Te Akau TV - Weekend Preview
Date: 10 Oct 2024
Don’t miss out on this weekend’s racing spectacle!
We are thrilled to kick off this weeks Te Akau TV with fantastic news! Our very own Imperatriz has been officially crowned Australia's 2023/24 Champion Sprinter of the Year at the prestigious Australian Horse of the Year Awards, held on 8 October at the Wolf Blass Event Centre in South Australia.
Voted on by 70 Australian racing industry experts and media, this incredible accolade is a testament to her outstanding performances throughout the past season. Recognised as the Logines Highest Rated Mare and Best Sprinter in the World, Imperatriz has cemented her place among the elite. From her stunning 10 Group 1 victories to her retirement as the most valuable thoroughbred mare ever sold in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s been a remarkable journey.
As we celebrate Imperatriz and her past achievements, we're also looking forward to a thrilling weekend of racing.
Friday will see us head to Taupo with 3 runners - Egyptian Queen, Stonybreck and The Sky Above, then we turn our attention to Australia later that day with Our Paramour in action 'at home' at Cranbourne.
On Saturday, all eyes will be on Te Rapa, where the relocated Livamol Classic Raceday will take place.
Our Group 1 girl Campionessa is primed to contest the prestigious Group 1 Livamol Classic. This is a race that has been very good to us in the past with winners such as Distinctly Secret, Princess Coup (back to back wins including when the stake was $2 million), Melody Belle (twice) and most recently, Say Yong Blonk. A Group 2 Melbourne winner in the Autumn, Campionessa is ready to go, despite the changes to programming, and we look forward to seeing her line up in one of the season’s premier staying races.
Meanwhile, in the south at Ashburton, we have a strong contingent ready for battle in the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes – including When Stars Align, The Victress, Dream of the Moon, and Donna Chiara. We have Australian jockey Liam Riordan crossing the Tasman to ride Dream of the Moon in this race! The 27-year-old Victorian has formed an association with Te Akau through our Cranbourne barn, and he has accepted the invitation of trainer Mark Walker to ride for the stable in New Zealand this weekend. It’s shaping up to be a day full of promise, with each of these runners bringing their own strengths to the track.
The Barneswood Stakes has had a number of names over recent years including the Ray Coupland Stakes and John Grigg Stakes. It's a great lead up to the Group 1 NZ 1000 and 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and Te Akau has won it eight times! Names you will know too, such as King's Chapel (who went on to be Champion 3YO, Champion Sprinter/Miler and Horse of the Year that season, NZB Fillies of the Year Princess Coup, King's Rose and Costa Viva, together with Sea Saint, Abidewithme, Cornflower Blue, and last year's winner Star Of Justice.
It doesn’t end there for the weekend as in Melbourne, last start Group 3 winner Bellatrix Star will be taking on some tough competition in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield. With a dangerous lightweight of 51kgs, look for her to be flashing home for the Fortuna team.
Sunday will bring even more excitement with races at Rotorua, as well as Stage ‘N’ Screen lining up at Seymour in Australia, joined by Midnight Blue who steps out in the A$200,000 Seymour Cup.
Looking ahead to next week, we’re all gearing up for the return to Ellerslie – always a favourite on the racing calendar!
Here’s to another fantastic weekend of racing! GO THE TANGERINE!