Te Akau Shark could provide National Rugby League legend Paul Gallen with a brief focus away from his hefty league schedule with the Cronulla Sharks next autumn if he lives up to expectations at Riccarton today.
Gallen, the veteran back-rower who is set to undergo his record-breaking 19th consecutive season with the Sharks, is a part-owner of Te Akau Shark, who will start an odds-on favourite in the $230,000 Gr.2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile (1600m).
Gallen has watched on from Sydney as Te Akau Shark, a son of Rip Van Winkle, has amassed a record of four wins from five starts, with his only defeat being when fourth to stablemate Embellish in last year's Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
Te Akau Shark goes into today's feature with a last-start win in the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings on October 6 and if he shapes up again he will be set for a campaign in Gallen's backyard of Sydney. "I believe he (Gallen) is coming over to see him run at Riccarton," trainer Jamie Richards said.
"Te Akau Shark will be going over there for the Sydney Autumn Carnival if he does well on Wednesday.
