10 April 2026
Te Akau taking on Southern Alps Challenge
Leading stable Te Akau Racing will head to Riccarton on Saturday with a strong line-up and they are hoping to plunder a couple of the rich prizes up for grabs.
“It is a great day to have a big team in, especially when the money is up,” said Te Akau’s assistant trainer Hunter Durrant, who heads their Riccarton barn.
Early on the card, juveniles Never Too Much (NZ) (Rubick) and Enchantment (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) will be seeking to break through for their maiden wins when they contest the Listed Property Brokers Welcome Stakes (1000m) for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson.
Rubick gelding Never Too Much has run third in both of his starts to date, while Enchantment has placed in all three of her starts, including a runner-up result at Riccarton last start.
“Both have come down to the South Island in really good order,” Durrant said. “It was good for both of them to have a run down the chute at Riccarton before running in a stakes race.
“Never Too Much didn’t have the greatest of luck last start, but it was still really good to see him running a good race into third. He has a nice draw (4) tomorrow with Opie (Bosson) on, who will give him every chance, and I think he will run a really strong race.
“We thought Enchantment had won last start. She was really tough and she ran better than we expected. We expect something similar tomorrow. She may be little, but she is tough.”
The stable will also have a two-pronged attack in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) and $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m).
Three-year-old fillies Perlino (NZ) (Super Seth) and Aishiteru (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) head into the NZB Insurance stakes in winning form, with the former currently a $3.20 favourite with TAB bookmakers.
“I couldn’t be any happier with them both,” Durrant said. “Perlino did it tough last start, she was on-speed and wide but won quite easily in the end. It is definitely a tick having Opie on and I think she will be very hard to beat.”
Durrant believes stablemates Stonybreck (Tavistock) and Cognito (So You Think) will have their work cut out for them in the Southern Alps Challenge, but he is particularly pleased with last start placegetter Stonybreck ahead of the rich feature, for which he is the third elect at $8.50 behind joint favourites Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel) and Aladdins Jem (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) at $6.
“It is great to have a race like that down here with that stake money,” Durrant said. “Both boys probably do need to lift a touch to be really competitive, especially in a race like this, but it was great to see Stonybreck run a really good, genuine race last start. He wasn’t far off the winner.
“He has trained on well, his work on Tuesday was very good and he is still looking a picture in his coat. He gets in well in the weights, he is a couple of kilos off the top weight.”
Durrant is hoping Cool ‘N’ Fast (NZ) (Savabeel) can string together his third consecutive win in the south in the Happy Birthday Mary Molyneux (1400m), while he rates Cognoscenti (Castelvecchio) a strong contender in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge (2000m).
“We think Cool ‘N’ Fast is thriving in the quieter environment down south, he has put together a couple of nice wins now,” Durrant said.
“The key with him is he is just a happy horse and it is showing in his racing.
“I really like Cognoscenti in the last, he is going really well and he is a horse with a bit of confidence, he always runs a good race. I don’t think there is a standout in that race, he has drawn wide (15), but he pings the gates and he will go forward and he will be in it for a while.”
Meanwhile, the stable will also be hunting stakes success at Otaki on Saturday where Savoir Faire (NZ) (Savabeel) is a $4.80 favourite to take out the Listed NZ POTY @ HB Spring Carnival Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
Riddell savouring first taste of Australian racing
Leading New Zealand apprentice jockey Amber Riddell got her first taste of Australian racing in Brisbane this week when competing in Australia’s National Apprentice Race Series (NARS), and she is eager for more.
The 24-year-old hoop was invited to compete in the series by Racing Queensland and flew to Brisbane on Sunday and experienced the subsequent days engrossing herself in the local racing scene, riding track work at Eagle Farm in the mornings and mixing with her Australian counterparts.
“It was an amazing experience, it was like a dream come true to ride at a metro meeting over there, the track and facilities were beautiful,” Riddell said.
“I flew out on Sunday from Invercargill and I rode track work on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I mostly rode for Kelly Schweida and Tony Gollan and I was really well looked after and I got to ride some pretty nice horses.
“I think it (NARS) is a great initiative, it gives apprentices a chance to ride at different locations across Australia. A lot of the other apprentices hadn’t ridden there (Eagle Farm) either. It was a great opportunity to meet other apprentices from different States and make some friends.”
The trip culminated in competing in the NARS series at Eagle Farm on Wednesday where Riddell had two rides and came within half a length of victory aboard the Ciaron Maher-trained Berezka (Xtravagant).
“We were randomly drawn rides, so I was really excited when I saw my two rides were quite nice horses and I was quite excited to ride for Ciaron Maher,” Riddell said.
“We nearly pulled off the win. We had a good crack in the protest room because I did get cut off at the top of the straight, which cost me momentum, but she finished off quite strongly.
“Regardless of the result, the experience I gained and the new connections I made was amazing.”
A one kilogram claiming apprentice in her homeland, Riddell was able to claim an extra two kilograms across the Tasman.
“They have metro, provincial and country racing over there and I can claim three kilos in the city in Australia because I haven’t had that many premier day wins over here, which count towards metro wins over there,” she said.
Riddell currently holds a four-win lead over Elen Nicholas in the New Zealand Apprentice Jockey Premiership, and while that is her sole focus at present, her Queensland trip has instigated thoughts on her riding future and where that may lie.
“It was really good to experience Australian racing, it was my first time riding over there, and I am definitely keen to head back there next season,” she said. “I am not sure what State, I would like to check out Melbourne and Sydney as well.
“I have still got two years to go in my apprenticeship and not many wins to go until I have lost my claim completely, so it makes sense to go over there and be able to claim three-kilos in the city.
“I am definitely keen to head over, especially because I can get my claim back over there, but I would like to try and win the premiership here first, that is my main goal at the moment.”
Riddell was accompanied to Brisbane by Central Districts riding mentor Kim Clapperton, and Riddell said she was grateful for the opportunity.
“I would like to thank Racing Queensland, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Kim Clapperton, who went over with me, and Shane Scriven (Racing Queensland), who organised it all,” Riddell said.
“I was very proud to represent New Zealand, and I hope this opens up more opportunities in the future for our apprentices to head over and compete in the series.”
Riddell arrived back in New Zealand on Thursday and is straight back into the action, riding at Waverley on Friday before heading to Christchurch on Saturday where she has eight rides at Riccarton, including The Explosive (NZ) (King Of Comedy) in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) for employer Lisa Latta.
“I have got a big day on Saturday with eight rides and four of those are last start winners, so that is quite exciting,” Riddell said.
“I am really excited about The Explosive, she has got a nice draw (3), which should give her a good chance. She had a nice win last start and we are hoping she will go well.
“I have got Toa Haka (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the in the $350,000 Southern Alps Challenge (1600m), he has a bad draw (16) but he does go forward, so hopefully we get some luck.
“I won on Express Coup (NZ) (Shamexpress) at Riverton last weekend and I am looking forward to partnering with her again (in the Angus Meats Open Handicap, 1200m), it was a pretty tough win at Riverton.” - Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
New Zealand Bloodstock
NZ Racing Desk
NZ Racing Desk
