Te Akau TV Is Back
29 August, 2025
Welcome back to Te Akau TV for the very first edition of the 2025/26 season – and we’re kicking off in true tangerine style with Black Type racing action across Australia and New Zealand!
We’re coming off the back of another record-breaking season and we’re excited about lies ahead for this new one!
What a season 2024/25 was! We notched up our 100th Group 1 win, claimed the NZ Cup/1000 Guineas double, won both Karaka Millions, secured both Group 1 2YO races, and celebrated victory in the very first $3.5 million NZB Kiwi. To top it all off, we set a new New Zealand record for prizemoney – an incredible result for our loyal owners and a season that will be remembered for years to come.
This week we also celebrated success at the Matamata Racing Awards, the Club is the heart of one of the most important training centres in the country, so these awards are hotly contested.
Our training team of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson was named Trainer of the Year, a reflection of all the hard work, teamwork, and incredible results across the season. Our promising apprentice Hayley Hassman was also in the spotlight, receiving the apprentice honours for her 20 wins in the season. We were also delighted that our outstanding filly La Dorada was crowned the Matamata Training Centre 2024/25 Champion 2YO of the Year. Recognition like this highlights the quality of our horses and the dedication of the entire team behind them.
A new season brings fresh energy, and we’re straight back into Black Type action. In New Zealand, the talented To Bravery Born will step out in Listed company at Wanganui, while in Australia all eyes are on Damask Rose as she lines up in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes at Caulfield.
Te Akau is aiming for its third Cockram win - Quintessa won this race last year and Probabeel before her in 2021. It's special to see Damask Rose hunting Australian honours as she builds towards her Golden Eagle target in Sydney this November.
In Te Akau TV this week we catch up with Sam Bergerson and Racing Manager Michael Gray in New Zealand to run through the team heading to Riccarton and Wanganui, including To Bravery Born as a special guest ahead of his stakes' assignment. They also touch on our runners this Sunday at Te Aroha. Over in Australia, assistant trainer Ben Gleeson will bring us the latest from our Cranbourne stable with the spotlight firmly on Damask Rose as she takes her place in Group 3 company, continuing the Te Akau success in this race.
And of course, no Te Akau TV would be complete without our best bets for the weekend.
We’re delighted to have you with us as the new season begins. Here’s to another year of big wins, great memories, and plenty of Tangerine success. Best of luck to our runners and connections this weekend - we’re thrilled to hit the ground running. Bring it on! GO THE TANGERINE!
