Walker on track for record-breaking season

[Wandering Eyes]

Nine-time Champion trainer Mark Walker is slightly ahead of the record-breaking season achieved by Te Akau Racing in 2020/21.

When Jamie Richards eclipsed the previous record to establish a new benchmark of 160 domestic wins, he had 46 victories by the end of October, while Walker currently has 54.

After a decade of training for Te Akau in Singapore, where he won Champion Trainer honours on four occassions, Walker returned to take up the reins again of their Matamata operation on 1 April while Richards was preparing to train in Hong Kong.

He currently has 20 horses stabled at Riccarton, and will be well represented there on Saturday, including nine in stakes races.

In the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 50^th New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), a race Te Akau has won seven times, including last year with now Waikato Stud stallion Noverre, Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Dynastic heads the charge for Walker, along with Cognito and Malborough Bay.

“Dynastic, the wheels fell off at Matamata, but I think they were back on Te Rapa, and I reckon he’ll like the mile at Riccarton,” Walker said.

“He’s drawn out a bit (12), but that’s probably not too much of a disadvantage because he likes running on the outside down the straight. So he’s going to eat up the mile and he’s a definite chance.

“Cognito has had a perfect prep and probably should have won last start, but just got too far back. Jason (Laking, jockey) would have learnt from that and he’s got a better draw (6) this time.

“Malborough Bay has had a lovely preparation but probably has to find a couple of lengths to be a top three chance.”

Te Akau trainer Mark Walker.
Photo: Trish Dunell

Walker will have a three-pronged attack in the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m), courtesy of Burgundy Rose, Challa, and Aris Aris.

“Burgundy Rose is in career best form, but she’s getting up in the weights now which her only problem,” he said. “She’s tiny and the old saying: weight can stop a train. But she’s in fantastic form.

“Challa is racing really well and going for a hat-trick of wins, and Aris Aris is trying to get some valuable black type, comes off a last start win and deserves her chance.”

Walker also has three runners in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2500m) with Campionessa, Leaderboard, and Belle of the Ball.

“Campionessa is in really good form, 2500m she should get on her pedigree and she has to be a good chance,” he said.

“Leaderboard is having his final tune up for the New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), which he finished third in last year, but I wouldn’t want to play cards with him the way he’s going at the moment.

“Belle of the Ball looks as though she will eat up the distance as well, so she’s a definite chance with the light weight.”

Te Akau is also preparing for the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale on 16 & 17 November at Karaka.

“I’m currently doing work on the Breeze-ups and Dave (Ellis) is doing the pedigrees,” Walker said. “We’ll establish a shortlist, meet up and work it out with the vets etc.

“Much of the buying depends on how strong the market is and whether or not we can buy horses for what we’re prepared to pay. There are always plenty of variables to factor in the sales, but we’ll certainly be trying.”

The RTR Sales have provided Te Akau and their owners with some terrific winners in the past, including Group One winners Gingernuts, Hall of Fame, Te Akau Shark, along with stakes winners Amalfi Prince, Brando, Star of Bombay, Royal Success, and other multiple winners Burgundy Rose, Ragamuffin, Shezathinka, and Phantom Witness.

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