Te Akau TV - 2025 Group 1 Vibes
Date: 3 Jan 2025
Group 1 Vibes for 2025 Have Arrived
It’s the first week of 2025, and the first Group 1 race of the year is upon us! A quality weekend of racing awaits, with Te Akau runners set to compete at Te Aroha, Trentham, and Stony Creek in Victoria, heading into Monday's Otaki meeting.
Since our last update, we've celebrated four fantastic wins: Brazen Affair at Taupo, Puketiro, Top Shelf at Tauranga, and Scottie’s Legacy in Victoria just yesterday.
This latest track success takes our season's tally to impressive new heights!
Our Te Akau trainers, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, have had an outstanding season so far:
- 67 wins in New Zealand, leading the Trainers’ Premiership by 28 wins.
- The first stable to earn $3 million for our owners
- Four Group/Listed victories in New Zealand, including the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas and Group 3 NZ Cup on the final day of the NZ Cup Carnival
- 13 wins in Australia, including five Group/Listed races, with A$1.46 million in prize money
In total, that’s nine stakes' victories and NZ$4.68 million in stake money won for our owners, with only five months of this season complete.
Our stable’s exceptional strike rate reflects the dedication and expertise of our training team. This time of the year demands an 'all-hands-on-deck' approach, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to our hardworking teams in Matamata, Riccarton, Cranbourne, and at the farm. Their commitment ensures our horses receive the very best care as they prepare to race.
Looking ahead to the weekend's racing! First up, Waikato Stud’s Skew Wiff will take on the Group 1 TAB Telegraph at Trentham. She’s been working exceptionally well, and we’re excited to have Australian jockey Luke Currie engaged to ride the Savabeel mare. The team is hoping the weather holds off ahead of her Group 1 contest.
The action on Saturday will continue with the tidy duo My Lips Are Sealed and Talisker lining up in the Group 3 Rydges Wellington Airport Phar Lap Trophy.
Speaking of international jockey bookings, another exciting prospect sees Craig Williams take the reins on last-start Group 1 winner Captured By Love for the Group 1 Railway on Karaka Million's night, 25 January. This hugely anticipated twilight meeting promises to be a highlight of the summer racing calendar, and the team will be out in force.
Magic is in the air as the team – David, Mark, Reece, Karyn, and Marcus – have arrived on the Gold Coast for the upcoming Magic Millions Sale. We’re eager to identify and secure the next generation of champions to wear the iconic Te Akau tangerine.
This sale has been a very successful hunting ground for the stable, having bought Group 1 stars such as Imperatriz, Captured By Love, Sword of State, Move To Strike and many other top horses there. With our proven ability to deliver top-tier results - in fact recent independent research identified David as having the best global strike rate of buying stakes' winners - watch our website for our news and new purchases!
Best of luck to all our owners this weekend and beyond. Here’s to another stellar year of racing success! GO THE TANGERINE!