Te Akau TV - Stacked Black Type Trans-Tasman Weekend Ahead

WE DON’T DO QUIET WEEKENDS!

It’s a stacked trans-Tasman programme for Te Akau Racing as we head into one of our biggest weekends of the season - elite Group 1 targets, depth through the grades, and runners across seven meetings in New Zealand and Australia!

Momentum is firmly on our side! Seven wins in the past week, including two at stakes' level, underline the strength across all three of our stable operations - Matamata, Riccarton and Cranbourne.

Lara Antipova was electric in the Group 2 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes, delivering the stable its fifth consecutive victory in the race and remaining unbeaten. Her win was Te Akau's 11th Matamata Breeders' Stakes' title!

My Lips Are Sealed added further valuable Black Type in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes. Bolli Belle went back-to-back and is two wins from two starts, while Tolaga Bay impressed on debut in Australia, and Cinturato surged clear fresh-up at Cranbourne.

Alongside our recent run of winners, we’re thrilled that today NZTR has today announced La Dorada as its runner for the NZB Kiwi. She will be known as ‘The People’s Horse’ - a special initiative bringing together the public alongside Auckland FC, The Blues and The Warriors in support of one horse on Champions' Day. It’s a fantastic concept for the sport, uniting racing fans with some of New Zealand’s biggest sporting brands, and we’re proud to see La Dorada carry that momentum into the feature.

The $4 million NZB Kiwi has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting additions to our racing calendar, and having won the inuagural race last year with Damask Rose, we know just how special this stage is. To return with three genuine contenders - Belle Cheval and He Who Dares also - is something we’re thrilled for, for our owners.

It’s an exciting build-up for Te Akau - with La Dorada, He Who Dares (in our Te Akau slot) and Belle Cheval all lining up in the $4 million NZB Kiwi in just over weeks. We can’t wait to see how the trio performs on the big day!

Before we turn our attention to the weekend’s racing, let’s pause and shine the spotlight on one of the exciting young prospects waiting in the wings. Because while raceday glory captures the headlines, every big moment starts much earlier - with identifying the right horse.

YEARLING OF THE WEEK – LOT 206

This week’s spotlight falls on Lot 206, a quality colt by outstanding European two-year-old Pinatubo out of Darook Park, fantastic buying at A$120,000 from the Magic Millions' Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Pinatubo was unbeaten in six starts at two, including dual Group 1 victories, and has quickly made his mark at stud with winners emerging in both hemispheres. His progeny is showing the same class and precocity that made him one of Europe’s most exciting juveniles in recent years.

On the dam side, Darook Park is already the producer of dual Group 3 winner Finance Tycoon and is by Darci Brahma - a name synonymous with Te Akau Group 1 success both on the track and at stud. The family also includes high-class two-year-old Silk Pins, reinforcing the depth and quality through the female line.

Physically athletic with good strength and balance, this colt has the profile to run early but also the scope to develop further with maturity.

An exciting opportunity to be involved in a colt combining international sire power with proven Australasian performance. With just 55% now available, this colt offers an outstanding opportunity for owners to be involved with a horse who boasts pedigree and potential.

LEARN MORE HERE: https://teakauracing.com/yearling/lot-206-pinatubo-ire-darook-park-aus-bay-or-brown-colt

We kick off the weekend on Friday at Ashburton, where Marokopa Falls and Cool Aza Rene line up in the Gallagher Insurance 3YO over 1200 metres. Malmaison contests the BM75 sprint, High Roller steps out over 2200 metres in the Stayers' Challenge, and Celtic Bling and Cool ‘n’ Fast close the card in the 1400m BM65.

Across the Tasman at Terang, Sheanadh represents the stable over 1406 metres. Then under lights at Cranbourne, Flash Of Class contests the two-year-old event over 1000 metres, Titahi Bay runs in the 1000m sprint, and Stage ‘N’ Screen tackles the mile in the final race of the evening.

Saturday’s spotlight in New Zealand centres on Ellerslie and across in Australia all eyes are on Blue Diamond Day at Caulfield.

Kicking off at NZ's HQ in the $150,000 Group 3 Eagle Technology Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) sees Belle Cheval and To Bravery Born renew their rivalry from Karaka Millions night. Belle Cheval was dominant in winning the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy, while To Bravery Born boasts a flawless four-from-four fresh-up record and has drawn ideally.

The $250,000 Group 2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m) features Towering Vision, who stormed home to win on New Year’s Day before a very close second in the Waikato Guineas. Progressive, tough and well drawn - he brings genuine form into a key Derby lead-up.

In the $600,000 Group 1 Sport Nation Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m), Qali Al Farrasha resumes. She finished runner-up in this race last season and has returned in excellent order following a pleasing trial.

The staying feature of the afternoon is the $1,000,000 Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), where Born To Be Royal steps onto the biggest stage of her career. She has shown grit and progression through her lead-up runs, despite nothing going right for her last start, and now takes her place in one of the country’s premier staying contests.

The Ellerslie support card is strong, with two year old colt Seize The Day opening the programme, Dream Of The Moon in the BM75, and Espionage closing the day in the sprint.

Across the Tasman, Caulfield hosts an elite programme - and Te Akau has powerful representation throughout which we are very proud of.

Abrafo contests the A$300,000 Group 2 Stow Storage Autumn Classic (1800m) following his dominant maiden win.

Chateau Eze steps into the A$300,000 Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) after an encouraging first-up performance - and last year the daughter of Frankel was already a stakes' perofrmer.

High-class mare Damask Rose lines up in the a$200,000 Catanach Jewellers Group 3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m). A dual-million-dollar earner and Karaka Millions 3YO and NZB Kiwi winner last season, she resumed with a superb Group 3 second placing and looks poised for a big campaign.

Watch Me Rock, a WA newcomer to the stable, tackles the A$750,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m), adding further Group 1 firepower to the team.

Two-year-old filly I Am Aria contests the A$2,000,000 Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), having already twice placed at Group level in her short but impressive two-start career.

Geegees Mistruth rounds out the card in the A$750,000 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), bringing strong sprint form into one of Australia’s great handicaps.

We round out the weekend with runners at Taupo and Wanganui on Sunday, where Centurial, Carsolio, Bellish Boy, Crown Princess and Group 1 winner Captured By Love represent the stable at Taupo, while Altari lines up at Wanganui.

From the North to the South, from Australia to New Zealand - this is depth across every grade and genuine Black Type opportunities on both sides of the Tasman, and that’s something worth being excited about!

Best of luck to all of our owners and connections - GO THE TANGERINE!