General Information
- Title
- Lake Takapuna (IRE)
- Year
- 2011
- Sex
- Gelding
- Colour
- Bay
- Pedigree
- Shantou (USA) - Close to Shore (IRE)
- Owner
- Neil and Sally Ewart, Wilson Graham, Colin Kesson, David and Margaret Hughes, Darren Arthur and The Craig Farm Syndicate
Winner of five races hurdle and chase in UK and Ireland (including a handicap chase win at Leopardstown). He won first time out after wind surgery with Rachael McDonald at Kelso 2021 in a class 3 0-130 beating Cool Mix and a good second at Doncaster to Caroline’s Charm 125 rated jumping superbly. Unlucky in May 2021 to be beaten a nose back at Kelso. He picked up an injury and has now been given the time. A fun horse to have into the syndicate and we hope like Civil Unrest, he will come into his own again in his twilight.
Shantou was a top-class performer at 12-14 furlongs and won the St. Leger and the Princess of Wales Stakes when trained by John Gosden. He died aged 28 and he has proved a very successful sire of National Hunt horses with 56% winners to runners, including Shantou Flyer, Beware the Bear and The Storyteller.
The Dam Close to Shore has produced four foals including Lake Takapuna and they have won a total of 13 races including Drop The Anchor, Mr Shantu, Henrietta Bell and Shore Shanty so fair to say that she was a golden goose!