Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

Well, while we didn't have any luck in Australia over the weekend, there is one thing is for certain - and that is how proud I am of Probabeel. She finished seventh in the 100^th running of the WS Cox Plate on a totally unsuitable track - she is a mare that prefers a firm track.

Unfortunately, the rain came, and she just isn't the same horse on soft and heavy ground, but she did give it all! We look forward to her return home over the next week or so where she will have a well-deserved spell after her successful Australian campaign. 

There is a great atmosphere in the Te Akau Stud office, after Need I Say More won the $100,000 Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes at Te Rapa on Saturday. Robyn Bregmen, our office manager, has a share in this horse, and was at the Te Rapa to watch him race.

This was a very significant win, as it was Jamie Richards' 500^th win as a trainer. Those 500 wins includes $17.5 million in prize money, and 79 Group and Listed races in New Zealand alone - that doesn't take into account races like the Group 1 Epsom, Group 1 Surround Stakes, Group 1 Rosehill Guineas, Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes and Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes - all Group 1 races that we have won in Australia. 

NEW ZEALAND TRAINERS' PREMIERSHIP - as at 27 October 2020

		Wins	2nds	3rds	Stakes	Starts	G & L	SR
1	Jamie Richards	40	29	19	$1,012,960	197	7	4.93
2	Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman	15	16	10	$319,645	119	1	7.93
3	Michael & Matthew Pitman	15	15	11	$247,275	108	0	7.2
4	Stephen Marsh	13	15	21	$300,590	238	0	18.31
5	Kelvin Tyler & Aimee Tyler	13	9	4	$181,700	79	0	6.08
6	Allan Sharrock	12	10	6	$220,980	59	1	4.92
7	Tony Pike	12	9	12	$197,695	74	0	6.17
8	Ken Rae & Krystal Williams-Tuhoro	11	5	7	$191,810	76	1	6.91
9	Kevin Myers	10	17	16	$274,310	135	0	13.5
10	Peter & Dawn Williams	10	6	8	$105,165	43	0	4.3
11	Team Rogerson	8	14	12	$247,615	163	1	20.38
12	Stephen Autridge & Kris Shailer	8	12	4	$147,625	58	0	7.25
13	Brian & Shane Anderton	8	3	8	$92,835	67	0	8.38
14	Johno Benner & Hollie Wynyard	8	2	0	$94,045	20	0	2.5
15	Terri Rae	7	7	3	$99,735	40	0	5.71

The other race that we won at Te Rapa on Saturday was the 2YO race with Palamos, a colt by Extreme Choice and that I purchased from Ainsley Downs Stud, which is based at Te Kauwhata. Reviewing my notes from the Karaka Yearling Sales, I had commented ‘good strong 2YO type' and I also noted that there were nine two year old winners on the pedigree page. The colt's dam, Unrevealed, won two 2YO races in Japan. 

Palamos is the third 2YO that we have started in the north and we have been lucky enough to have all three win their first start and all ridden by Troy Harris. Gee he is a genius with these young horses. I really like this colt's pedigree - he had a double up of Mr Prospector and Extreme Choice is by Not A Single Doubt who is a very good sire, and is a son of the great Redoute's Choice, by Danehill. It is extremely hard to fault this colt's pedigree and I thought that he was terrific buying at $85,000.

Jamie has now won seven Black Type races in New Zealand alone this season, as well as two in Australia, and the great thrill for me is that we purchased them all at the Karaka Sales. 

Speaking of the Karaka Sales, we are starting to look at horses for the Ready to Run Sale, which is now only three weeks away. 

I have seen and identified a few really nice fillies and colts that I am going to be buying. These horses will sell very quickly, and if you would like to be part of the tangerine team, do not hesitate in getting in touch with us. We do have a priority list for those who register their interest with us before the sale. Please feel free to give us a call if you would like to discuss it further or email Karyn - [email protected]

These last couple of days have been a big thrill for Karyn and me, as our daughter, Lydia Roseby, has just arrived out of quarantine and is now home on the farm after spending ten years in the UK.  Her husband Jamie has now received his visa and will be here early in the New Year.

We are all travelling to Wellington (main picture) today as this afternoon, we will be attending the Investiture Ceremony at Government House, where I will be presented with my Queen's Honour - Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit - by the Governor General. 

I am lucky enough to have all five of our children attending this special occasion. 

We sent our first two units of cattle last week, and these steers weighed in at just over 380 kilos and 390 kilos, which meant that they were worth over $2,200 for each steer. This is giving us good margins as the yearlings we have been replacing them with have averaged just on $800 each. 

We are sending another two units this week from Te Akau Stud, and it looks as though these steers could even weigh a little bit heavier - they are in excellent condition.

On Thursday, we are having our first fat lamb draft of the 5yo ewes that started lambing on the 20^th of July. There are some beautiful lambs that are also ready to go. 

The grass at Te Akau Stud is pretty good, although we don't have a huge surplus just yet. We have got over 3000 cattle that we are feeding, and I believe if we can get some rain, the grass will really take off. 

There has been a lot rain predicted but one thing that I have noticed is that how incorrect the weather forecasts have been lately. Just this last week we were predicted rain for seven of the nine days, and we only had rain for two days.I don't know why this is the case, but the weather forecast has been very disappointing and inaccurate. 

Hope you all have a great week! Karyn and I are very much looking forward to going to Riccarton for the first day of the Cup Carnival and the 2000 Guineas next Saturday - we look forward to seeing you there.

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