Te Akau TV Returns!
Date: 22 Aug 2024
Hold on tight! The 2024/25 racing season is galloping your way!
It's that time of year again and we're back with Te Akau TV for the new season!
The 2024/25 season is already starting to heat up with our yearlings, now 2YO trailblazers, alongside our older team of horses all ready to set their sights on the winning post. We’ve had a busy few weeks of trials and bringing horses back into work, which has made the last few cooler weeks pass by a lot faster for our team each morning. Based on what we’re seeing behind the scenes in the stable, we’re confident that there are some notable names you’ll be hearing more about in the coming months. It doesn’t get better than that, and we’re excited to unleash some serious horse power potential. We've also celebrated five winners so far this season - Not Straight Laced, Moon Rocket and French Rose who gave us a perfect Riccarton treble as well as What You Wish For and Trobriand at Taupo yesterday.
The weekends racing kicks off for the team on Friday heading to Awapuni. A special passenger, Poppy the pony, will be making her way down the line, as she has a pretty important job accompanying Luxuriant to the races. Poppy has been a lucky charm, parting from Mark Walker's daughter to travel with Luxuriant, who has, in fact, won every start when Poppy has been her raceday companion. Cheer them on as the cutest duo of all! Interestingly, last start when Luxuriant was out of the money, we reckon it was because Poppy was at home, feeling a bit of colour. However, the gal pals are reunited, with Malmaison along for support!
On Saturday we’re excited to have five runners at Te Rapa, with eyes on the Group 2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate. As always, we expect a strong field, with contenders gearing up for the Hawkes Bay Carnival which is just around the corner. Our Group 1 girls, Romancing The Moon and Skew Wiff, are ready to follow in the footsteps of past Te Akau stars like Avantage, Imperatriz, and Melody Belle, all previous winners of the Foxbridge Plate.
The black-type action continues across the ditch, with Sans Doute lining up in the Listed Paramount Liquor Carlyon Stakes at The Valley. She’s got a winning spirit, and we’re backing her from home.
In the South, Te Akau is set to light up Riccarton with five runners. Did you know our southern stable has produced 64 winners last season, making it the South Island's leading stable? Our southern strike rate is exceptional, so keep an eye on the card down the line.
Sunday brings the Australian Grand National action at Ballarat for Leaderboard and just one runner in Singapore as we are set to farewell Singapore racing in the first week of October.
Wishing all of our owners and connections the best of luck — it’s great to be back, and from this weekend onwards, it’s go time! GO THE TANGERINE!