Champion Trainer of the Year Again

Te Akau continued its proud record of success in key categories at the 2025–26 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards, held on Sunday evening at the newly opened New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland.

It was another memorable night for the tangerine team, with Te Akau represented by finalists in the Champion Two-Year-Old, Champion Three-Year-Old, Champion Jumper, Owner of the Year, Trainer of the Year and Jockey of the Year categories, while each equine finalist was also eligible for the ultimate accolade of Horse of the Year.

The awards were decided by a 56-person voting panel comprising media, administrators, officials and industry stakeholders.

For Te Akau, the evening provided an opportunity not only to celebrate another highly successful season, but also to recognise the owners, team, jockeys and wider team whose contribution underpins every achievement.

Training partners Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson completed a hat-trick of both Training Premiership and Trainer of the Year titles, extending Te Akau's position at the head of the trainers' premiership for a seventh consecutive season.

It was Te Akau's 17th Training Premiership, while unbeaten star filly Lara Antipova added another important chapter to the stable's record when crowned its 13th Champion Two-Year-Old.

With a 33-win buffer over second place in the Premiership, Walker & Bergerson recorded 135 wins for the season, giving Walker his 13th overall title and Bergerson his third - maintaining an unbeaten premiership record since he began training in 2023.

In 2024–25, the pair recorded 131 wins, including 18 stakes victories, and established a new prize money record of $9.27 million. Last season, their 135 wins included 19 stakes victories - four at Group One level - and amassed $8.28 million in prize money.

As a comparison, and illustrating the increased prize money now available in New Zealand, Te Akau's record-breaking season of 203 wins and $8.25 million in stakes was established by Walker in 2022–23. He was then joined in partnership by Bergerson, with the pair achieving 169 wins and $8 million in stakes earnings in 2023–24.

On stage, Bergerson was quick to acknowledge those behind their success.

“We’re very fortunate, obviously we get some very nice horses to train, have a great group of staff and owners, top jockeys, and a really good team around us.

“We’re very grateful to pick up another Premiership. It’s not lost on us how tough it is and it’s a massive thrill.”

Walker echoed those sentiments when asked about the approach to each new season.

“First of all, we’re thankful for the quality of horses that Dave (Ellis) and the buying team provide us to train.

“But you’ve got to have great staff and you’ve got to have great owners. Without the owners behind us, supporting us, and the reinvestment they do, we wouldn’t be here.”

Prior to the pair receiving the Trainer of the Year award, it was noted that 15 of Te Akau's 19 stakes wins last season were achieved in two and three-year-old races, while 44% of runners finished in the first three. The stable also recorded the third-best winning strike rate (5.8) among the country's top 20 trainers.

“It’s a massive privilege and I’m in a very fortunate position to be entrusted to lead a very successful team and followed on from some great trainers, and I’ve Mark (Walker) by my side,” Bergerson said.

“Manawatu Sires’ Day was highlight, winning with Seize The Day, getting a quinella with Dad (Roydon Bergerson), and then Belle Cheval winning the Group One later on the same day in Sydney.”

Walker added: “Sam is still young and he’s coped really well. It was a special day (28 March), with Sam saddling Seize The Day at Trentham, and I was with Belle Cheval at Rosehill, and a great day for the Archer’s, David & Diane, and all their family winning the Vinery Stud Stakes.

“The young people we’ve got coming through like Sam, Reece (Trumper), Hunter (Durrant), Tom (Murphy), they’re the future of the industry and Dave (Ellis) has always looked to give young people the opportunity to have a career in the thoroughbred industry.”

Walker also acknowledged second-placed trainer and other award finalist Stephen Marsh for a good season before turning his attention to the wider industry and the opportunities now available in New Zealand racing.

“I keep telling people how good prize money is in New Zealand,” he said.

“A lot of our best trial winners and yearlings, not all of them, but they end up overseas. You can go to Caulfield or Randwick, on a Wednesday, and race for $50,000, and we had a Maiden winner (Asturia) yesterday at Ellerslie, in a $75,000 race, so our prize money is right up there.

“One thing I think is lacking, and thank God we’ve had (Racing Minister) Winston Peters, is unity. And, going forward if everyone can get behind the new Establishment Board.

“For our children and grandchildren to get the same enjoyment from racing that we have, then we have to all, selflessly, get behind the new board.”

Walker's comments were endorsed by racing administrator and breeder Tom Williams, whose Williams family was honoured on the night with the Outstanding Contribution to Racing Award.

A Record Built Over Time

The latest honours add to an extraordinary record at New Zealand's premier thoroughbred awards.

Te Akau has now won 85 titles at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards, including 25 equine awards and 24 awards for people in the past nine years.

While the numbers tell one part of the story, each award reflects the contribution of many - the owners who place their faith in the stable, the horses themselves, the trainers, jockeys, team and the wider team working behind the scenes every day.

The 2025–26 awards provided another proud opportunity to celebrate that collective effort - and to recognise an unbeaten Champion Two-Year-Old and a training partnership that continues to set an exceptional standard.