Te Akau ready to unleash young guns for spring carnival after stable rebuild
The New Zealand-based Cranbourne stable made a strategic decision to saddle limited starters – only 38 metropolitan runners — this year to date to focus on a rebuild.
Head trainer Mark Walker has cycled 70 predominantly young horses in and out of work at Cranbourne including 46 juveniles.
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' Imperatriz leaves a massive gap in any stable,' assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said.
'Basically we've got 46 two-year-olds turning three and we've only run four of them.
'We've been pretty patient … last year we basically had no more than 20 in work, whereas this year we averaged 40-50 and they're all basically two-year-olds.
'We have pretty much 42 horses to unveil hopefully this spring and a lot are owned outside Te Akau, we have had really good support from outside owners.'
The tangerine team burst on to the Melbourne racing circuit 18 months ago with champion sprinter Imperatriz and enjoyed continued success with stakes performers Sans Doute, Quintessa, Skew Wiff and Bellatrix Star.
Te Akau has The Mighty Spar and Prismatic accepted in the Grand National Hurdle on Sunday.
Leaderboard has been held over after initially being entered for the marathon.
Gleeson saddled three spring contenders for Caulfield jumpouts last Wednesday including Damask Rose, La Dorada and Samudra.
New Zealand Group 1 colt Return To Conquer, unbeaten in four career starts, is slated to have a jumpout at Cranbourne on Monday.
Return To Conquer is set to make his Australian debut in the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) on August 16 at Caulfield.
The Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Derby Day is the ultimate goal for the headline Snitzel colt.
'He's four from four and every one of those races has been a stakes race, culminating in a Group 1,' Gleeson said.
'He comes over here with a big reputation.'
Damask Rose is set to jumpout again before the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) on August 30 at Caulfield – Te Akau won the last year with Quintessa.
La Dorada could head straight to the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) on September 6 at The Valley.
'Still up in the air what we do with her,' Gleeson said.
'Fillies have a really good record in that (Moir) race, get in with 50kg and she's a tough filly.'
Champion jockeys Blake Shinn and Jamie Melham partnered Damask Rose and La Dorada in respective jump-outs last Wednesday.
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