Xtravagant to Spell - Te Akau Tuesday Update

David writes:

What a wonderful week it has been for Te Akau Racing.

Top of the list is training our 10th Group/Listed winner for the season - which includes four Group 1 wins - and our 81st win for the New Zealand season.

Just an amazing effort by Steve and Jamie and our whole Matamata team - but I think that having Xtravagant at his peak last Saturday, in his first start for about eight weeks, is a stand-out performance by horse and trainers.

Steve and Jamie now lead the Trainers' Premiership by five wins and we have some really good chances racing in the next 10 days or so.  Last week we had a total of five wins in about 48 hours but can you believe - a frustrating seven second placings?!

It is not just our New Zealand stable that is firing but also in Singapore where our Te Akau Singapore trainer Mark Walker also had two winners this past weekend at Kranji and he too leads the Trainers' Premiership.  A great job by Mark, Gus, Karen and the team.

I have said it before and I will say it again - I am extraordinarily proud of both of our teams - you won't find another stable that can have the leading trainers in two different countries.  So yes, it certainly makes me a very proud man to have our stable on top in both racing jurisdictions.

There was a very heavy dew this morning and a heavy fog on the farm.  I want rain for the farm but not for racing so I am very hard to please!!! (really???? - Ed)  The farm does look amazing at the moment - it is very, very green and the stock are really thriving.

This morning we have eight horses leaving the farm to head back to our Matamata stable to start the build up to their spring campaigns - including the talented Scrutinize.

We have decided to give Xtravagant a spell now to ensure that he is at his very best for Melbourne in the Spring.

Remember he raced at -

Ruakaka in August
Te Rapa in September - 3rd
Trentham in October - 1st
Riccarton in November - 1st - Group 1
Ellerslie in December - 1st
Trentham in January - 4th
Te Rapa in February - 1st - Group 1 against the older horses
Melbourne in March - 8th
Te Rapa in April - 1st - Group 3

So I think that you will agree that 'Blake' as we know him - #sexonhooves - deserves a good spell and I have a super paddock reserved for him right next door to our other Group 1 winner this season, the unbeaten 2YO Heroic Valour.

Have a great week.