Te Akau TV - Group 1 Weekend Preview

THREE WINNERS, GUINEAS' HOPES & A GROUP 1 SATURDAY FOR THE TANGERINE!

Cup Week is here! With Asturia and Sweetest Thing lining up in the Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas and Geegees Mistruth taking on the Champions' Sprint at Flemington, Saturday brings Group 1 opportunities on both sides of the Tasman.

There is plenty to celebrate before the gates open again. Shemesh made a winning debut at Pakenham, Naval Command saluted on Melbourne Cup Day and Mark Him Down opened his account at Taupo on Thursday. Geegees Mistruth and Top Shelf also went close in Group 3 company, adding further valuable stakes' placings to their records.

In this week’s Te Akau TV, Sam Bergerson and Ben Gleeson talk through the runners, their preparations and share their weekend’s best bets. From our youngest horses starting their careers to our established performers tackling Spring features, there is plenty for our owners to follow. We also have our staff from Matamata feeding through their best bets ahead of our big weekend!

SHEMESH MAKES A WINNING FIRST IMPRESSION

Shemesh gave our Cranbourne team a great start to the weekend, winning the A$45,000 maiden for fillies and mares over 1400 metres at Pakenham on Friday.

Blake Shinn settled the daughter of The Autumn Sun off the pace before bringing her into the race on straightening. She sustained her run to score on debut, delivering an encouraging first result for owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir.

Mark was pleased with her performance, and Blake’s judgement was again spot on, with the filly expected to appreciate more ground as she develops. The Listed Twilight Glow Stakes at Sandown later this month is among the options being considered before a spell.

Congratulations to her owners, and Mark, Ben and our Cranbourne team. A winning debut over 1400 metres is a great career start.

GEEGEES MISTRUTH GOES CLOSE ON DERBY DAY

Geegees Mistruth gave her connections plenty to cheer about at Flemington on Saturday, finishing second in the Group 3 Asahi Super Dry Sprint over 1100 metres.

With William Pike aboard and carrying 59kg, our Group 1-winning mare finished just half a length behind Flying For Fun. It was another valuable stakes' placing for Elizabeth Geard Racing and an encouraging performance down the Flemington straight.

Earlier on the programme, I Am Aria finished fourth in the Group 3 Vanity over 1400 metres under Blake Shinn, following her consecutive stakes' seconds at Caulfield.

Competing during Melbourne Cup Week is always a significant occasion, and both mares represented the stable well on the opening day of the carnival.

NAVAL COMMAND SALUTES ON MELBOURNE CUP DAY

There was a winning moment for our Australian team on Tuesday, when Naval Command resumed with victory in the maiden 1300 metres at Wangaratta.

Dylan Dunn took the initiative from an inside draw, sending the colt forward before controlling the tempo. When the challengers arrived, Naval Command had plenty left and drew clear to win at just his second start.

By Home Affairs out of triple Group 1 winner Sea Siren, Naval Command was purchased by Sir David Ellis at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Racing in the famous Coolmore Stud colours, he rewarded his ownership group with a win on one of the biggest days in the racing calendar.

Mark and Ben had been pleased with his work and jump-outs leading into the race, making it particularly satisfying to see him deliver. Congratulations to his connections and the team, including strapper Adrian Hug.

TOP SHELF ADDS ANOTHER GROUP PLACING

Back at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup Day, Top Shelf continued her consistent preparation with a close second in the Group 3 Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes over 2000 metres.

Michael McNab partnered the Savabeel mare, who finished just 0.3 lengths behind El Vencedor, with Crocetti third. Following her recent Ellerslie victory, it was another very good result for the Fell family and her fellow owners.

Thumbelina also finished close up, placing third in the Rating 75 over 1300 metres under Michael, beaten only 0.4 lengths. Two competitive performances giving their connections plenty of encouragement for their assignments ahead.

MARK HIM DOWN DELIVERS AT TAUPO

The winning continued on Thursday, with Mark Him Down making a successful debut in the three-year-old maiden 1200 metres at Taupo.

Opie Bosson ONZM partnered the son of St Mark’s Basilica to a 1.7-length victory, turning the promise he had shown at the trials into a first-up win.

It was a pleasing introduction for the gelding and another rewarding result for Mark, Sam and our Matamata team. Congratulations to his owner Chris Grace!

Lady Margaery also earned a placing earlier on the card, finishing third in the fillies’ and mares’ maiden 1200 metres also with Opie aboard.

