Te Akau Weekend Update

David writes:

Yesterday one of the racing highlights for me was watching the Pakuranga Hunt Cup and what a race it was!  I know jumping races aren't for everyone but I just love a good steeplechase. I thought it was a terrific trial from Toubouggie Nights for the upcoming Great Northern Steeplechase and a brilliant ride by Richard Eynon.

This horse is trained by one of the champions of the New Zealand turf in John Wheeler.  John loves his jumpers and he is pretty good at training them too!!  Can you believe that after 4900 metres only a nose separated the first two home with 13 lengths back to third - what a race!  I will definitely be at Ellerslie to see the Great Northern in two weeks!

Yesterday morning as is usual for a Saturday, Karyn and I were up bright and early.  Karyn for her First Call Trackside programme and I spend the first hour on a Saturday watching the races from the overnight Friday action in Singapore.  Mark had a great night winning his 200th race in Singapore - yes in just four years Mark has achieved this feat and even better, he reached this milestone with a Te Akau horse!

This weekend I have a really top girl working at the farm - Charlotte Kellow.  I used to train horses for her grandparents Noel and Beth.  Charlotte's parents Shaun and Kate have a farm just up the road at Ruakiwi.  Charlotte is in her final year at Waikato Dio and next year is going to Lincoln University so she is working and saving hard for that.  Charlotte has been working for us for about 12 months in her holidays and on some weekends.

On Thursday Karyn and I spent the afternoon at our Matamata stable.  I so enjoy seeing the two year olds develop from yearlings into racehorses and all the horses are starting to lose their winter coats and you can see everyone has a spring in their step.  This Tuesday we have 35 horses ready to trial at Te Teko and it looks like we will get a really good track.

The fine, warm weather has been wonderful for grass growth and we will be ready to start docking the lambs this coming week - the lambs are just loving the sunshine and the stock are all really thriving.

What a marvellous game of rugby last night - WELL DONE THE ALL BLACKS, you made us all very proud!  One thing that did impress me was the good grace the Wallabies showed in defeat and the way they congratulated the All Blacks after the game.  Karyn and I really enjoyed it.

There has been a good frost at Te Akau this morning and now it is a beautiful day!  Plenty to do around the farm for me, Karyn will be deep in her Arts' Council papers as she has a meeting in Wellington next week and we both are looking forward to watching the Singapore races tonight.