Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

Well firstly the good news.  We had a winner in both Singapore and New Zealand in the weekend which is always something we enjoy - both stables are having terrific seasons.  In New Zealand, Jamie Richards is well ahead on the Trainers' Premiership for wins, stake wins, and prize money won for our owners - while in Singapore, our trainer Mark Walker lies second on the Trainers' Premiership.

On Sunday, Mark Walker quinella-ed the last race in Singapore - and what a finish it was - it was almost a dead-heat between the stablemates for first place!  A very narrow pixel confirmed that the Fortuna's Federation snatched the victory from I Am Sacred.  Federation who was purchased on line by Mark Walker and John Galvin is in very good form in Singapore.

Also on Sunday, it was also a big thrill to see our only New Zealand weekend runner Richard of Yorke clear out and win his hurdle assignment so well at Te Aroha in the first race.  There is nothing more exciting than seeing a good jumper win like Richard of Yorke did, and all credit must go to Michael Roustoby the jockey, and Jamie who has done a terrific job getting this horse to this level.  Richard of Yorke was always a bit slow out of the barriers and Jamie and Troy Harris have done a lot of work in getting him out of the barriers and all round it was a great team performance. Our plan with Richard of Yorke is to give him a race on the flat in three weeks and then back him up in the Trentham hurdles the following week.

I really take my hat off to all the team members working at Te Akau Racing at this time of the year.  It is so miserable getting wet through every day, starting work in the dark, but at least we are past the shortest day and Spring will be here soon.  Then it really does start to get exciting.  The important thing is that you have got to do things really well in June and July to set the stable up for a great season starting in August.

It is very wet in the Waikato but we are lucky here at Te Akau Stud that the soil is very good draining land and we can still work the yearlings that we are breaking in, in the paddock.  We have four rising two year olds that we purchased at the yearling sales in Australia at the Magic Millions Gold Coast June sale. These four are being educated here at Te Akau Stud and they are the only yearlings now to head into the stable.  They are working very well at Te Akau Stud in a nice big paddock and they will be ready to join Jamie and the team in our Matamata stable in about two weeks' time.  It certainly looks like we have bought four very good yearlings.

Meanwhile on the farm we have finished selling all our stock. We have sold 2,700 prime lambs at an average of $130 and 2010 prime steers at an average of $1,832. So while we didn't have a vintage year it was certainly more than satisfactory.

It must be just so frustrating for the people in the tourism business to be preparing for Australians to come here for a holiday and then for the bubble to close again - I really feel sorry for them. The virus has certainly not helped the farmers in New Zealand with a great deal of difficulty getting containers in the volume that we need to export our meat and this is not helping the export price. But the Te Akau farmer is still very happy.  My family and friends and our owners and horses, as well as the farm, all create so much enjoyment in life!

Have a great week.