Is He the Next Superstar for Te Akau?

Need I Say More (No Nay Never) produced one of the New Zealand spring’s standout three-year-old performances in Saturday’s $100,000 Group Two James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa. 

Raced by the Te Akau Never Say Die Syndicate, the $130,000 Karaka 2019 purchase has now won four of his five starts for $145,800 in stakes to date.

After victories in all of his first three starts including the Group Three Waikato Stud Slipper (1200m) and Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), Need I Say More lost his perfect record with an unlucky last-start fourth in the Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).

But he bounced back in emphatic style at Te Rapa on Saturday, going straight to the lead under jockey Johnathan Parkes and running his rivals into the ground. Need I Say More produced an explosive kick at the top of the straight and left the chasers in his dust, powering away to win by two and a half lengths.

“He had his ears pricked and came up underneath me at the 600 metres,” Parkes said. “Turning for home, I had stacks of horse and he kicked really well to win the race. I think he’s a massive chance in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). Going forward over a mile against his own age group, he’ll certainly take some beating.”

Need I Say More is the second Sarten winner in the last three years to be trained by Jamie Richards and bought at Karaka by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis. The 2018 winner was Sword Of Osman (NZ) (Savabeel).

“I’m so pleased that I bought Need I Say More from Eion Kemp,” Ellis said. “He is a fantastic specimen, never looked better, and gives Te Akau a great chance of winning our seventh 2000 Guineas.”

Gallant runner-up Bourbonaire (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is also a Karaka graduate, bought for $120,000 from Book 1 of Karaka 2019. He is now a dual Group Two placegetter from just four career starts, having also finished second in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas.

The next generation of outstanding New Zealand thoroughbred talent will be showcased in Karaka 2021, starting with Book 1, which runs across three days from Sunday 24 January. That will be followed by Book 2 from Wednesday 27 through to Friday 29 January.