Te Akau Shines at Matamata Awards

Te Akau Racing’s outstanding 2025/26 season has been recognised with five prestigious titles at the 2026 Matamata Racing Awards.

Champion Two-Year-Old Lara Antipova, Champion Three-Year-Old Belle Cheval and Champion Jumper Leaderboard were joined on the honours list by Champion Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson and Champion Apprentice Hayley Hassman.

Since establishing its Matamata Racecourse stable in 1988, Te Akau has grown to become New Zealand’s leading racing operation. This latest collection of awards reflects another exceptional season for the horses, owners and people behind the tangerine team.

Lara Antipova - Champion Two-Year-Old

Unbeaten in four appearances throughout an outstanding juvenile season, Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution - Artistic Lass, by Myboycharlie) received the R. C. Blake Champion Two-Year-Old Award.

Her success secured Te Akau the coveted juvenile title for the ninth consecutive year.

Owned by the Fortuna Lara Antipova Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Lara Antipova was purchased for A$100,000 by Sir David Ellis and Fortuna Racing from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Simply outstanding throughout her two-year-old campaign, Lara Antipova completed her perfect season with a brilliant victory in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), becoming Te Akau’s ninth winner of the prestigious race.

Her victory followed that of Return To Conquer (Snitzel), who recorded a milestone 100th Group One success for Te Akau when winning the race in 2025. Return To Conquer now stands his first season at Waikato Stud.

Lara Antipova also provided Te Akau with its sixth victory in the Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and an 11th win in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), confirming her position as the standout juvenile of her generation.

Belle Cheval - Champion Three-Year-Old

Group One star Belle Cheval (Savabeel - Keepa Cheval, by Keeper) was crowned the J. C. Tucker Champion Three-Year-Old, securing Te Akau’s seventh victory in the category.

The only New Zealand-trained Group One winner in Australia last season, Belle Cheval continued to rise through the ranks during an exceptional three-year-old campaign.

After suffering a narrow defeat in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (Restricted Listed, 1500m), she gained an emphatic measure of redemption when winning the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney.

The performance completed her progression from exciting prospect to elite Group One performer.

Belle Cheval’s season also included victories in the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) and Group 3 Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m), together with a placing in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

Bred by Archer Investments, Belle Cheval is owned by DL Archer, SC Archer, NN Micarone and DJ Wright.

Leaderboard - Champion Jumper

One of Te Akau’s most remarkable and enduring performers, Leaderboard (Street Cry - Flower Fairy, by Dynaformer) received the T. W. Brown Champion Jumper Award.

The 11-year-old retired from racing following a brave second, beaten only a head, in the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) at Te Rapa on 13 June.

His jumping career was highlighted by victory in the Australian Grand National Steeplechase (4500m), where he led home a history-making trifecta for Te Akau trainer Mark Walker.

Leaderboard defeated stablemates The Mighty Spar (Savabeel) and Prismatic (Savabeel) in the Grand National after the same trio had amassed six wins - two apiece - and four seconds from 13 starts over fences during the previous season.

Owned by the Fortuna Leaderboard Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin), Leaderboard was purchased at the Tattersalls Sale in the United Kingdom in October 2018.

His 13 career victories yielded more than $1 million in prize money and his Champion Jumper title provides a fitting final accolade for a horse who distinguished himself through his class, courage and longevity.

Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson - Champion Trainers

Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were again presented with the D. J. O’Sullivan Champion Trainer Award, delivering Te Akau its 10th local trainers’ title.

The award followed another premiership-winning season for the partnership and continued an extraordinary period of sustained success for the stable.

Walker set new benchmarks in 2022/23 when he smashed all previous New Zealand records with 203 wins and more than $8.25 million in prize money.

Joined in partnership by Bergerson the following season, the pair recorded 169 wins in 2023/24 - the second-highest tally in New Zealand racing history. That total included 63 South Island victories and accompanied $8 million in prize money.

In 2024/25, Walker and Bergerson secured another Trainers’ Premiership with 131 wins. Their tally featured 50 victories from Te Akau’s Riccarton stable, which earned the title of leading South Island trainer, together with 18 stakes victories, three at Group One level, and more than $9.2 million in prize money.

The momentum continued throughout 2025/26 as the partnership secured Te Akau’s 17th National Trainers’ Premiership and its seventh consecutive title.

Walker and Bergerson prepared 135 winners during the season, including 19 stakes victories and three Group One wins, while amassing $8.28 million in prize money.

They finished with a commanding 33-win advantage over their nearest premiership rival. Te Akau’s South Island stable contributed 46 victories, including six at stakes level, to retain the South Island Trainer of the Year title.

Hayley Hassman - Champion Apprentice

Te Akau apprentice Hayley Hassman was again recognised with the Lindsay Family Champion Apprentice Award.

The latest accolade continues an exciting rise for the talented 20-year-old, who was also presented with the Toby Autridge Trophy for Most Promising First-Year Apprentice at the Milan Park 2025 Northern Region Apprentice Jockey Awards.

Hassman finished the 2025/26 season 11th on the New Zealand jockeys’ table and ranked as the country’s third-leading apprentice.

She recorded 59 victories and rode the winners of more than $1.6 million in prize money during an outstanding season in the saddle.

The five Matamata titles provide another proud chapter in Te Akau’s history and recognise achievement across every level of the operation - from an unbeaten juvenile and an Australian Group One-winning filly to a champion jumper, premiership-winning trainers and one of New Zealand’s most promising young riders.

Each award also reflects the enormous contribution made by Te Akau’s owners, riders and dedicated stable teams throughout New Zealand and Australia, whose collective commitment continues to drive the success of the tangerine.