Three outstanding Group winners from the all conquering Te Akau Racing operation will be star acts at the 2026 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale at the Gold Coast when offered in the Newgate Consignment.
The trio are Group I winners Captured by Love (Written Tycoon) and Quintessa (Shamus Award), plus recent stakes winner My Lips Are Sealed (Ace High).
“Te Akau is delighted to present three outstanding broodmare prospects at this year’s Magic Millions National Sale, with two further mares online (International Virtual Section),” Te Akau’s Principal David Ellis CNZM said.
“They are mares with proven performance, quality pedigrees and the physical attributes we believe are so important when selecting future broodmares.”
Quintessa is a Group winner on both sides of the Tasman and has twice been successful at G1 level.
She won the Group I Levin Classic at three, having earlier that season swept the Group III Gold Trail Stakes. A brilliant Melbourne campaign was next where she won the Group III Cockram Stakes, was a nose second in the Group II Alister Clark Stakes and twice fourth in G1 races.
She returned to New Zealand next and scored a brilliant win in the Group I Proisir Plate at Ellerslie. The field was a crack line-up with those behind her including top liners La Crique, Legarto and Waitak.
“Quintessa is a dual Group One winning mare with a tremendous turn of foot and always displayed a very strong will to win,” Ellis noted. “She was a high class performer winning six races and over $1.1 million in stakes.
“There’s a lot of quality about her – she’s by Shamus Award and has a lot of her sire about her – strength, athleticism and toughness. Her Group One wins in the Levin Classic and this season’s Proisir Plate, particularly her sublime performance from last to first, really showcased her ability. She’s a genuine, tough mare who was a real competitor at the top level.”
A four time winner at two from six starts – Captured by Love was third at G1 level in the other two and was one of the best of her generation both at two and three.
After three eye catching placings in Group races at three she beat Alabama Lass and co when an easy winner in the Group I New Zealand 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
“Captured By Love is a magnificent, scopy Written Tycoon mare and a real standout physically – exactly the type you want to take into the breeding barn,” Ellis said.
“She showed tremendous tenacity and courage on the track, winning seven races including the Group One, and was a stakes winner from two through to five. She was also Group One placed as a juvenile in both the Sistema Stakes and Sires’ Produce Stakes, and her consistency at the highest level really highlights her quality.”
My Lips Are Sealed won the Group III Phar Lap Trophy at Trentham in emphatic style last year won the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes at Matamata in February.
“My Lips Are Sealed is a lovely mare and very typical of the High Chaparral sire line,” Ellis pointed out. “She has great length, strength and presence, and all the makings of a quality broodmare.”
The trio of outstanding Te Akau Racing mares will be part of a quality packed Newgate Consignment.
“From a very young age, I have admired David Ellis as one of the absolute elite operators in our industry,” Newgate’s Managing Director Henry Field said.
“It goes without saying that we are honoured to be consigning these exceptional mares on behalf of Te Akau at the 2026 Magic Millions National Sale.”
