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.
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.
“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.