SEVEN GUINEAS' WINNERS - AND TWO FILLIES CHASING THE EIGHTH

Few meetings mean more to Te Akau than New Zealand Cup Week.

Our seven Group 1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas winners span almost two decades: Insouciant, King’s Rose, Costa Viva, Risque, Kahma Lass, The Perfect Pink and Captured By Love. Each brought a different group of owners to the Riccarton winner’s circle, each providing a day to remember.

That unparalleled record sits alongside seven victories in the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas, making it 14 wins across the two classics. It is a record built by outstanding horses and generations of dedicated owners, riders and team members.

This Saturday, Asturia and Sweetest Thing have their opportunity to add to that history.

ASTURIA AND SWEETEST THING TAKE THEIR GUINEAS' CHANCE

The $600,000 Group 1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas over 1600 metres is the centrepiece of Saturday’s opening Cup Week programme.

Asturia arrives on the back of her scintillating Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes victory at Ellerslie, having previously finished a close second in the Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas against the boys. The lightly raced Almanzor filly has made considerable progress in a short time, and Saturday presents her biggest assignment yet for the Te Akau Legacy Of Love Racing Partnership. Michael McNab retains the ride from barrier three.

Sweetest Thing joins her for Glentree Racing, having already won the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes during her southern campaign. Wiremu Pinn takes the ride from barrier 13.

Both fillies step up to a mile, with our owners and team eagerly awaiting the next chapter in their preparations. Best of luck to their connections, Mark, Sam, Hunter and everyone who has helped get them to this point.

A BUSY OPENING DAY AT RICCARTON

There are further stakes' opportunities throughout Saturday’s programme.

Trobriand and Charmrose contest the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes 1000 metres, while Dream Of The Moon lines up in the Group 3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes 1400 metres.

Court Of Appeal takes on the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy 2590 metres, adding a staying assignment to our southern programme.

Perlino and Cognoscenti are entered in the Rating 75 2000 metres, Callidonta in the maiden 1200 metres, and Queen’s Evidence in the Rating 75 1100 metres. Marokopa Falls and Novelette represent the team in the Rating 65 1200 metres.

It is a busy start to the carnival for assistant trainer Hunter and our permanent Riccarton team, whose hard work throughout the Spring helps prepare the horses for these important weeks.

GEEGEES MISTRUTH STEPS UP TO THE CHAMPIONS' SPRINT

Across the Tasman, Geegees Mistruth returns to Flemington for Saturday’s A$3 million Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint over 1200 metres.

Her Derby Day second provides an encouraging lead-in as she backs up in Group 1 company over 1200m.

The Champions' Sprint holds special memories for Te Akau, with Imperatriz winning the race with Opie Bosson in 2023. This year, Geegees Mistruth carries our hopes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Royal Rendezvous is also entered at Flemington in the 1100-metre handicap, while Stage ’N’ Screen also takes her place in the Benchmark 84 mile.

Lyrics ’N’ Song, Melody Belle’s little girl, opens the Australian weekend at Cranbourne on Friday.

We wish all our Australian connections, Mark, Ben and the Cranbourne team every success.

PLENTY TO FOLLOW IN THE NORTH

King’s English leads our Te Rapa stakes challenge in Saturday’s Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint over 1200 metres, with Hayley Hassman aboard.

Two-year-old Pick Up Artist is on debut over 1100 metres, while Sibling Rivalry contests the Rating 65 over 1200 metres.

Stella Ma Bella, Altari and War Of Succession line up in the Rating 75 over 1400 metres, followed by Towering Vision and Typhoon Lucy in the Rating 75 mile.

On Sunday, Power Of Pleasure and Geneva Queen head to Tauherenikau for their respective maiden and Rating 75 races over 1000 metres, with Hayley engaged for both.

BRING ON NZ CUP WEEK

Saturday is only the beginning at Riccarton, with racing continuing on Wednesday 11 November before New Zealand Cup Day and the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas on Saturday 14 November.

For our owners heading south, we look forward to seeing you on course and sharing the week together. For those following from home, Te Akau TV will bring you the latest from the stables, the runners to watch and the team’s weekend best bets.

Congratulations again to this past week's winning connections, and thank you to our teams at Matamata, Riccarton, Cranbourne and Te Akau Stud for the work you dedicate to every one of our horses.

Best of luck to everyone with a horse racing this weekend - especially the connections of Asturia, Sweetest Thing and Geegees Mistruth as they take on their Group 1 quests. And of course, Go the tangerine!