Te Akau's Proud Honour Roll

Leading the premiership for prize money this season and overall premiership winners in 2016, Te Akau trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards have a strong hand in the upcoming New Zealand Horse of the Year Awards, to be announced at a gala dinner on Sunday 10 September, at the Langham Hotel, in Auckland.

Gingernuts (Iffraaj) leads the way as a finalist for both Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Stayer of the Year, while Melody Belle (Commands) and Gold Fever (Savabeel) are two of three finalists for Champion Two-Year-Old.  All finalists are also eligible to become New Zealand Horse of the Year.

Apart from each being outstanding racehorses, having produced some stellar performances and enriched the fortunes of their owners, along with all industry participants this season, they also share a common theme of all being purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis - for what in an increasingly strong Australasian market, for the right horses, can be considered only modest amounts.

Ellis paid $42,500 for Gingernuts at the 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Stainley Park. The son of Iffraaj netted over $1 million this season and the manner of his wins in the New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m), Randwick Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), and Avondale Guineas (Gr. 1, 2100m) earned a Timeform rating of 123.

Ellis outlaid just $57,500 for Melody Belle, from the draft of Haunui Farm, at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. Her exploits to win the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m), and also the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) in Brisbane, for stakes of $865,000 in her first season of racing, was nothing short of remarkable.

Hard on her heels, Gold Fever, who Ellis bought for $110,000 from Waikato Stud at the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, prepared by Sledmere Stud, won three of her six starts as a two-year-old. An extremely determined filly, Gold Fever won the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and finished third in both the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m).

“We've always done our due diligence to appraise the young horses in their home environments during our inspections before the sales and, although it takes a lot of time and effort, it stands us in really good stead when it comes to crunch time at the sales themselves,” Ellis said.

“We've made our notes on their conformation and temperament at the time of inspection and we can then see any changes they've made and how they cope with the atmosphere when we do our final inspections at the sales' ground.

“It's a big thing for young horses to go through the sales' and auction process. Some handle it a lot better than others. It's something we're always on the lookout for and after thirty-odd years of going through the processes each year at every sale, you just develop a feel for everything involved.

“We're not going to get it right all of the time but we take every step we can to give ourselves the best chance of making the best buying decisions.

“Of course the next steps are incredibly important too,” he said.

“For those people that have been to see us at Te Akau Stud, and all the young horses we buy, I hope I can speak for them and say that the pastures and environment we create here are second to none.

“My staff on the farm know how meticulous I am about having the very best paddocks and overall environment available, not just for the horses, but the sheep and cattle as well.  I pride myself on the preparation we do for the colt paddocks, for example, in waiting for these super young colts to enjoy when they get here.

“We have a terrific team to handle and feed the young horses at the stud, and when they're ready to be broken in and have their first educational stints at the stables in Matamata, we're reliant on the staff there to continue the good work.

"I just can't speak highly enough of the professionalism and enthusiasm these young people have to assist Steve and Jamie with the long hours and hard work they contribute. It's outstanding, and the end result of training so many winners and having the best of them in line for championship titles is something I'm very proud of.

“It's a major operation, as it is for any sizeable racing business, here or in Australia, but it just goes to show that if you keep doing the absolute best you can, and have the right people to support you, then it certainly makes the business very enjoyable as well as successful for those loyal owners who invest with us,” he said.

When it comes to an honours' board of award winning champions, Te Akau has collected 35 titles. All horses bred or purchased by Ellis or trained by Te Akau whose trainers have become champions themselves also.

It is a list that includes some champion horses, and people, that have combined to provide many of the best thoroughbred moments on the turf in New Zealand, Australia, and indeed internationally:

CHAMPION 2YO

Maroofity (Maroof)
Darci Brahma (Danehill)
Warhorse (General Nediym)
War Affair (O'Reilly)

CHAMPION 3YO

King's Chapel (King of Kings)
Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago)
Darci Brahma (Danehill)
War Affair (O'Reilly)
Xtravagant (Pentire)

CHAMPION 4YO

War Affair (O'Reilly)

CHAMPION SPRINTER MILER

War Affair (O'Reilly) - TWICE
King's Chapel (King of Kings)
Darci Brahma (Danehill)

CHAMPION MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE

Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago)

CHAMPION STAYER

Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago) - TWICE

NZB FILLY OF THE YEAR

Shikoba (Chief Bearhart)
Princess Coup (Encosta De Lago)
Insouciant (Keeper)
Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago)
King's Rose (Redoute's Choice)

POLYTRACK HORSE OF THE YEAR - SINGAPORE

Flying Fulton (Flying Spur)
My Lucky Strike (Charge Forward)

MOST IMPROVED HORSE OF THE YEAR - SINGAPORE

My Lucky Strike (Charge Forward)

SOCIAL MEDIA HORSE OF THE YEAR - SINGAPORE

War Affair (O'Reilly)

HORSE OF THE YEAR

War Affair (O'Reilly)
King's Chapel (King of Kings)

CHAMPION TRAINER

Mark Walker (six premierships - five in New Zealand, one in Singapore)
Steve Autridge & Jamie Richards (Premiership winners 2016)