Ready To Run Sale Produces Another Good One

Media Release - Sunday October 7

New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale has unearthed numerous big-race performers in recent years, and a dominant victory in Saturday's $70,000 Group 3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings has set Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) up to join them.

Te Akau SharkThe number-one Sale of its kind in Australasia, the Ready to Run Sale has an impressive honour roll of 17 Group 1 winners includingMongolian Khan(Holy Roman Emperor),Gingernuts(NZ) (Iffraaj),Vin De Dance(NZ) (Roc de Cambes),Turn Me Loose(NZ) (Iffraaj),Gaultier(NZ) (Rios),Dukedom(NZ) (Bachelor Duke) andHall Of Fame(NZ) (Savabeel).

Te Akau Shark was bought for $230,000 at the 2016 Ready to Run Sale by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, a perennial leading buyer at the National Yearling Sales Series and an increasingly major Ready to Run player. He also bought Gingernuts and Hall Of Fame.

Te Akau Shark began his career with two wins last spring before a close fourth in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. That remains his only defeat, having begun his four-year-old season with spectacular back-to-back wins at Hastings.

On Saturday he came from a long way off the pace, giving the leaders as much as 12 lengths as they ran down the side of the track. But he produced an electrifying turn of foot in the straight to charge to the lead and power away to win by three lengths.

"He won really well, he couldn't have been much more impressive," trainer Jamie Richards said. "I was a little bit worried at the 700 with the amount of ground he was giving them, but it didn't matter in the end. He's a very progressive horse.

Advertisement

"This is a fantastic result for a great group of owners. Quite a few of them have come over from Australia for this, and they're all wearing their shark hats – it's a bit of fun."

Owned by a group that includes several Cronulla Sharks rugby league players, Te Akau Shark has had five starts for four wins and $107,875 in stakes.

The 2018 Ready to Run Sale will be held at Karaka on November 21 and 22, with Breeze Ups at Te Rapa Racecourse on October 15 and 16.

Vendor Premier Sale: Leanach Lodge LtdReady to Run Sale: Lyndhurst Farm
Purchaser Ready to Run Sale: Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding Rip Van Winkle – Bak da Chief
Sale Lot 187, 2016 Premier Sale, Psd (Res $70,000)Lot 72, 2016 Ready to Run Sale, $230,000
Bred by D B Hollinshead
Advertisment
More Reading...
First Winner for Peltzer
A fast Group II winning son of So You Think, Peltzer retired to Twin Hills Stud in 2021 and with his oldest progeny just two year-olds he posted his first ever winner on ANZAC Day with a debut victory for Tom Vegas.
Zoustar share headlines capacity April (Late) catalogue
A share in Champion sire Zoustar headlines a ‘full’ Inglis Digital April (Late) Online Sale which also features a dominant last start winner ideal for Australian or Hong Kong racing and many quality drafts from the country’s leading stud farms and racing stables.
Karaka Graduate Green Energy Finds Top Form
The Danny Shum-trained Green Energy, a New Zealand-bred son of Rip Van Winkle, returned from an eight-month injury absence to win Monday’s public holiday feature at Sha Tin, the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (1200m).
First Stakes-Winner for Microphone
When Darley released their service fees earlier this week, Microphone was absent from the 2025 roster and a quick check on Studbook shows he has been exported to the USA, but the son of Exceed and Excel was in the winner’s list on ANZAC Day producing his first stakes-winner.
Maiden Wins G2 Eight Carat
The tag of New Zealand’s best maiden was emphatically stripped from the shoulders of exciting three-year-old Jennifer Eccles when she stormed past her female age group rivals to take out the Group II SKYCITY Eight Carat Classic (1600m) in the hands of visiting rider James McDonald.
One to Watch - Flemington
Unbeaten this year with four successive wins, this four year-old gelding is a horse going places with a facile victory at Flemington on ANZAC Day stamping him as a possible spring contender.
New SW for Rip Van Winkle
On a day where she tasted Group One success with Gaultier in the Levin Classic (1600m) in 2017, Matamata trainer Danica Guy was at it again when she produced Germanicus to take out Group III  Bluestar Anniversary Handicap (1600m).
Kiwi Bred Wins Titanic Battle to Win VRC St Leger
The winner of the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) is often destined to chase a Derby next and that’s the case for Tivaci gelding American Wolf, who won the $200,000 staying test at Flemington on ANZAC Day.
Hayes Family Chases Historic HK Double with Kiwi Breds
As the spotlight turns to Sha Tin for FWD Champions Day, the Hayes family stands on the verge of an extraordinary feat in international racing.
Te Akau Shark Ready for Aussie Debut
Exciting New Zealand galloper Te Akau Shark will kick-off his spring campaign in Australia on Saturday where he will contest the Group II Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick in front of some of his local owners, including Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Captain Paul Gallen.