Te Akau TV - Double Group 1 energy loading… Ellerslie & Caulfield!
17 October, 2025
It’s a Group 1 weekend ahead in Australia and New Zealand - one of the biggest weekends in Australasian racing. Get your spot early, because Saturday is going to be a wild ride for racing enthusiasts!
We’re heading into another huge Trans-Tasman weekend of racing, with the Group 1 Livamol Classic at Ellerslie and the Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield headlining an action-packed few days for the team.
Before we get into the weekend’s excitement, let's check out our great week of results - highlighted by a Saturday double.
With a wing on every hoof, Cool Aza Rene (3 f Cool Aza Beel – Irene, by Xtravagant) was an emphatic winner of the $100,000 Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) on Saturday at Ashburton - our 9th winner of this race!
Winning four of five starts last season as a two-year-old and crowned Champion South Island 2YO of the Year, she was given a short freshen after contesting the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes. Ridden by Brazilian jockey Bruno Queiroz, Cool Aza Rene is her sire's second Group winner and is on a path to the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas. Our other starters Belle Du Monde and Origin of Love both acquitted themselves well for fourth and fifth, without much luck.
We also celebrated victory with Court Of Appeal for the Fortuna Racing team - and she will now head to the Listed Metropolitan, and all well through to the NZ Cup - the double recorded by Te Akau trained mare Mehzebeen!
Looking to the weekend, we begin on home turf with Matamata Cup day, where My Lips Are Sealed lines up in the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600 m). A genuine mare who loves her home track, she’ll be looking to add another black type victory to her consistent record.
Then comes the Saturday everyone’s been waiting for - all eyes turn to Ellerslie for one of the feature meetings of Spring, with nine runners stepping out across a blockbuster programme of racing. The Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) sees promising filly Queen’s Evidence back in stakes' company - with two stakes' placiongs already to her credit, she too has an eye on the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas.
Then it’s on to the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040 m), where Quintessa represents the stable at the highest level. She’s flying the flag for the team and brings plenty of class and determination to the feature. With a Group 1 already up her sleeve this season, she looks a genuine chance once again despite drawing 11 of 11. A strong supporting cast of progressive types line up throughout the card - your Saturday at the Big E is well covered!
Across the Tasman at Caulfield and beyond, there's plenty to look foreward to. It’s a massive Saturday in Melbourne as the Spring carnival swings into action - Chateau Eze lines up in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas - a huge moment for our Melbourne stable as she chases elite honours. She’s joined by last-start winner Mcwoody, Future Frankie, and Geegees Mistruth who also chase black type honours across a quality Caulfield programme.
Our Cranbourne stable will also be represented at Bendigo with Sky Sista while the weekend wraps up on Sunday as Corps D’Elite looks to continue her good form at Ashburton.
From Matamata Cup Day to Group 1 honours on the line at Ellerslie and Caulfield, the tangerine team is in full force this weekend.
Good luck to all our owners and connections - GO THE TANGERINE!