Te Akau TV - Spring Weekend Preview

A WINNING WEEK & SPRING STAKES AHEAD

It’s been a week to celebrate for Team Te Akau, with winners on both sides of the Tasman, a special first for one of our young riders, and top honours at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards.

At Ellerslie, Asturia launched her racing career in style, overcoming early interference to produce an impressive debut victory against more experienced horses with Michael McNab aboard. With A Vengeance completed our winning double, returning with a commanding performance under Craig Grylls - giving both sets of owners plenty to look forward to this spring.

The winning form continued at Riccarton on Thursday, where Queen Of Naples delivered another determined performance under Te Akau apprentice Hayley Hassman. The homebred daughter of Darci Brahma showed her liking for the synthetic surface once again, recording her fourth victory at the course.

Te Akau Australia has made an outstanding start to the 2026/27 season, recording eight wins at an impressive 25.8% win rate, and 41.9% placing strike rate.

Koko’s thoroughly deserved maiden victory at Mornington with Jamie Mott brought up four consecutive winners for Mark Walker and our Cranbourne team. Lyrics ’N’ Song added to the celebrations at Seymour on Thursday, overcoming a tough trip to score under apprentice Stephanie Hateley. As the first foal of our much-loved, 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle, her success was particularly special for everyone at Te Akau.

We also celebrated a milestone for Te Akau apprentice Cooper Stumbles, who rode his first raceday winner at Wingatui. To achieve it at his home track, with his parents watching on, made the occasion all the more memorable. Congratulations, Cooper!

Away from the track, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson collected their third consecutive Trainer of the Year title - Te Akau's 17th in total, while Lara Antipova was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old following her unbeaten juvenile campaign.

Now attention turns to another busy few days, with racing at Taup? on Friday, followed by Riccarton, Hastings and Flemington on Saturday, before our New Zealand weekend concludes at Te Rapa on Sunday. The main concern will be the weather which we are on watch with!

FRIDAY RACING AT TAUPO

Six runners represent the stable at Taupo, with a mixture of promising debutants, returning runners and a new face making her first appearance for Te Akau.

Arrazola contests the maiden 1400 metres after a strong first-up third at the course, while Getupoffathatthing and State Of Play make their debuts together over 1100 metres. Both have shown promise at the trials, with Getupoffathatthing particularly impressive when winning his latest appearance at Waipa.

Rise To Power and The Queen’s Sword resume in the following 1100-metre maiden, before Dua Dance makes her stable debut in the Rating 60 over 1000 metres.

It will be an interesting afternoon as these horses take the next steps in their spring preparations.

CHAMPION LARA ANTIPOVA HEADLINES OUR FLEMINGTON TEAM

Fresh from being crowned New Zealand’s Champion Two-Year-Old, Lara Antipova returns to action in the A$175,000 Listed Michael Moroney over 1400 metres at Flemington.

The Fortuna Racing filly enjoyed an outstanding juvenile season, winning all four starts, including the Group 1 Sistema Stakes, Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes.

Her achievements made her Te Akau’s 13th Champion Two-Year-Old title winner - another proud milestone for her owners and everyone involved in her development.

Following her Australian debut in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield, Lara Antipova steps up in distance on Saturday. Mark has been pleased with her progress since that return, and she takes her place from barrier seven with two-time Melbourne Cup winning rider Mark Zahra aboard.

I Am Aria joins her at Flemington in the A$200,000 Cap D’Antibes Stakes over 1100 metres, drawing barrier three for our former apprentice Michael Dee.

The filly contributed to our Australian stable’s strong start to the season with her maiden victory at Bendigo in August, also with Michael aboard. Saturday presents an exciting opportunity for her owners as she steps onto the Flemington stage.

CANTERBURY BELLE STAKES IN OUR SIGHTS

Our South Island team has a strong representation at Riccarton, with Sweetest Thing and Sword Of Stars contesting the $80,000 Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes over 1200 metres.

