Te Akau Racing strike in Riccarton three-year-old feature

Exciting filly Sword Of Stars (NZ) (Sword Of State) thrust her name into contention for Group One glory at Riccarton next month when she downed a handy line-up of three-year-olds in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton.

The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained daughter of Te Akau Racing’s former champion juvenile Sword Of State, who now stands at Cambridge Stud, has always looked to have plenty of talent as she found the winner’s circle at her fifth start when breaking her maiden status at Timaru over 1200m at the start of the month.

That victory had followed a stakes placing in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) to open her spring campaign which saw her start Saturday’s traditional lead-up to the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) as a well backed $2.90 Fixed Odds favourite.

Rider Wiremu Pinn produced a copybook effort as he allowed his mount to find her feet after she slightly missed the start, improving against the inside running rail to be behind the leaders rounding the home bend.

Travelling easily, Sword Of Stars angled off the heels of Platinum La Danse (NZ) (Noverre) and So Fear at the 200m and swept by to hit the finish line a length to the good of the pair who fought on well to fill the minor placings.

Bergerson admitted the victory created a dilemma for the stable as the filly holds both her 1000 Guineas nomination while also entered for the other three-year-old blue riband contest during New Zealand Cup Week, the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).

“She has set herself up nicely and it (the two feature race options) is a good problem to have,” Bergerson said.

“The query today was going to 1400m and whether she would settle a little better, so we took the side winkers off, and she relaxed and got into a nice rhythm after not jumping that flash.

“It was a patient ride, and I loved the way she attacked the line, so we are looking forward to going 1600m with her now.

“When he (Pinn) really asked her, she picked up and got to the line nicely.

“It is good to see her at her best as we tried to push her as a two-year-old and that didn’t work.”

Sword Of Stars is now rated a $10 Fixed Odds chance in the 1000 Guineas whilst she has also shortened to an 18 Fixed Odds quote for the 2000 Guineas.

Sword Of Stars was a $350,000 Karaka purchase by Sir David Ellis who secured her from the Windsor Park Stud draft during the 2025 Book 1 session at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling sale series at Karaka.

Raced by the Te Akau Stately Hall Racing Partnership, she is out of the Group Three placed mare Angelica Hall (NZ) (Gullotine) and is from a family that includes Australian Group One winners Golden Sword (NZ) (Kaapstad) and Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice).

The win added further lustre to the day for Te Akau Racing who had earlier picked up a victory with Queen’s Evidence (NZ) (King’s Legacy) in race four on the programme whilst also winning the open 1600m event at Ellerslie with Top Shelf (NZ) (Savabeel).