Te Akau's Australian Saturday

Te Akau's planning in past and present for Australia ...

Going back to New Zealand Derby placed Te Akau Nick (Grosvenor & pictured below), who went on to win The Metropolitan (Gr. 1, 2600m), St Leger (Gr. 2, 2800m), Chairman's (Gr. 3, 2600m), and runner-up in the Sydney Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m), at Randwick, before finishing second in the Melbourne Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m), Te Akau Racing has always sought to compete in Australia.

“We've always sent our good horses to Australia, but also been mindful of sending the right horses because it's never been easy to win over there,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

“Darci Brahma won the T J Smith (Gr. 1, 1600m) over there as a two-year-old, Gingernuts the Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), Shocking Luck won the Rough Habit, Distinctly Secret won the Grand Prix, Rough Habit, and finished third in the MacKinnon (Gr. 1, 2000m) and the Caulfield Cup (Gr. 1, 2400m), Intergrate, Zambezi Warrior, Shillelagh, who went on to win a Group One there, and others that have won or been very competitive in Australia.

“Princess Coup also won a lot of her $4 million in prize money in Australia, and although unable to win a Group One, she won the Group Two St George, finished second in the Australian Cup, Ranvet, BMW, and MacKinnon, all Group One races, and third in the Caulfield Cup.

“Avantage won a stakes' race on Golden Slipper Day this year at Rosehill, and the season before we won races in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.

“Melody Belle won the Sires' Produce in Brisbane, in her Champion Two-Year-Old season, after she'd won the Sires' Produce here, and after this Saturday (Livamol Classic) she could be heading over again for a good race during the Spring Carnival in Melbourne. 

“First and foremost you've got to have the right horses. We felt that with Probabeel and Te Akau Shark, after the way they won the Karaka Million and the Coupland's last season, were horses that could compete at this time of year in Sydney, and they've certainly proved that they can.”

Both at the sharp end in the betting market for their respective assignments on Saturday at Royal Randwick, Probabeel contests the Darley Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) and Te Akau Shark the Epsom Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m).

Adding to events in Australia, European staying horse Te Akau Caliburn (Camelot), purchased by Ellis from the U.K., contests the Lexus Bart Cummings (Gr. 3, 2500m) at Flemington. Although drawn the outside (14), he too will be fancied having finished solidly for fifth when fresh-up over 2500 metres there on 14 September. 

We've always tried to take horses to Australia when they're on their way up,” Ellis said. “Whether that was after winning good races in New Zealand, and still looking like they've got more in the tank, or, as is the case at the moment, off a winter prep and heading in pretty fresh to their spring races. 

“We've had a plan of setting Probabeel for the Princess Series after she won the Karaka Million and an Epsom goal with Te Akau Shark after he won the Coupland's last November at Riccarton.

“Also, we've tried to separate our good horses where possible, so they're not clashing against each other in Group One races in New Zealand. The Hawkes Bay Triple Crown always looked a good target for Melody Belle, especially after she won the Bonecrusher Stakes over 2000 metres at weight-for-age in March, and if she can complete the three race wins then we'll look at Melbourne. 

“What I'm most pleased about is that these horses that Te Akau has raced in Australia frank the type of horse that I'm trying to buy. Horses that can race as two-year-olds and providing you don't put too much pressure on them they can train on at three, four, five, and six years of age.”

With a view to the weekend upcoming, Ellis said:

“It's a very exciting week for us, for sure. It's all credit to the staff that has been working their butts off over the winter months, looking after these horses because they take a lot of care and attention. Every part of the team has to be working well in order to produce horses like these. Starting with the guy that's buying the horses, the people breaking them in at Te Akau Stud, Jamie (Richards) and his team training them, and the junior team members doing the ground work, everyone is very important.”

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