Racing: Walker poised to unleash stable stars

Tell A Tale is preparing for the Singapore Cup. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

You wonder where internationalisation will lead horse racing in the next 20 years.

Just as nearly a dozen international horses stand by in Victoria hoping to deny the Anzacs spots in the A$6 million Emirates Melbourne Cup, the powerful Te Akau Racing Stable launches its Singapore arm.

Where once trekking a horse from New Zealand to Australia was a big deal, horses are now flitting around the globe and showing up in remarkable places.

Te Akau has 25 horses settled in Singapore under its headline trainer, Mark Walker, and this weekend it begins to get serious.

Talented Tell A Tale will run over 1600m as his final lead-up to the S$3 million ($3.1 million) Singapore Cup and Corsage takes on a race which could launch her career into the headlines in her new base.

Walker is delighted with his progress since he arrived in Singapore a little more than a month ago.

"I'm blown away by how well the horses have done up here in a short space of time," he told the Herald yesterday.

"They're eating well, they're happy and they're working well."

The 1600m may prove a touch short for Tell A Tale this week, but it will fit him nicely for the middle distance of the Singapore Cup.

"I've been told he'll get just half a kilo above the minimum weight in the Singapore Cup so he should be very competitive," said Walker.

Tell A Tale looked headed to possibly be New Zealand's best racehorse when he put up a staggering performance to win the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

It seemed he couldn't win when awkwardly placed inside the 300m, but as only top-class horses do he somehow found a way to win regardless.

More recently in New Zealand, Tell A Tale seemed to develop the worrying habit of getting his head up slightly late in his races.

There is nothing like a change of environment when a horse loses focus and the likelihood is Tell A Tale will find his best form again in Singapore.

Corsage won only one race in New Zealand, but she was placed, often unluckily, in some top-class races.

"Because she's won only the one race she is going to be well handicapped here in Singapore," said Walker.

The stable in New Zealand will be sending another batch of horses to its Singapore base next month.

* AB O'Reilly brought tears to the eyes of a few when he won his first race at Te Aroha yesterday.

The AB initials are in memory of Alan Bremner, a longtime committee member of the Cambridge Jockey Club who died from cancer this year.

SINGAPORE ATTACK
* Te Akau Racing Stable is about to attack the Singapore scene.

* Tell A Tale and Corsage are setting themselves up this weekend.

* The stable of 25 horses will be increased significantly next month.