ABOUT TE AKAU RACING

Te Akau Racing is not just a name, a brand, a racing entity, it’s so much more than that..

It is a legacy that’s been crafted over four decades, by passionate and talented humans and horses. Today it spans across the lush landscapes of Te Akau, Matamata in New Zealand, Cranbourne in Melbourne and Singapore. At the helm is Te Akau's principal, David Ellis CNZM, whose unwavering commitment to the New Zealand racing industry needs little introduction.

Where the winning begins is at Te Akau Stud where Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM has been uncompromising in his nurturing of the land to produce pasture second to none. Large paddocks allow all horses to run freely and develop naturally in a magnificent environment.

The property is fully utilised for raising foals and weanlings, educating yearlings, pre-training, training and spelling racehorses, as well as broodmares, alongside its successful sheep and cattle operation.

At Te Akau we take pride in our outstanding record of racing success over that time. By joining Te Akau Racing you are joining a stable that has a proven track record:

- Winner of 9 New Zealand Trainers’ Premierships

- Winner of 4 Singapore Trainers’ Premierships

- Winner of 9 New Zealand Champion Trainer of the Year titles

- Winner of 4 Singapore Champion Trainer of the Year titles

- Trained 13 Group 1 NZ 2000 & Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas’ winners in past 18 years

- Trained 7 consecutive Karaka 2YO Million winners (2017-2021)

- Only stable to train the Karaka 2YO Million & Karaka 3YO Million double (2020 & 2022)

- Over 80 Group 1 race successes

- Trained 8 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year winners

- Mark Walker has trained over 1800 winners, including 144 stakes’ wins in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore

- Te Akau is approaching 2500 domestic wins (2476)

- Te Akau has won 381 black type winners domestically in New Zealand alone, 255 of those purchased or bred by David Ellis CNZM

- Te Akau has won 87 Group One races, David Ellis CNZM bought/bred the winners of 70 of these

- Since 2017 in Oz, 93 starters have won 19 stakes’ races, including eight at Group One level in the past four years

- As an aside - Te Akau also provided the indomitable Gai Waterhouse with her first ever Group 1 winner - Te Akau Nick.

TE AKAU RACING STABLES

MATAMATA, NEW ZEALAND

Te Akau Racing Stables New Zealand is based at the Matamata training centre on the North Island of New Zealand. The Matamata training centre, situated at the Matamata Racecourse, offers first-class training facilities for approximately 700 horses.

This facility is home to four separate Te Akau barns on the course, with a 12-acre post-and-railed property adjacent to the Matamata track where horses can spend time in day paddocks. We own modern treadmill and horse walking machines, providing training variety and tailored regimens for each horse. Additionally, we contract a professional water treadmill partner, a pivotal component in our innovative approach to our training programme.

At the helm of our Matamata training centre is Te Akau New Zealand trainer Mark Walker who has won six premierships in New Zealand and four in Singapore, breaking both prize money and winning tally records in both countries during that time. He has set new records for wins in a season in both New Zealand and Singapore. Sam Bergerson has joined the team in 2023/24 season as our New Zealand co trainer with Mark Walker. Sam brings outstanding credentials to his new role. He’s got the brains, expertise and dedication, all underpinned by a wonderful racing ‘pedigree’, that would make any stable proud to have him leading its team.
 
World-class communication with owners is the cornerstone of business for Te Akau Racing. A constant flow of emails containing written, photo, and video reports, along with a YouTube channel and the weekly editions of Te Akau TV during the Group racing season, ensures Te Akau owners receive up-to-date information at every step of a horse's career.

A highly skilled and experienced team, many with international credentials, from stable-hands and track riders to vets and farriers, provides the best possible care and attention for every horse. Not only are our horses nurtured and turned out in immaculate condition, but diligent and detailed preparation goes into setting horses for specific targets. Every horse is recognised for the individual it is, and a program is specifically designed for it.

Our Te Akau success story out of New Zealand has been second to none. Te Akau New Zealand currently holds the record for every benchmark of success in the New Zealand racing industry: wins in a season (203, formally held by Te Akau Racing at 160), Group/Listed wins in a season (36), Group 1 wins in a season (16), and leading prize money success for our owners.

Among the many elite race successes, Te Akau has also won seven consecutive Karaka 2YO Million races: Melody Belle (2017), Avantage (2018), Probabeel (2019), Cool Aza Beel (2020), On The Bubbles (2021), Dynastic (2022), and Tokyo Tycoon (2023). Probabeel completed the double, going on to win the Karaka 3YO Million, while the stable has twice won both 'Million' races on the same night (2019 and 2022).

Te Akau is a 10-time Champion Stable in New Zealand, with over 60 thoroughbred awards bestowed on our horses and our humans.


CRANBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA

Te Akau Racing Australia became a reality in September 2023. Te Akau’s new state-of-the-art, purpose built stable has been constructed by the Cranbourne Turf Club, Melbourne at its world-class training centre. The Cranbourne training complex is the largest thoroughbred training facility in the southern hemisphere, with over 140 licensed trainers and over 1,400 horses in training.

Built to our high specifications, the immediate capacity is for 20 horses, which over 12 months will welcome 60 horses, with the aim of 80 in training from our Melbourne base in 24 months. The interest that is being shown by major Australian studs and owners in being involved with Te Akau Australia and giving us horses to train has been huge.

Government funding of almost A$5 million in 2014 saw the Cranbourne Turf Club construct new on-course stables at the centre. Just three months ago, the state government announced further significant funding for a world class equine hospital which will be in close proximity to Te Akau’s new stable.

The first runner from our Melbourne stable was five-time Group 1 winner and 2022/23 Champion Sprinter/Miler Imperatriz. It was a scintillating start for our new operation, with our star mare claiming the Group 2 McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley in September 2023 in track record time. In setting the blistering new record over 1000m, she also defeated Rothfire and last season’s Everest winner Giga Kick.

SINGAPORE

In 2010, Te Akau established its Singapore stable at Kranji racecourse - the goal to provide owners with an opportunity to race horses outside of Australasia, in one of the best racing jurisdictions in the world headed up by champion trainer Mark Walker. In 2022, Mark Walker returned to New Zealand to again assume the role of Head Trainer for the Matamata stable, with Group 1 winning trainer Donna Logan joining the team as Te Akau Singapore trainer.

Our stable has 60 boxes and has been Champion Stable four times. It is with great disappointment we learned recently that racing will cease in Singapore in October 2024.

Sign up to our newsletter