A day at the races more than half a decade ago proved the catalyst for David Ellis to immerse himself in the bloodstock world.
While the Te Akau supremo always had a love of animals, his head wasn’t turned by thoroughbreds until a social outing in 1971.
“In my first year out of school I went to Flock House, an agricultural school nine miles out of Bulls, and the principal there was JJ Stewart who was the All Black coach,” Ellis said.
“He said you can have your first weekend off this year so go home for Easter.
“In those days you wrote letters, no emails or texts back then, and I wrote to my girlfriend in Auckland and said I’m coming up and what would you like to do.
“She said why don’t we go to the movies one day, the Easter Show and go to the races one day. I went with $12 in my pocket and that was enough in those days for a few bets, lunch and a few beers.
“I went home with $84 and I thought this is the greatest game in the word, I was just hooked from that day on.”
Ellis’ choice of career path was a unique one, given his background.
“I was born and bred and went to school in Auckland and am the only one in racing in my family,” he said.
After Flock House, Ellis gained a Diploma Degree in Agriculture, which required three years practical farming experience, from Massey University in 1975.
“I finished uni and bought my first farm in 1979 and subsequently bought eight neighbours out,” he said.
“It went from 500 acres to 4000 and now we winter 2200 cattle, 2600 breeding ewes, 900 ewe hoggets and about 150 horses.”
The racing side of the powerful Te Akau operation was spawned following a solitary celebration.
“When I won my first race in 1978 (Magnum), I raced the horse on lease with my trainer Bill Ford,” Ellis said.
“Afterwards, he said he had to saddle up his next runner and I was there having a drink on my own and thought this isn’t much fun, I would much rather race horses with other people and that’s how I did it.
“I bought my first property in Matamata in 1986, and appointed Roger James as my first trainer.”
Ellis and his Te Akau operation have enjoyed remarkable success across New Zealand and Australia and in the now defunct jurisdiction of Singapore.
“We’ve had 406 black type wins and 103 Group 1 wins and all bar five I’ve either bred or bought,” he said.
Ellis’ achievements were acknowledged in 2017 when awarded New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s Outstanding Contribution to Racing Award, in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours List he was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) and in 2025 was inducted into the NZ Racing Hall of Fame.
He has dominated the buying bench at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for the last two decades, which has translated into an extraordinary record in the juvenile event attached to the sale.
Te Akau has won eight of the last nine editions of the Listed Karaka Millions 2YO Classic.
“One of the other things I love most is seeing young people that have got talent be given opportunities,” he said.
“Mark Walker came to work for me when he left school and there’s also been Jamie Richards and now Sam Bergerson, Reece Trumper and Hunter Durant, who runs our South Island stable.”
Q & A
Do you remember the first horse you bought?
“It was a Sovereign Edition filly called Te Akau Princess and Bill Ford told me it was the slowest horse he’d ever trained. I bought her for $60,000 and sold her for $450,000 because she was such a beautifully bred filly.”
Do you have any sale day or race day superstitions?
“No, not at all.”
Best horse(s) you’ve ever bought or being associated with?
“Imperatriz (A$360,000), Melody Belle ($57,500) and Avantage ($210,000) won 33 Group 1 races between them. Then there’s Probabeel ($380,000) and Te Akau Shark ($230,000). Gingernuts ($42,500) would have gone to the next level too if hadn’t hurt himself and he’s still enjoying life on the farm.”
Best value for money purchase(s)?
“King’s Chapel was a $35,000 purchase and was the Horse of the Year and Te Akau Nick was $40,000.”
Do you have a favourite nick/cross when sourcing yearlings?
“I do a lot of research on crosses and love a broodmare sire like Fastnet Rock.”
Favourite current sire and of yesteryear?
“We’ve had more success winning Group races with Savabeel than anyone else and Encosta De Lago is an old favourite.”
Most memorable day at the races?
“When Distinctly Secret won the Kelt and one day in Sydney we won two Group 1s in half an hour with Probabeel and Te Akau Shark.”
