Te Akau Stars Warming Up for Spring

Media Release - Monday August 1

Mark Walker has tentatively planned two steps ahead with his trio of Group One winners Entriviere, Imperatriz and On The Bubbles.

Te Akau’s head trainer will run all three of his spring contenders in this Saturday’s open 1100m handicap at Ruakaka and they are then likely to head to the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.

Imperatriz is set to make her first appearance of the season at Ruakaka this weekend. Photo: Trish Dunell

“They are all going well and we felt there should be a reasonable track up there at Ruakaka and then its three weeks into the Foxbridge Plate,” Walker said.

“Just in case it might be quite wet for the Foxbridge, they will at least have had a run on a decent track and a bit more fitness under their belts.”

They are all in the market for the first Group One contest of the season at Hastings in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) on September 10 with Imperatriz the $4 favourite and Entriviere and On The Bubbles share the third line at $8, but starts have yet to be locked in stone.

“We’ve got a bit of time yet and we are just taking it one race at a time and obviously the weather will have a bearing on what we do,” Walker said.

“At this stage, all three will run on Saturday and into the Foxbridge and then we’ll make a call on the Tarzino after that.”

The Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) winner Entriviere was unplaced in the Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at her last appearance after finishing third in the Gr.1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m).

Imperatriz claimed top-flight titles in her last two appearances in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and the Levin Classic (1600m) while former top juvenile On The Bubbles, successful in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), was a last-start fourth in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m).

The Ruakaka meeting will also mark the return of stable rider Opie Bosson after a break and he will partner Imperatriz.

“Entriviere will probably be ridden on Saturday by Niranjan Parmar and he will claim 3kg, Imperatriz will be Opie and Joe Kamaruddin will ride On The Bubbles,” Walker said.

Advertisement

Walker will have a big team of horses in action at the Te Rapa trials on Thursday, originally set down for Tuesday but deferred to give the track a chance to recover and dry out.

Among them will be Burgundy’s daughter Belle En Rouge, who was one of last season’s star fillies, and quality mare Amarelinha.

“Belle En Rouge will be there and she might run at Ruakaka on September 20th, there is an open 1400m handicap there for her,” Walker said.

“It’s early days so we’ve got nothing definitely planned, again the weather will be dictating what we do with her.”

Burgundy’s daughter Belle En Rouge capped off her lucrative three-year-old campaign with victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).

Amarelinha, whose last win was in the 2021 Oaks at Trentham, hasn’t been seen out since she was fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m).

“She will trial and she might also run in that sprint at Ruakaka, the same as Belle En Rouge,” Walker said.

Meanwhile, another quality performer in Self Obsession isn’t quite as forward, although she has returned to Walker’s care.

She finished runner-up to Belle En Rouge in the Oaks last season off the back of a hat-trick of Group Two victories in the Lowland Stakes (2000m), David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Royal Stakes (2000m).

“She chipped a knee in the Oaks so she had surgery and is back in training now,” Walker said. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Tuesday July 1
Here is the full list of 8 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Istataba adds international flavour to National Online Breeding Stock Sale
Buyers can currently bid on 11 stakes-performed mares in the National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, including one that brings South American bloodlines and Singaporean racetrack performance.
G1 Older Sprinters- Are Our Sprinters the Best in the World?
The Australian G1 season has concluded and there were 23 Group I races won by older horses at a distance less than 1600m, but one race that fits the category but is yet to be given G1 status is the $10million Golden Eagle (1500m) and form out of it would suggest it was the best of them all.
Vale, Joe Yorke
The racing industry has lost one of its more colourful characters with the passing of Joe Yorke on Sunday.
Levakia Adds to Good Week for Curraghmore
Emerging filly Levakia has given Curraghmore further cause for celebration.
Many Pedigree Paths Lead to Helen Street
Jane Henning of Pedigree Dynamics offers her thoughts on an Irish Oaks winner that has become a remarkable producer and is now emerging as a great candidate for line breeding.
Te Akau Chase Back to Back G1 William Reid with Imperatriz
Te Akau Racing will hold a strong hand at The Valley on Saturday, with their seven-strong charge being led by their sprinting sensation Imperatriz, who will attempt to defend her crown in the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (1200m).
She’s Invincible! Imperatriz Wins Tenth G1 in William Reid
With a big weight advantage Cylinder was able to win the G1 VRC Newmarket Handicap at the expense of mighty I Am Invincible mare Imperatriz, but he was not a factor when she added a 10th Group One victory to her collection with another supreme performance in Saturday’s $1 million Group I MVRC William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
G1 Older Milers and Stayers- No Wonder Owners Look Overseas
The Australian G1 season has concluded and there were 26 Group I races won by older horses at a distance of 1600m or more and they were won by 17 different horses with Via Sistina (IRE) and Mr Brightside (NZ) the only horses to win G1 races as sprinters (less than 1600m) and also as mile/middle distance/staying horses.
Kiwi Innovator Recognized
Emma Thompson was stepping into the unknown when taking on the role as Programme Lead for the NZB Kiwi, and after executing an outstanding inaugural running in March, she was recognised at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards.