The announcement just over 12 months ago of Te Akau's expansion into Singapore brought an expectation that their local fortunes would suffer.
The move by champion trainer Mark Walker to Singapore, taking many of Te Akau's top horses with him, was expected to create a chink in Te Akau's New Zealand armour, to end a period of dominance in New Zealand racing that has seen them win countless major races - many at Hastings - and to bring them back to the pack.
But even the most reasonable and logical expectations can be proven wrong.
In his first season at the helm, Jason Bridgman has proven himself to be an exceptional trainer in his own right. He has won 47 races - 7 at Group or listed level - and over $850,000 in stakes, helped admittedly by the sensational feats of Filly of the Year-elect King's Rose, who won four times at Group level.
And Bridgman's success hasn't stopped with the arrival of winter. Having brought just four horses south to race at Hastings yesterday, Bridgman helped himself to two wins and a second placing.
No doubt the most satisfying of yesterday's results for Bridgman would have been his win in the day's main race, the Farmers Transport Ltd Sprint, with Sans Souci - a filly whose fortunes he appears to be turning around after a disappointing season. Sans Souci was rated a rising star this time last year, but the Pins filly ended up racing just once between August and June.
She seems to be getting back on track now, though, having now won two races in a row.
But she certainly had to earn it yesterday - aided by the 3kg claim of promising apprentice jockey Dicky Lui, Boy Star got within a nose of defeating Sans Souci.
But as slender as the margin was, it was an impressive victory by the Te Akau filly, who has now won three of her five starts and also has a stakes placing to her name.
Bridgman's other win came with Special Encore, a well-bred Encosta De Lago gelding out of Wyndam Special who was having just his second raceday start. His stylish two-length win suggested better things may be ahead for this three-year-old.
Not to be outdone, one of the other big training stars of the season, John Bary, scored an impressive win with two-year-old first-starter Shuffln. The Hastings horseman, who has won in excess of $2.2 million this season - thanks in large part to three-time Group 1-winning stable star Jimmy Choux - now looks to have another talented galloper on his hands.
Shufflin was a class above his rivals yesterday, powering away to win by two and a half lengths.
In other news, another interesting two-year-old in Bary's stable has been given a name.
The gelding by King's Chapel out of Cierzo - a half-brother to Jimmy Choux - has been named Chouxshine.
His racing debut will be highly anticipated, although it may be some time away - the two-year-old has yet to trial.
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