Te Akau Duo Chases Group 3 Honours

Two stakes-winning three-year-olds carry Te Akau’s black type hopes this Saturday, with Sweetest Thing and Zafar lining up in the $100,000 Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes over 1400 metres at Ashburton - a race Te Akau has won nine times, most recently with Cool Aza Rene in 2025.

Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, the pair heads into another important Spring assignment as attention builds towards November’s New Zealand Cup Week. Te Akau apprentice Hayley Hassman partners Sweetest Thing, while Jim Chung takes the ride aboard Zafar.

Sweetest Thing made an immediate impression for Te Akau and her new owners Glentree Racing when winning the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton on 12 September. The Hello Youmzain filly showed determination under Wiremu Pinn, finding room in the straight before fighting out a close finish to secure her first stakes victory.

Already Group 1 placed after finishing runner-up to Seize The Day in last season’s Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, Sweetest Thing brings proven quality to Saturday’s contest. The return to 1400 metres takes her back to the distance of that Group 1 performance, with the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas remaining a spring target.

By Hello Youmzain out of the Sea The Stars mare Ocean Drive, she has given her connections a top class start to her three-year-old season. Saturday provides another opportunity to build on that black type success as her preparation progresses. Hayley takes the reins from barrier 14, with 55kg allocated.

Stablemate Zafar is another to have made his mark early, winning the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes at Riccarton on debut in May.

The Snitzel colt out of Zasorceress was purchased by Sir David Ellis and Fortuna Racing for $165,000 from Kilgravin Lodge at the 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.

His debut success under Opie Bosson ONZM rewarded the confidence of the team in asking him to tackle stakes' company at his first start, delivering a memorable result for his Fortuna Racing owners.

Zafar’s southern campaign has been planned with the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas in mind. Based with Hunter Durrant and our Riccarton team, he now tackles another test against his own age group as that November target draws closer. Jim partners him from barrier 10, carrying 57kg.

With both above horses already stakes' winners, Saturday offers the chance to add further stakes' victories. Best of luck to the connections of Sweetest Thing and Zafar, and to our southern team as another exciting Spring weekend gets underway!