01 May 2026
Te Akau’s Champagne Stakes triple threat
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will have three strong chances in Saturday’s Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton, including a northern reinforcement.
Enchantment (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) and NeverToo Much (NZ) (Rubick) have already featured prominently in the southern juvenile ranks, headlined by their quinella in the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) last month, with the former getting bragging rights on that occasion.
“Enchantment was great when picking up the stakes win last start and she has come through it really well,” said assistant trainer Hunter Durrant, who heads Te Akau’s Riccarton barn.
“The 1200m is probably a bit of a stretch for her, but I can’t fault her going into it, her work has been really good, she is bright and well, and Triston (Moodley, jockey) knows her, he has sat on her a few times in track work.
“Never Too Much looks the real improver stepping up to 1200m. There is a nice sense of timing for him, he is putting it together really nicely.”
The new face on the block is Zafar (Snitzel), who travelled south from Te Akau’s Matamata barn earlier this week.
The Snitzel colt has shown plenty of ability at the trials, winning one and placing in two of his three trials to date, and Durrant has been impressed with his barn’s newcomer ahead of his debut on Saturday.
“He got off the truck looking in great order and he has settled in really well,” Durrant said. “I rode him myself every day and he feels outstanding.
“He is a lovely colt by Snitzel and his trials look really appealing. If he can bring his trial form to the races I think he will be hard to beat.
“There is the question mark of raceday experience, especially being his first time down the Riccarton chute, which can sometimes slip them up, but he seems to know what he is doing and I think that will take him a long way.”
The Te Akau trio dominate the TAB’s market for the Champagne Stakes, with Zafar currently the $2.30 favourite ahead of Never Too Much at $4, and Enchantment at $4.40.
The stable also have several good chances on the undercard, including Stonybreck (Tavistock) who will contest the Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m) after finishing fourth in last month’s $350,000 Southern Alps Challenge (1600m).
“He was not far away in the Southern Alps Challenge, he got pushed out wide by his stablemate, so he had to cover a bit more ground, and he wasn’t far off a couple of nice horses who battled out the finish,” Durrant said.
“Opie (Bosson, jockey) gets along with him well and he has got a gun draw of two. He will sit behind the speed and hopefully he will be battling out the finish.”
Durrant is also excited about the prospects of last start winner Insatiable (NZ)(All Too Hard) in the Bush Inn Open Sprint (1200m), while he expects Cool ‘N’ Fast (NZ) (Savabeel) to continue his solid form line in the Carpetdealz NZ (1200m), and he thinks Paper Moon (NZ) (Savabeel) is capable of breaking through for her maiden win in the Commodore Hotel Maiden (1200m).
“Insatiable was great there last start,” Durrant said. “I think he put away probably one of the better sprinting fields you could get down here in the south, and he put them away with great ease.
“He does now get four more kilos, which is a bit of a query, but coming off such a good run from last start, I think he will be hard to beat again.
“Cool ‘N’ Fast is just a happy horse who is thriving down here in the south, and that is showing in his form. Hayley’s (Hassman, apprentice jockey) claim (2kg) will be a definite benefit from the 60 kilos
“We have kept him fresh stepping back to 1200m and his work on Tuesday was outstanding.
“I also really like the chances of Paper Moon. She has travelled down in great order, her work has been great, and I think she can definitely break maidens there tomorrow.”
Te Akau’s Riccarton barn head into the weekend in great form, having recorded a winning treble at their local synthetic meeting on Thursday courtesy of Arctic Jewel (NZ) (Frosted), Purple Prose (NZ) (Embellish) and Queen Of Naples (NZ) (Darci Brahma).
“It was nice to be back on the poly with a couple of those horses that have good poly form,” Durrant said. “We target the poly with horses that do appreciate that surface.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
Gray makes long-awaited return to Riccarton
Palmerston North horseman Stephen Gray hasn’t been to Riccarton in more than 23 years, and he is hoping he can make a winning return this weekend.
The former Singapore trainer has been back in New Zealand for the last two years but has yet to venture south, but he will rectify that this weekend with two quality runners.
His charge will be led by Anderson Bridge (NZ) (Savabeel), who will be seeking to bounce back to form in the Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m).
The five-year-old son of Savabeel has won three of his five starts since returning to New Zealand from Australia late last year but he finished midfield last start when favourite in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham in March.
Gray, who trains in partnership with his father Kevin, has freshened Anderson Bridge ahead of his trip south where he will drop back to a mile in the Easter Cup.
“I kept ticking him over thinking I might take him to the Easter (Handicap, Gr.3) but I just felt it was a bit quick after his last run,” Gray said. “The weather has turned up alright so he might as well have one more race and then go out. A trip away will do him good.
“He was a fraction disappointing last start, but I just think he didn’t get the track, you had to be in front. We freshened him up and have come back to a mile.
“There is still some doubt as to whether he will stay, but he has done a good job so this will be his last run and we will put him out and get him in for the spring.”
Stablemate Toronto (Vancouver) has already had the one start at Riccarton, finishing runner-up over 1000m at the Christchurch track last Saturday.
“He has thrived,” Gray said. “Brian and Lesley Court have got a beautiful setup here and he is happy,” Gray said. “He went really well the other day, another 50m and he probably picks the other one up. He will run well.
“He has got a good win in him, he is a pretty nice animal. If things go well tomorrow, he could run again or we could back off and wait for the spring.”
Closer to home on Sunday, Gray will head to Tauherenikau with half a dozen runners, including three-year-old debutants Karryn (NZ) (Derryn) and Molly’s Belt (NZ) (Super Seth) in the The Farriers Bar And Eatery/Horseshoe Taproom (1000m).
“They both go quite well, it is a shame to run them together,” Gray said. “They both could have done with another trial but I felt it was a good track to kick them off in, it will be a good surface and soon it will be too wet.”
Gray is also looking forward to lining up Cambridge Stud three-year-old So We Go (NZ) (Embellish) in the Copthorne Solway Park & The Grill (1000m).
“He was a bit stiff the other day,” Gray said.
“He is quite a nice horse going forward. He will have this one and then he will go out. I think he will be a lovely four-year-old, he is bred to take time. He has got a lot of speed and ability, and he will be very hard to beat.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
