Te Akau TV Weekend Preview

FIVE WINNERS, GROUP 2 GLORY & A BIG STAKES WEEKEND AHEAD

Five winners across New Zealand and Australia, a new Group 2 winner in Asturia, and another big weekend ahead as we count down to Cup Week! This week we are catching up with Tom Murphy, our New Zealand Racing Manager in the North and Hunter Durrant our Assistant Trainer in the South ahead of what is an exciting time of the year for our team.

Asturia led the celebrations at Ellerslie, winning the $175,000 Group 2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes over 1400 metres under Michael McNab.

The Almanzor filly secured her first stakes victory at just her third start, following her close second against the boys in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas. Purchased by Sir David Ellis for $135,000 at Karaka, she gave her Te Akau Legacy Of Love Racing Partnership owners another reason to look forward to the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas.

She joins Spellbinder and Imperatriz on Te Akau’s Soliloquy honour roll, with the team now aiming for an eighth 1000 Guineas victory.

Centurial completed our Ellerslie double, making it back-to-back wins this preparation with another strong finish under Michael in the Rating 65 over 1100 metres. Congratulations to his Te Akau Purrfection Racing Partnership owners, with special thanks to farriers Kim Hughes and Gareth Allis for their work throughout his preparation.

Across the Tasman, Celestra made a winning stable debut in Friday’s maiden 1200 metres at Cranbourne. Jett Stanley partnered the I Am Invincible mare to success for Nick and Kim Wakim’s Hilldene Farm - a winning start with our first runner for the ownership!

Wednesday brought two more winners on opposite sides of the Tasman.

Cease And Desist carried 60kg to victory in the Donaghys Butch Coombe Memorial Cup over 1600 metres at Te Aroha. Opie Bosson ONZM guided the half-brother to Move To Strike to a one-length win for his Te Akau Closing Argument Racing Partnership owners.

At Geelong, Blake Shinn partnered Royal Rendezvous to a half-length victory in the A$50,000 Hall Chadwick Benchmark 66 over 1100 metres.

Congratulations to all five winning ownership groups, Mark, Sam, Ben and our teams!

THIS WEEKEND’S TANGERINE TEAM

Riccarton hosts an important afternoon for our southern stable on Saturday, with four horses chasing black-type honours.

Zafar and Sword Of Stars contest the $100,000 Group 3 War Decree Stakes over 1400 metres. Triston Moodley rides Zafar, already a stakes winner, while Wiremu Pinn partners Sword Of Stars following her Canterbury Belle Stakes placing and Timaru maiden victory.

Hakkinen and Court Of Appeal tackle the $80,000 Listed Pavilion Now Open Spring Classic over 2000 metres, with Wiremu aboard Hakkinen and Hayley Hassman riding Court Of Appeal.

Balance Of Power steps out over 3000 metres in the NZB Airfreight Road To Jericho, while Dream Of The Moon contests the TAB Mile Prelude.

At Trentham on Sunday, What You Wish For lines up in the $100,000 Group 3 Gee & Hickton Thompson Handicap over 1600 metres under Wiremu. Sibling Rivalry, Legally Binding and Bolli Belle also represent the team.

There is racing to follow at New Plymouth on Friday and Ellerslie on Saturday, where our team includes Pilates, Drops Of God, Savoir Faire, Top Shelf, Day One and Luvabeel.

Across the Tasman, Stage ’N’ Screen is entered at Cranbourne on Friday. Other entries include Fully Funded, Big Trouble and Girt By Sea at St Arnaud, and Meness in the Drummond Golf Vase, with final engagements to be confirmed.

A BIG LABOUR DAY ASSIGNMENT

The racing continues on Monday, with System Of Play stepping out in the Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa as he works towards the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas.

With Asturia heading towards the 1000 Guineas on 7 November and the 2000 Guineas and New Zealand Cup following on 14 November, there is plenty to look forward to at Riccarton.

Catch our New Zealand team in this week’s Te Akau TV for the latest on our runners, their preparations and the weekend’s best bet.

A quick note for our Matamata owners: with the team racing at Te Rapa on Labour Day, your usual Monday updates will be filmed and sent on Tuesday.

Best of luck to all our runners and connections over the long weekend. Go the tangerine!