Te Akau TV - We're Back For 2026/27 Season!

Te Akau TV returns for a brand-new season, and the Tangerine Team is ready for an exciting weekend of racing on both sides of the Tasman.

Last season delivered another outstanding chapter for Te Akau and our owners, with Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson securing the stable’s seventh consecutive New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership and Te Akau's 17th overall in New Zealand and Singapore.

The partnership recorded 135 New Zealand wins, including 19 stakes 'victories and three at Group One level, while earning $8.28 million in prize money. Our Riccarton operation played another significant role, contributing 46 wins and six stakes' victories, while Mark Walker and the Te Akau Australia team celebrated 30 wins and two outstanding Group One successes.

No question one of the stand-out highlights of the season was the Group 1 trans-Tasman double with Belle Cheval winning the Vinery Stud Stakes in Sydney and Seize The Day the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes on the same day!

Now, with a new season underway, attention turns firmly towards Spring.

Te Akau heads into a major weekend with runners across Riccarton, Wanganui and Te Aroha in New Zealand, while our Australian team launches its Spring campaign at Caulfield before racing continues at Echuca on Sunday.

TE AKAU STARS STEP INTO SPRING AT CAULFIELD

Saturday marks an exciting milestone for Te Akau Australia, with Group One winners Belle Cheval and Seize The Day returning alongside the progressive Stage ’N’ Screen on the opening day of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival.

Stage ’N’ Screen begins the day for the team in the Aushorse Handicap over 1400 metres. The progressive Ace High mare made the perfect start to her five-year-old season when winning first-up at Flemington on 1 August, providing Te Akau Australia with an early metropolitan victory for the new season. She carries 60kg on Saturday but has drawn ideally in barrier two for Declan Bates.

Group One-winning mare Belle Cheval resumes in the $200,000 Group 3 HKJC World Pool Courtza Stakes over 1200 metres.
Belle Cheval was the only New Zealand-trained Group One winner in Australia last season, producing a courageous performance to win the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000 metres at Rosehill. Her outstanding three-year-old campaign also included victory in the Group 3 Almanzor Trophy, a placing in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas and a brilliant nostril second in the $4 million NZB Kiwi.

She has been given a patient build-up at Te Akau’s Cranbourne stable and begins her Spring from barrier seven with Craig Williams aboard. Although Saturday’s 1200-metre assignment is short of her best distance and she carries 60kg with the Group 1 penalty, it provides an important starting point for an ambitious campaign that could include the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Group 1 Toorak Handicap and $10 million Group 1 Golden Eagle.
Exciting colt Seize The Day makes his Australian debut in the $200,000 Group 3 McNeil Stakes over 1200 metres.

The I Am Invincible colt fashioned an outstanding record during his juvenile season, winning two of his three starts and producing a dominant four-length victory in the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Trentham. That performance delivered Te Akau its 10th victory in the prestigious two-year-old feature and established him as one of New Zealand’s most exciting young colts.

Seize The Day has prepared for his return with two encouraging jump-outs in Melbourne, finishing second over 800 metres before winning his latest 1000-metre hit-out at Caulfield Heath.
He carries 59.5kg under the race conditions, also with a Group 1 penalty, but has drawn favourably in barrier three for Blake Shinn. Saturday provides his first opportunity to perform on the Australian stage, with the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas among the potential targets on his Spring programme.
The Caulfield trio represents a thrilling start to an important spring for our Australian stable, with fellow Group One winner Geegees Mistruth also progressing towards her return in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Sandown on 5 September.

STRONG SOUTH ISLAND TEAM AT RICCARTON

In New Zealand, Saturday begins at Riccarton, where our South Island stable presents a strong team of 12 runners across the programme.

One True King opens proceedings in the Rating 65 over 1400 metres, with Michael McNab aboard from barrier nine, before Bellish Boy contests the 1200-metre maiden in race two. Michael has headed south to specifically ride most of our team which is a big plus.

Cool Aza Rene resumes in the Rating 75 over 1200 metres. She has drawn barrier 10 and will also be ridden by Michael McNab.

Two promising three-year-olds represent the stable in race four over 1000 metres. Stakes' winner on debut, Zafar jumps from barrier five with Michael McNab aboard, while Enchantment receives two kilograms from her stablemate and has drawn the inside gate for Triston Moodley.

Marokopa Falls takes her place in the Rating 65 over 1000 metres before the experienced Insatiable and Trobriand combine for a two-pronged attack on the open 1000-metre handicap.

Insatiable has drawn barrier two for Samantha Collett, while Trobriand begins from barrier four with Michael McNab aboard.

The stable is again doubly represented in the open 1600 metres, with Court Of Appeal and Cognoscenti each carrying 54kg. Court Of Appeal starts from barrier seven for Triston Moodley, while Cognoscenti has drawn barrier two for Michael McNab.

Completing our Riccarton team are Balance Of Power and Queen Of Naples in the Rating 75 over 1800 metres. Balance Of Power has drawn barrier four for Michael McNab, while Queen Of Naples begins from barrier six with Triston Moodley aboard.

Our Riccarton stable, managed by Assistant Trainer Hunter Durrant, was instrumental in last season’s success, and Saturday’s strong representation provides an exciting foundation from which to build further momentum in the South Island.

OUT OF THE BLUE CHASES WANGANUI GUINEAS

Our feature runner in New Zealand is the talented Out Of The Blue, who contests the $80,000 Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas over 1200 metres.

The Tivaci gelding won his first two starts impressively last season before finishing third in the Listed Wellesley Stakes and second in the Group 3 Matamata Slipper. He also produced the fastest final 600 metres of the Karaka Millions 2YO after missing the start.

Out Of The Blue caught the eye when resuming at Taup? following an impressive trial victory at Te Rapa and should take valuable improvement from that first-up performance.

He has drawn barrier 10 for Masahiro Hashizume as he steps into the first major three-year-old assignment of his Spring campaign.

SUNDAY RACING AT TE AROHA

The New Zealand action continues at Te Aroha on Sunday, where the stable has five runners across the latter part of the programme - although we will be on weather-watch!

Paravane and Bolli Belle contest the Rating 75 over 1150 metres. Paravane has drawn the outside barrier for Te Akau apprentice Cooper Stumbles, while Bolli Belle starts from barrier five with Michael McNab aboard.

Promising three-year-old filly Asturia makes her debut in the 1400-metre maiden after finishing strongly to win her recent trial at Te Rapa. She has drawn barrier six and will be ridden by Michael McNab.

Uptown and She Suits Herself complete the New Zealand weekend in the Rating 65 over 1400 metres. Uptown has drawn barrier 19 with Masahiro Hashizume aboard, while She Suits Herself begins from barrier 10 for Cooper.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM HEADS TO ECHUCA SUNDAY

Following Saturday’s feature meeting at Caulfield, Te Akau Australia has four runners engaged at Echuca on Sunday.
Fully Funded and three-year-old filly Big Trouble line up together in the 1000-metre maiden. Fully Funded has drawn barrier six for Jake Noonan, while Big Trouble begins from barrier two.
Astari contests the Benchmark 56 over 1000 metres from barrier four, with Liana Wood’s claim helping offset his 61.5kg allocation.

Sheanadh rounds out the Australian weekend in the Benchmark 56 over 1200 metres, beginning from barrier six also with Liana Wood aboard.

With established Group One performers returning, exciting young horses beginning their Spring campaigns and strong representation throughout New Zealand and Australia, the new season is rapidly gathering momentum.

Best of luck to all our runners and connections this weekend. It’s wonderful to feel spring in the air and to be back racing for a new season. As always, GO THE TANGERINE!