Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

What a great day the Matamata Racing Club put on Saturday and what a thrill it was to quinella the Group 3 Waikato Stud Slipper with Yourdeel and Aotea Lad.

The day got even better at Otaki when Te Akau Racing won two
from two races.

We had our first starter for the China Horse Club when Sasso
Corbaro bolted in home with Opie Bosson aboard. Opie and trainer, Jamie
Richards, made it two from two when Melody Belle won her fourth Group One for
the season - a great day to remember and a wonderful result for the team at
both Te Akau Stud and in the racing stables, as they all work so hard looking
after our horses.

Jamie has only been training solo for just over six months, and has already won 73 races (including 14 Group/Listed races this season) totalling $2.909 million in stakes with the unbelievable strike rate of 4.7. Jamie, who is only 29 years old, has now won 55 Black Type races, with 52 in New Zealand and three in Australia.

Premierships are based on performances during each racing season (August 1st - July 31st). The jockey and trainer with the most wins at the end of the season are the Premiership winners.

		Wins	2nds	3rds	Stakes	Starts	G & L	SR
1	Jamie Richards	73	58	40	$2,909,122	343	14	4.7
2	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	71	59	51	$2,506,142	436	16	6.14
3	Stephen Marsh	60	68	48	$1,398,685	452	4	7.53
4	Michael & Matthew Pitman	40	39	39	$1,059,171	355	3	8.88
5	Team Rogerson	36	48	50	$931,194	483	2	13.42
6	Tony Pike	33	51	22	$1,036,957	288	7	8.73
7	Lisa Latta	33	35	29	$1,031,569	317	3	9.61
8	Chris Gibbs & Michelle Bradley	28	16	24	$682,747	219	2	7.82
9	Kevin Myers	26	29	36	$494,058	300	0	11.54
10	John & Karen Parsons	26	22	24	$513,032	221	1	8.5
11	Roger James & Robert Wellwood	26	16	17	$525,810	136	2	5.23
12	Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott	25	12	26	$452,305	223	0	8.92
13	Fraser Auret	24	16	11	$325,495	141	0	5.88
14	Graham Richardson & Gavin Parker	21	18	24	$605,875	180	2	8.57
15	Allan Sharrock	20	21	18	$355,455	141	0	7.05
16	John Bary	17	15	10	$344,935	104	1	6.12
17	Brian & Shane Anderton	15	18	15	$396,918	148	3	9.87
18	Shaune Ritchie	15	18	15	$380,515	138	1	9.2
19	Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard	15	17	13	$597,150	167	3	11.13
20	Guy Lowry & Grant Cullen	15	14	19	$266,277	122	1	8.13

This Saturday is the Derby Day at Ellerslie Race Course, and Te Akau has two good chances - Prise de Fer who will be ridden by Opie Bosson, and In a Twinkling who will be ridden by international jockey Glen Boss. There isn't much Glen hasn't done as a jockey. He has won three Melbourne Cups, three Cox Plates, Golden Slippers - the lot!

Our legendary Gingernuts will also be back out on the racetrack, but this time he will be leading the field out for the Derby (much to his disappointment) with our apprentice Chelsea Burden aboard. Speaking of Chelsea wasn't it great to see her win two races aboard Griffin, who is the full brother to Gingernuts? Chelsea is a bright young woman with an exciting future ahead of her.

I really do enjoy this time of the year. Taking visitors and owners around the farm and showcasing the yearlings is such fun. Every horse from the sales is thriving here at the farm.

I have absolutely no doubt we have bought the best lot of
young horses ever seen at Te Akau Stud. And I can't believe how quickly they
have sold.

In total, we have purchased 43 yearlings at the recent Karaka Yearling Sales, and I believe around 35 have sold already, with only a few shares left in the others. Keep in mind, Avantage was the last to sell in her year, and the third last to sell was Sword of Osman.  Both group 1 winners - with Avantage also Karaka Million winner and Champion 2YO last season while Sword of Osman has won a Group 2 and Group 3 along with his Group 1 victory.

Take a look at this colt - isn't he a beauty? This colt is by a top sire, No Nay Never, who is by Scat Daddy - one of the best sires in the world. I can see this colt in the Karaka Million, and he does have just a few shares remaining - so what have you got to lose? He is actually one of the finest yearlings I have ever seen here at Te Akau Stud. Call me now to save yourself the disappointment of missing out - 021 925 151!

  Our No Nay Never colt

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