Ready to Run Graduate Helps Walker set century record at Tauranga

Media Release - Friday January 13

Te Akau trainer Mark Walker made history at Tauranga on Friday when recording the fastest ever century of winners in a season.

Heading into the meeting with 98 wins to date this season, Walker quickly added to his tally when securing the quinella in the Ray White Tauranga 1200 courtesy of Millefiori and Wairau Cove.

Pure Imagination winning at Tauranga on Friday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

One race later, Walker brought up the 100-win milestone with Pure Imagination in the Ray White Greerton 1200.

“It was good to get another win with him today,” Walker said. “He promised quite a bit early on and he’s had a few heart fibrillations and things go wrong.

“He’s a lot happier now and it was a deserved win, off a lovely ride by Craig Zackey.”

The four-year-old gelding was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Lilywhites Lodge 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft for $350,000.

“I remember him standing out as one of the nicest Darci Brahma’s in the sale and we knew the family well,” Ellis said.

Advertisement

“It was a beautiful mating, over an Encosta de Lago mare. He’s a Champion Broodmare Sire and we’ve had a lot of luck both with horses by him, like Princess Coup and Costa Viva, and as a broodmare sire with colts like Sword of State.”

Ellis was overjoyed by the stable’s record-setting milestone on Friday.

“What a great achievement by Mark (Walker) to reach 100 wins in such quick time this season and it’s hugely rewarding for everyone involved,” Ellis said.

“Everyone that works for Te Akau gives 110 percent and without that type of commitment you just can’t get these sorts of results.

“He’s included 15 stakes winners within the century and it looks as though there are some nice chances of increasing the black type winners tomorrow at Trentham.”

Te Akau had also established the previous fastest 100 wins in a season when Jamie Richards achieved the feat on 28 January 2021, bettering the previous record by nearly three months, during a record-breaking 160 wins for the season, and Walker has followed suit. - NZ RAcing Desk 

Advertisment
More Reading...
2025 G1 Epsom Handicap Field and Barrier Draw
The field and barrier draw has been decided for the Group I Epsom Handicap on Saturday with odds-on favourite and unbeaten mare Autumn Glow drawing the extreme outside gate in a field of 14.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
Equimillion This Long Weekend – Draws and Start Lists
Racing NSW have their annual Equimillion event coming up this long weekend at Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park and for people interested in off the trackers it’s a showcase for the sport, so let’s take a look at who’s who in the zoo.
Kiwi Stayer Chasing Melbourne Cup Golden Ticket
Wolfgang, who races as Mister Wolfgang in Australia, will get his first opportunity to earn a golden ticket into the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he heads to Flemington on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Monday September 29
Here is the full list of 22 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Karaka Million Dreaming for Out of the Blue
Te Akau Racing marketing manager Julia-Rose Hayes has had plenty of success syndicating horses selected by her father, David Ellis, and that has continued with her latest syndicate.
Jenni The Pride of Trelawney
Comeback mare Pride Of Jenni has given Trelawney Stud a number of reasons to look forward to the spring after a dashing victory in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night.
She's Unusual Keeps Good Times Rolling
Continued success with resident stallion Unusual Suspect and their racing team has kept Nigel and Adaire Auret busier than they may have envisaged, but without any complaints.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Tara Talks Racing - Insights from a Legend - Darren Beadman
Beiwacht upstaged his more fancied rivals to win the $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose last Saturday in course record breaking style to become the hottest colt in Australia giving us the opportunity to chat to a legend that has been very much involved in his story so far.