Te Akau TV - GEE It's A Group 1 Weekend

Te Akau TV returns as the team takes us inside three exciting days of racing on both sides of the Tasman.

Eleven runners will carry the Tangerine team across Mornington, Ellerslie, Sandown, Timaru and Bendigo from Friday through to Sunday. Headlining the action is Group One star Geegees Mistruth, who launches her spring campaign in Saturday’s A$750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes - a race Imperatriz won for Te Akau in track-record time in 2023.

THREE VICTORIAN WINNERS IN FOUR DAYS

Te Akau Australia heads into the weekend in outstanding form after Astari, Sheanadh and Tolaga Bay delivered three victories in just four days.

What a remarkable 48 hours it was for apprentice Liana Wood - two rides for Te Akau Australia and two outstanding wins! It began aboard Astari at Echuca on Sunday, where Liana produced a perfectly judged winning ride that earned her the BetNation Australia Ride of the Day honours from Racing.com.

Two days later, she continued the momentum aboard Sheanadh at Wodonga. After allowing the mare to find her feet, Liana moved forward approaching the home turn before Sheanadh quickened beautifully and sustained a strong finish to win first-up.

Liana is an important member of our Cranbourne team, riding regular trackwork and putting in the work behind the scenes each morning. It was wonderful to see that dedication rewarded on race day, with her growing confidence and decision-making shining through.

“Mark and Ben have been huge supporters of mine. They have a great team at Te Akau and great riders, so well done to everyone at home,” Liana said.

Congratulations to Liana, Mark Walker, Ben Gleeson, our entire Cranbourne team, Astari’s connections and Seymour Bloodstock, owners of Sheanadh.

UNBEATEN TOLAGA BAY ADDS TO THE MOMENTUM

The winning run continued at Sandown on Wednesday, where exciting three-year-old filly Tolaga Bay resumed with a courageous victory. For her Fortuna ownership team.

Ridden positively by former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee, Tolaga Bay travelled comfortably before quickening strongly in the straight and showing real determination when challenged late.

Now unbeaten in two starts, the Alabama Express filly has earned her opportunity at black-type level. She is expected to progress towards either the Group 2 Thousand Guineas Prelude or Listed Jim Moloney Stakes, with the A$1.5 million Group 1 Thousand Guineas her major spring target.

The victory brought up three winners from three runners presented by Mark Walker across four days and lifted Te Akau Australia to an impressive 20% winning strike rate in Victoria this season.

It is a strong reflection of the placement, preparation and teamwork driving an excellent beginning to 2026/27.

GEEGEE, THERE’S GROUP 1 ACTION AT SANDOWN!

The feature event of the weekend sees Geegees Mistruth return to action in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Sandown. It is a race our Australian team knows well. Adding to the occasion, we are thrilled to have champion jockey Blake Shinn back aboard for Te Akau following his injury-enforced break. Blake has celebrated many memorable successes with the team, including partnering Damask Rose to victory in the inaugural NZ$3.5 million NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie.

The talented mare produced one of last season’s great highlights when winning the A$1 million Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville delivering Te Akau its second Australian Group One victory of the season - Belle Cheval providing the other when claiming the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney.

Saturday marks the beginning of another important campaign for Geegees Mistruth, with further elite sprinting targets awaiting her throughout the Melbourne spring. We wish Elizabeth, Ben and Braden all the very best with Geegees Mistruth this weekend - it is an incredible achievement for them, having also bred their Group 1 girl.

She leads a busy trans-Tasman weekend for Te Akau, with runners competing across five meetings from Friday through to Sunday.

THE WEEKEND AHEAD IN NEW ZEALAND

Saturday’s Ellerslie team features Asturia in the opening three-year-old event, followed by With A Vengeance, Origin Of Love and Towering Vision. The quartet provides plenty of interest as our New Zealand horses continue building towards their spring targets.

Attention then turns south to Timaru on Sunday, where Cognoscenti, Never Too Much, Dream Of The Moon and Cool In Command will fly the Tangerine flag, with Hayley Hassman taking the reins aboard all four runners.

CELEBRATING THE 2025/26 SEASON - AND LOOKING AHEAD

Away from the track, there is also plenty to celebrate. Te Akau collected five titles at the recent Matamata Racing Awards, with Lara Antipova named Champion Two-Year-Old, Belle Cheval Champion Three-Year-Old, Leaderboard Champion Jumper, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson Champion Trainers, and Hayley Hassman Champion Apprentice.

Attention now turns to Sunday’s New Zealand Horse of the Year Awards, where Te Akau will again be proudly represented. Lara Antipova and Seize The Day are nominated for Champion Two-Year-Old, Belle Cheval for Champion Three-Year-Old, Leaderboard for Champion Jumper, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson for Trainer of the Year, and Opie Bosson ONZM for Jockey of the Year.

Several valued Te Akau supporters are also finalists for Owner of the Year, while each of our equine finalists is eligible for the ultimate Horse of the Year title.

Having already won 82 New Zealand Horse of the Year titles - including the overall Horse of the Year crown in five of the past seven years - we wish all our nominees and their connections the very best for Sunday evening!

Best of luck to all our runners and connections across New Zealand and Australia this weekend. Go the Tangerine!