Te Akau's "Season That Was" continues ...

Time now to cast our eye back over the fifth Group/Listed success for Te Akau trainer Jamie Richards and the team in a season of 18 such wins. This time, it was the turn of the resuming Te Akau Shark who took a huge bite out of his opposition ...

“Excitement machine” Te Akau Shark  (4 g Rip Van Winkle - Bak da Chief, by Chief Bearhart) took another step towards stardom with a phenomenal performance to win the $70,000 Red Badge Spring Sprint (Gr. 3, 1400m) on 6 October at Hastings.

Five weeks after sprouting wings on the same course for victory in the Rating 82 1200 metres, running the fastest last 600m (34.6) on the day, Te Akau Shark devoured his rivals to record his fourth win from five starts for owners Steve Mace, David Ellis, Paul Gallen, Greg Taylor, Chris Russell, Matt Allenby, Wayne Knight, Ruth Redwood, William Thrupp, Jim & Pauline Hepburn, and Donna & Robert Rudd. 

Ridden by Michael Coleman, Te Akau Shark was 12 lengths from the leader approaching the 600m, then.... in the words of commentator Tony Lee: “He's really starting to release again, he's an excitement machine, he gave them the go by, and away he goes the showy chestnut. That was brilliant.”

On footing (Dead4) with the sting out of it, Te Akau Shark ran a fabulous time (1:22.6) in winning by three lengths.

Prior to his fresh-up win, Te Akau Shark had not raced since finishing fourth to stable-mate Embellish (Savabeel) in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), last November at Riccarton, but did look very good in two trial wins when preparing to resume and trainer Jamie Richards presented him in outstanding order.

“His work had been really good and the five weeks between runs suited him,” Richards said. “His recent gallop at Ellerslie was spot on. He's got an electric turn of foot, quite an unassuming sort of horse, relaxed sort of character, his preparation had gone perfectly and he turned up in really good order. 

“We've got a great team of owners here that Dave (Ellis) got involved in The Shark. Obviously, some boys from Sydney, Jim & Pauline (Hepburn), and all here with their shark hats on.”

Purchased by David Ellis for $230,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock 2016 Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Lyndhurst Farm, out of Waikato Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) winner Bak da Chief, the manner in which Te Akau Shark disposed of a field containing former Singapore Champion War Affair (O'Reilly) (also bought by Ellis), who had been rated 120, spoke volumes for his promise.

“Opie (Bosson) has been riding him in his work for the last month and he just thought he was the biggest certainty you could ever see,” Ellis said. “That win by Te Akau Shark was very, very impressive.”

Over from Australia, co-owner Chris Russell (with wife Katrina, and son Ethan) said: “A cancelled flight meant we didn't get to see his last race here, but we watched it at Te Akau Stud with Dave & Karyn and it was very exciting. 

“We came down a day earlier to make sure we were here this time and had a lovely time last night with Dave & Karyn and the crew.

“We were excited for the race, but a bit worried about a leader bias on the track. But, when Madison County and Melt came down the outside in the (Hawkes Bay) Guineas we started thinking maybe he was a half a chance.

“We watched it with Teina (Walters) and to watch with someone who's been so involved with the horse was excellent. He said trust the horse and he didn't let us down, did he.”

Te Akau Shark was strapped by Chelsea Burdan.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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