Even Te Akau are finding this Spring hard work!!

[Chief Stipe]

Te Akau Monday Update 🍊

David writes:

September and October are always a very frustrating time of the year for a racing stable - it's no different for us again this year. In my experience, we never get consistently good tracks in the North until we reach November, and this year is proving no different.

At this time of year, we constantly find ourselves dealing with trials, races and race meetings that are postponed, rescheduled, abandoned or relocated - it happens every spring. New Zealand is simply very vulnerable to unpredictable weather at this time of year, and planning around it, and getting horses ready and running, it can be a real test of fortitude and initiative too!https://bitofayarn.com

A good example of what I am speaking about is Thursday’s Matamata trials, which have already been called off due to further heavy rain forecast for the week ahead. https://bitofayarn.com

We actually had 40 horses ready to trial that day, including 18 two-year-olds who were set to have, in many cases, their first official hit-out. For many of these youngsters, transferring to the synthetic track at Cambridge simply isn’t an option in our mind - they need turf to learn and progress, and take care of their young conformation. So yes, it’s a frustrating time of year, particularly when you have so many horses ready to step out.https://bitofayarn.com

This is where having an experienced team really counts. Our team is smart, flexible and always thinking outside the square to keep the horses moving forward despite the disruptions. We have some important races coming up on both sides of the Tasman, so it’s imperative we keep progressing wherever possible.https://bitofayarn.com

It’s also one of the key reasons why I’m such a strong supporter of racing at Hastings. The Hawke’s Bay region gets about half the rainfall of the Waikato, and nine years out of ten on average, the tracks there are in great order during Spring. By contrast, further north and especially in the Waikato, we almost never see consistently good tracks in September or October - in fact, over the last 20–25 years I can only remember one firm track in the north before late October.

Similarly, our Christchurch stable plays a hugely important role at this time of year. Unlike the North, the tracks in the South are generally in very good shape through September and October, providing ideal trialling and racing conditions - especially in the lead-up to Cup Week in November. Just look at Ashburton on Saturday - the sun was streaming down and we were racing on a Good4 track! Interestingly, over the last 10 days, temperatures in Christchurch have averaged four to five degrees warmer than Waikato and Auckland.

Congratulations to Mark and Sam, and especially to Hunter Durrant, our Assistant Trainer in the South Island. Hunter and his team did a stellar job producing two winners at Ashburton on Saturday, including our ninth win in the $100,000 Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes with Cool Aza Rene.

Cool Aza Rene has joined our honour roll of previous winners of one of the South Island’s most important Guineas' lead-ups with King’s Chapel (2003), Sea Saint (2005), Princess Coup (2006), King’s Rose (2010), Abidewithme (2012), Costa Viva (2013), Cornflower Blue (2020) and Star Of Justice (2023).  We were also pleased with the good efforts by Belle Du Monde (4th) and Origin of Love (5th), the latter having only her third start!

It was a special thrill to win that race with Cool Aza Rene, a filly I bought out of Book 2 at the Magic Millions Sale for A$55,000. She has now won five of her eight starts and more than $171,000 in prize money.  Cool Aza Rene has grown and developed into a really exciting filly, and she will now head into the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas - a race we’ve won seven times previously. 

There was a lot of delight among her owners with Saturday’s win, but also a real sense of pride for all of us at Te Akau. Her sire Cool Aza Beel was a stable favourite - known affectionately as Sammy - who won both the Karaka 2YO Million and the Group 1 Sistema Stakes before being crowned Champion 2YO of the Year. I purchased him from Karaka for $150,000, he won four of his six starts, earning $707,560 and he now stands at stud at Newhaven Park in NSW.

Cool Aza Rene is out of a mare by Xtravagant, who likewise stands at Newhaven and who was also purchased by me at Karaka. Xtravagant was a superstar on the track - he won six of his 12 starts, including the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas by 8.5 lengths (breaking the track record), before defeating the older horses in the Group 1 BCD Sprint by a similar margin. He was named Champion 3YO, winning $483,475 before being retired to stud.

It’s interesting to note that both of our winners on Saturday came from Book 2 catalogues - Cool Aza Rene from the 2024 Magic Millions January Book 2 Sale as I said for A$55,000, and Court of Appeal, who I purchased for Fortuna Racing from the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sale Book 2 for just $20,000.  

Court of Appeal was a runaway winner by four lengths and is now targeting the Metropolitan Stakes and Group 3 NZ Cup during Cup Week at Riccarton.  Te Akau trained Mehzebeen was very impressive when winning this double last season.

Both of our Ashburton winners were ridden by Bruno Queiroz - this 24 year old from Brazil is really making his mark on New Zealand racing, with 17 wins already this season.  His win on Cool Aza Rene was the second black type race he has ridden for us and he brings plenty of experience to our shores, having previously also ridden in Singapore.

Another horse that really caught my eye at Ashburton was One True King, by King’s Legacy. On debut, he finished third, beaten only a nose and half a head, and it was a very eye-catching run. He’s a promising type who could well find himself in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, for which he does hold a nomination. There are still two final shares available in him, so if you’re keen to be racing a quality three-year-old, email Karyn today.

I’ve spent the last five days in Auckland for a number of medical appointments, and the good news is that I’m improving all the time. Everything has gone like clockwork because Karyn and I are blessed to have a remarkable team of people around us - at Matamata, Riccarton, Cranbourne and on the farm.

Speaking of the farm, conditions are warming up and we’re getting excellent grass growth. The stock are doing exceptionally well, and with sheep and cattle prices at record levels, it’s a welcome boost for both the economy and the wider farming community.

Karyn and I plan to be back at the farm this week. It’s been a busy period for Karyn too - earlier this year she was appointed to the Broadcasting Standards Authority and had its monthly meeting in Wellington last week.

We’ve got a good team ready to step out this weekend on both sides of the Tasman, including Quintessa in the Group 1 Livamol Classic, Queen's Evidence in the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie, and Chateau Eze in the Group 1 1000 Guineas in Melbourne.

Good luck to all our owners with runners this weekend - we can’t wait to see what the next few weeks bring as the tracks finally start to improve.

[curious]

Meeting News

Ōtaki-Māori RC Meeting Cancelled

 

Following a track inspection this morning, a decision has been made to cancel the Ōtaki-Māori meeting scheduled for Thursday 16 October.

 

The track is currently waterlogged following recent heavy rain, and with further showers forecast, the decision has been made early in the interests of safety and to provide certainty for participants.

 

Further information will be provided in due course.

[hesi]

One thing I note in particular is his reluctance to trial horses on the synthetic at Cambridge, a view I presume that is shared by other trainers in the area, or is it?

This was one of the main reasons put forward for putting in this synthetic track.

Good on him for supporting Hastings and Riccarton.  I guess he doesn't subscribe to the conspiracy, led mainly by the shit stirrer Wightman, with no evidence, that they are trying to centralise racing in the Auck/Waikato area