Sweetest Thing makes her first appearance for Te Akau and new owners Glentree Racing. Previously trained by Sam’s father Roydon Bergerson, she finished second to Seize The Day in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes last season.

Following two encouraging trials, she begins her three-year-old campaign from barrier six with Wiremu Pinn engaged.

Sword Of Stars also resumes after twice finishing runner-up as a two-year-old. The daughter of our former Champion Two-Year-Old Sword Of State has however drawn a tricky barrier (14) for Masa Hashizume.

The Canterbury Belle Stakes has provided some wonderful memories for Te Akau over the years. Our past winners include Shikoba in 2005, Darci’s Dream in 2014, her full sister Windborne in 2015, One Kiss in 2022 and Viva Vienna in 2023.

There is a particularly special connection with Darci’s Dream and Windborne, who were both bred by David and Karyn. Saturday offers another opportunity to add to the stable's proud history in the event.

STRONG SUPPORTING TEAM AT RICCARTON

Never Too Much opens proceedings in the maiden 1200 metres, followed by Marokopa Falls and Cool In Command in the Rating 65 over the same distance.

One True King tackles the Rating 65 over 1600 metres, while Balance Of Power steps out over 2000 metres.

Trobriand, Insatiable and Dream Of The Moon give us three representatives in the open 1200 metres. Court Of Appeal contests the open 1800 metres, before Hakkinen completes our team in the Rating 75 over 1400 metres.

With 12 runners across the programme, it promises to be a busy afternoon for Hunter Durrant and our Riccarton team.

SPRING CARNIVAL RETURNS TO HAWKE’S BAY

Saturday marks the opening of the Colliers Hawke’s Bay Spring Racing Carnival, with the Timberspan Sir Colin Meads Trophy Daffodil Raceday bringing spring carnival racing back to Hastings.

Held in association with the Hawke’s Bay Cancer Society, it is a day that combines racing with an opportunity to support the local community. Gates open at 10.45am, with entry by gold coin donation to the Cancer Society.

The meeting holds particularly fond memories for Sam. In 2023, just weeks into his training partnership with Mark, the team celebrated four winners on the opening day, including Skew Wiff in the Group 1 Tarzino Trophy, Quintessa in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes and Tokyo Tycoon in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy.

This year, System Of Play represents us in the $110,000 Listed Timberspan Sir Colin Meads Trophy over 1200 metres.

The Ole Kirk colt won his only start as a two-year-old, defeating subsequent Wanganui Guineas' winner Perfect Chaos. He returns following two trials and has pleased the team with his development.

Born To Be Royal also heads to Hastings following a fourth placing when resuming at Te Rapa. The dual Group Two-placed mare steps up to 1600 metres in the Heretaunga Hastings Mile. Michael McNab rides both runners, with System Of Play drawn five and Born To Be Royal drawn four.

The carnival continues on 26 September with the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile, Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes. There is plenty for our Hawke’s Bay owners and supporters to look forward to over the coming weeks.

SUNDAY RACING AT TE RAPA

Quenza contests the maiden 1500 metres with Michael McNab, while Kygo Star lines up over 1300 metres with Opie Bosson engaged.

Born To Be Royal also holds an entry in the Rating 65 over 1600 metres with Wiremu Pinn, providing an alternative to her Hastings' engagement.

Charmrose completes our Sunday entries in the open 1100 metres with Kyle Wilson-Taylor aboard.

With newly crowned champions, promising young horses and stakes opportunities on both sides of the Tasman, there is plenty to look forward to as spring gathers momentum.

Friday evening also sees the annual South Island Racing Awards where Te Akau has a number of finalists, including three in the Champion 3YO category. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are also finalists for the Trainer of the Year honours, looking to defend their title from the previous season. All kudos to Hunter and our southern team.

Best of luck to all our owners, runners and connections this weekend, and thank you to our teams whose hard work makes every race day possible.

GO THE TANGERINE!