Te Akau Win Five of eight at Matamata

Media Release - Wednesday September 21

Te Akau once again enjoyed a bumper day at their home track on Thursday, winning five races on the eight-race card at Matamata.

Wild Night winning at Matamata on Wednesday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

The result comes just weeks after New Zealand’s leading stable posted six victories at Taupo and trainer Mark Walker said it has been a boost for his staff exiting a long winter.

“We have got a great team and everyone is working hard,” Walker said.

“It has been a long winter. The wet weather is hard work on everyone, so we are all looking forward to a bit more sunshine that is for sure.”

Walker kicked off the meeting in perfect fashion when recording a trifecta in the Waharoa Industrial Park 1200, led home by stable favourite Kai, who had been runner-up in six of her previous seven outings.

“She really deserved that win. She has been knocking on the door and she is one of the stable favourites,” Walker said.

“She is only tiny but she is all heart and the whole team make a big fuss of her.

“She is true blue.”

In the following race Wild Night broke through for his maiden win at the second time of asking.

Advertisement

“He’s a big scopey horse and it was good win. He’s got a lovely big action and I think he’ll be even better on a firmer track,” Walker said.

“He was impressive today and I think the form out of the race will be very strong.”

The Vanbrugh gelding was purchased out of Windsor Park Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft for $50,000.

Baronet kept the ball rolling for the stable when winning the Matamata Function Centre 1200m, while Almanzor three-year-olds Zantabulous and Bubbles Await took out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) and Waharoa Transport Co. (1995) Ltd (1400m) respectively.

“Almanzor is starting to hit his straps now, as you would imagine once they turn three-year-olds,” Walker said.

“I know it was a wet track, but we already know those two will go on top of the ground.

“The manner in which they won today showed that they have got good potential.”

Walker’s five-win haul boosted his season tally to 33 victories for the season, 17 clear of his nearest rival Kevin Myers. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - T'port Mechanical Waharoa Mdn 1200m

Matamata Track: Heavy(10) Time: 1:15.85
1
Wild Night
- 3g Vanbrugh (AUS) x Supreme (NZ) (Falkirk (NZ))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: O P Bosson 57.5
2
0.8
Mr Mojo Risin'
- 3g Deep Field (AUS) x La Scala (NZ) (Bahhare (USA))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: E H Nicholas 55.5
3
3.1
Family Ties
- 3f Contributer (IRE) x Glamazon (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: M J Mc Nab 55.5
4
14.1
Ivanodoubt
- 3g Vadamos (FR) x No More Doubt (NZ) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Danny Walker & Arron Tata Rdr: M Hashizume 56.5
5
14.2
Caravella
- 3f Caravaggio (USA) x Highland Lights (AUS) (Fantastic Light (USA))
Tnr: M W Walker Rdr: J Kamaruddin 54.5
6
14.4
Maggie May
- 3f Road To Rock (AUS) x Amy Belle (NZ) (Palatable (USA))
Tnr: Ms S Logan Rdr: A C Goindasamy 55.5
7
26.3
Savvy Star
- 3g Tivaci (AUS) x Save The Stars (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M Moroney & P Gerard Rdr: K L Hannan 54.5
More Reading...
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Invincible 2YO Colt wins for Bennett Racing
The $150,000 VRC Next Gen Sprinters Series Final (1200m) for two year-olds at Flemington on Saturday drew a competitive field of progressive juveniles and the colt that stood out on type in the yard was the one that got the cash with I Am Invincible colt Jimmy Recard proving too good for race favourite Bacash.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Lisa Kennedy Recognized for Thoroughbred Welfare
Lisa Kennedy has always had a passion for thoroughbreds, and her efforts in guiding retired racehorses into new careers through EventStars were celebrated at Entain’s Industry Excellence Awards last Sunday as the winner of the Care and Welfare Excellence Award.
Spring Potential for Darby Racing's Raging Force
Unplaced in the Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate last spring on debut, Raging Force came out of that race with an injury that required significant time on the sidelines, but since returning to full work his progress has been swift.
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?