it in would be perfect.

Tomorrow I am back on the yearling rounds with the inspections in Matamata and Cambridge - we are covering the Bradbury, Kilgravin, Wentwood Grange and The Oaks' drafts.

As I keep saying, I have seen some beautiful yearlings this year.  The quality is probably the best I have seen for at least 10 years and I am going to buy some future champions, be assured of that!!

So why bid against me - join Karyn and me at the sales and you will be made to feel really welcome and an important part of everything.  We love welcoming new clients and seeing our loyal existing friends too.  Our owners are our friends!

Have a great week - and GO THE TANGERINE!