Cover image courtesy of Te Akau Racing
It was in winter 2023 that Te Akau started to set up shop at Cranbourne racecourse, David Ellis keen for an Australian arm to the business that had already enjoyed such great success in New Zealand.
Appointing Ben Gleeson to run the stables, Ellis had ambitions to make his stable one of the best in Victoria and it didn't take long for the tangerine and blue silks to make their mark.
The wonderful mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) had already won a big race in Melbourne, the G1 William Reid S. in March last year and over the spring she continued to thrive from her Cranbourne home.
She raced four times over the 2023 spring carnival and won them all, three of those in elite company before kicking off her next and in final campaign with a G1 Lightning S. success, two starts later taking out another William Reid.
Imperatriz strides clear in the G1 William Reid S. at Moonee Valley | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
She is now retired but the stable has continued to thrive, highlighted by the carnival stakes victories recorded by Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award), Midnight Blue (So You Think {NZ}) and Bellatrix Star (Star Witness).
There are currently 35 horses in work at the Cranbourne stables, Ellis' goal to get to sixty.
“We have a lot of outside interest,” he said, “and I think that within six months the stable will be full.”
Cranbourne's outstanding facilities
Ellis is a massive fan of all that Cranbourne has to offer, describing the facilities as “the best I have seen anywhere in the world.”
“I love everything about it,” he enthused. “There are three course propers to gallop on, a big track out the back for horses to go for walks and the racetrack next door for racing and trials.”
“There are three course propers to gallop on (at Cranbourne), a big track out the back for horses to go for walks and the racetrack next door for racing and trials.” - David Ellis
Neil Bainbridge (Southside Racing's Chief Executive) is, Ellis believes, just the right man for his job; “he is so good at everything he does, the club is so well run.”
Ellis takes particular pleasure in maintaining a good strike rate, describing it as “a big thrill” that no other Cranbourne stable has a better record in this regard at present.
“Ben is doing an outstanding job with the best staff you can imagine. And we have had great support from Australian breeders and syndicators, everything is going really well.”
“And the best thing is that it has had no effect on our New Zealand stables which are very important to us; we are still well in front in the premiership.”
David Ellis | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Te Akau currently have a hundred horses in work at Matamata, another twenty at their Riccarton base.
Hunter Durrant was just this week appointed as Assistant Trainer at Riccarton with Ellis excited about his prospects.
“He has worked for me for five years, he came to me having been an apprentice jockey at Hawke's Bay. He was not going to make it as a jockey but wow he is going to make it as a trainer!”
“He is as good a track work rider as you'd see, the feedback he gives us is second to none. He is a super guy to work with, very impressive.”
Hunter Durrant | Image courtesy of Race Images South
It has been somewhat of a Te Akau trademark, finding young people on their way up and encouraging them in their careers; Ben Gleeson another example at Cranbourne whilst Mark Walker impressed Ellis from the start.
“We've been working together since he left school,” Ellis said.
A big year: 76 horses bought and syndicated
Te Akau Racing shows no signs of slowing down, Ellis purchasing and syndicating 76 horses in 2024 including the record breaking $1.65 million I Am Invincible colt at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale a couple of weeks ago.
“We had him sold within 10 minutes!” Ellis said, adding that there has been “huge interest in our horses this year, shares keep selling quickly. Of the 10 we purchased at the Ready To Run we only have three not full and I think they will sell as soon as I get home and start talking to people.”
Those horses, he added “have been spelling at Te Akau and have done really well,” due to head into the stables to start work soon.
Ellis spoke to us on Monday having inspected 545 yearlings, his journey kicking off at Widden Stud and on to Baramul Stud, Yarraman Park Stud, Bhima Thoroughbreds, Sledmere Stud, Vinery Stud, Newgate Farm, Ridgmont Farm, Kia Ora Stud, Segenhoe Stud, Coolmore Stud, Silverdale, The Chase, Millburn Creek and Newhaven Park.
He really liked what he saw, noting that “the quality of yearlings on offer is of a very, very high standard,” he said, adding that "there is a very small tail end.”
“We definitely saw horses we will be buying,” he said, saying that there were “half a dozen” on the must have list.
Home Affairs and Cool Aza Beel the stand-outs
Of the first season stallions he was most impressed by Home Affairs, noting that “he really stamps them.”
Home Affairs | Standing at Coolmore
“There is a lot of the sire line about them,” he said, noting similarities to Imperatriz amongst some of the youngsters.
“They are strong, sound looking horses who really impressed my team,” he said.
Understandably Ellis has a soft spot for Cool Aza Beel, entering his second season of yearlings for sale, a Group 1 winner for Te Akau who now calls Newhaven home.
“We saw some really nice sons and daughters of Cool Aza Beel,” he said, looking forward following the progress of his first 2-year-olds and happy to have provided him with his first winner Cool Aza Rene (bred by Newhaven) who has looked good winning at debut at Otaki in October and again at Riccarton Park in mid-November.
Cool Aza Rene | Image courtesy of Ajay Berry (Race Images South)
Due to contest the G3 Wakefield Challenge S. at Trentham on December 21, Cool Aza Rene was a $55,000 purchase at this year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she is certainly has a Te Akau pedigree, being out of a daughter of another Ellis Group 1 winner in Xtravagant.
“I saw some very nice yearlings by him as well,” Ellis said, confident that Xtravagant also has what it takes to become a successful broodmare sire with Cool Aza Rene his first runner.
Meanwhile Te Akau have another four Cool Aza Beels in work. “They are all tough horses who take plenty of work. They have good temperaments, they are athletic, sound and correct; I can see him being a very good sire.”
Optimistic about the future
Ellis is optimistic not only about the future of Te Akau, but of New Zealand racing.
“I think it is all going very well, probably the best it has been during my career,” he said.
“I think it (New Zealand racing) is all going very well, probably the best it has been during my career.” - David Ellis
And he wants that to continue as New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing seeks a new CEO upon the resignation of Bruce Sharrock who finishes up at the end of this year.
“He did a very good job and I think it is very important that we get the right person.”
It is not enough, he said, for the person in this role just to have business acumen.
“We have to have someone who has an understanding of racing and of New Zealand racing; that is the big thing.”
“... I think it is very important that we get the right person (for New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing CEO)... We have to have someone who has an understanding of racing and of New Zealand racing; that is the big thing.” - David Ellis
An issue Ellis is passionate about is the retention of the status of New Zealand's feature races, dismayed by the recent downgrading of the Levin Classic from Group 1 to Group 2.
“It was only two years ago that the race was won by Imperatriz defeating On The Bubbles and I Wish I Win,” he said.
Steadfast on the idea of having strong pattern committees in both New Zealand and Australia, Ellis said that “I am not a fan of losing Group 1 races, we need them.”
