Te Akau stars enjoying deserved time out

The lush autumn grass of Te Akau Stud is a far cry from the cut and thrust of Australian Group One racing, but it’s all that matters right now to stable star Imperatriz following her stupendous season across the Tasman.
After two spring lead-up trials from Te Akau’s Matamata stable, Imperatriz took up where she had left off in the previous autumn as she became the flagbearer for the operation’s new Cranbourne stable in Victoria. Having opened her Australian Group One account in the William Reid Stakes, the final start of her four-year-old season last autumn, Imperatriz took Melbourne sprinting ranks by storm with an unbeaten streak of five wins headed by the Gr. 1 Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes, VRC Stakes and Lightning Stakes before having to settle for second by that proverbial train-stopper – weight – in the Gr. 1 Newmarket Handicap.
Next up she added her fifth Group One for the season – and the 10th of her career – with a repeat William Reid victory, setting up her season finale in last Saturday’s Gr. 1 T J Smith at Randwick. There was no fairy-tale ending due to the combination of a heavy track and a rocky run, but she lost nothing amongst her legion of admirers.
Her fourth placing took her season earnings past A$4.7 million (and a total nudging A$7m), while she remains the world’s highest rated sprinter after a season of five Group One wins that included two track records.
“She went a hell of a race and we’re just so proud of her,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis, who bought the daughter of I Am Invincible as a yearling for A$360,000. “We’ve had a paddock reserved for her at Te Akau Stud and she can now put her head down and enjoy some well-earned time out.”
Ellis remains open to a six-year-old campaign that will include The Everest back at Randwick in October, but says that at this stage nothing has been set in stone for the A$20 million slot-holder extravaganza.
“Nothing has been agreed to there, right now it’s more a matter of getting her home for a full warrant of fitness and some time out and we’ll take it from there.
“We really couldn’t have wished for a better flag-bearer for Te Akau’s new stable. It’s unbelievable that under Ben Gleeson’s management the team at Cranbourne have won 13 metropolitan races this season at a strike-rate of 32 per cent – no other stable can get near that success rate.”
Nor is the season over yet, with Quintessa and Campionessa chasing further Group One honours at Randwick on Saturday and sprinting find Sans Doute heading to Adelaide along with New Zealand Oaks placegetter Qali Al Farrasha.
Back on the home front, Te Akau celebrated its fourth Group One win for the season – and Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s 133rd overall – when Move To Strike swept to victory in the Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Trentham last Saturday.
“That was an incredible job by Mark, Sam and the team to bring the colt back from serious issues not that long ago,” Ellis said. “He’s a lovely young horse that we’ve always rated, and now as the only two-year-old Group One-winning colt by I Am Invincible, I’ve got studs from throughout Australia and New Zealand wanting to talk to us.
“And it was also a real thrill to see Wiremu Pinn ride a big winner for us. He started his apprenticeship with Te Akau and showed talent right from the start, then he went through a difficult period, but it’s great to see him doing what he does best.
“When Wiremu arrived back from a stint riding in Australia earlier this year, Mark committed to giving him a second chance if he was prepared to do the hard yards. As he showed on Move To Strike, he’s a very talented rider and by gee, we need every one of those jockeys.”
Move To Strike is also about to enjoy some R&R at Te Akau Stud while spring plans centred initially on the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas are discussed.
There’s no letting up for Ellis, his wife Karyn and others involved in that end of the business as they continue their annual syndication rounds with plenty of ammunition in the chamber. Having already bought extensively at summer sales, Ellis added another five yearlings from this week’s Sydney Easter Sale, taking his total of purchases past 50.
Two colts and a filly by Snitzel as well as a colt by Frankel and a filly by Fastnet Rock made up his list along with a colt a Written Tycoon in partnership with the Ladbrokes Racing Club.
“I bought some really exciting colts and some lovely fillies to add to what we already had. There were a lot of good quality horses on offer in Sydney – and the market certainly proved that – but I don’t think that quality is any better than Karaka.
“What we set out to do each year is to buy the horses that appeal to us, and then the hard work begins syndicating them amongst our current clientele and anyone else who wants to come on board and experience the thrill of winning.
“That’s what we do at Te Aaku – and I think we do it pretty damn well!”