Te Akau Weekend Update

David writes:

It was another great night for Mark Walker on Friday night in Singapore with a win and two seconds from only four starters!

Storm Trooper is a 3YO Tavistock colt that I purchased for $65,000 at Karaka in 2013 and he has now had two second placings from his two starts earning $30,281 - so about $15,000 for each runner up placing - he looks likely to develop into a pretty useful horse for his owners.

Jimmy Rae of course was just far too good for his opposition and he looks a very promising horse for the future for Kevin Hickman.

Karyn and I are still busy selling shares in all our Karaka horses and by lunchtime today we had welcomed three first time owners.

I only have 10% remaining in our Savabeel/Almaviva colt - if you want to be involved in a colt that could win a Derby or a Cup then I can really recommend this colt.  He is all class, a truly beautiful colt by a stallion who is on fire.  So call me straight away if you want to be involved - and avoid being disappointed!

Recently a stallion with whom Te Akau has enjoyed huge success was retired from stud duties.  Encosta de Lago sired top colts and fillies but it was with his fillies that Te Akau has had the most luck, although we do have an Encosta de Lago/Ethereal gelding who we think very highly of, who could finish up being a top horse.  We actually were targeting this horse for the Derby but he pulled a muscle and we were forced to back off him however he is back on track now and will trial in a couple of weeks.

The two fillies by Encosta who rate as top Te Akau horses are Princess Coup and Costa Viva.  Costa Viva was the winner of the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas and claimed the fifth New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year crown for Te Akau last season.  Princess Coup smashed all sorts of records - she won the only two $2 million races ever staged in New Zealand and she still holds the title of "Highest Ever NZ Stakes' Earner".  She was named Champion 3YO, New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, Champion Middle Distance Horse (twice) and Champion Stayer.  She is probably the best mare Te Akau has ever trained - she won over $4 million in prize money and won group races on both sides of the Tasman.  She was sold as a broodmare for $3 million on the Gold Coast, establishing a new sales' record.

Encosta like Zabeel is enjoying his retirement in a lovely paddock.

The recent Karaka Sale has been a huge success story for Te Akau.  It is just amazing to see the quality that we have in our paddocks and they represent unbelievably good value! I have deliberately tried to buy horses that will be up to racing in Australia and what a record we have in races past 1600m in that country.

I think that the value from Karaka this year is indeed amazing - to think that we can buy top colts by Savabeel for $150,000 and $160,000 and by Fastnet Rock for $220,000.  It shows me what great value we got this year.  Since the sales finished, Mark Walker and I have already bought another five yearlings that were passed in.

It was a busy afternoon today as we welcomed more new owners to the farm - we love showing them around Te Akau Stud and all the yearlings.  It will be another busy week from tomorrow as Luke Copeland who has worked for Te Akau for 16 years and handles all the stock work on Te Akau Stud has a week's holiday - Luke's wife Melissa is giving birth to their second child tomorrow and we wish them all the very best for this exciting event!