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Te Akau score seventh straight trainers’ premiership
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • July 30th, 2026 1:04 pm
2025/26 New Zealand Trainers' Premiership winners Sam Bergerson (left) and Mark Walker | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Te Akau Racing continued their reign as New Zealand’s leading stable when winning their seventh consecutive National Trainers’ Premiership this season.
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson recorded 135 wins in New Zealand this term, including 19 stakes wins, three of those at Group One level, including Quintessa in the Proisir Plate (1400m), Lara Antipova in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), and Seize The Day in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Bergerson was rapt to retain the mantle as New Zealand’s leading stable, securing his third title at the helm alongside Walker.
“It is fantastic to take out another premiership,” he said.
“Mark is spending a lot more time in Australia this past season (at Te Akau’s Cranbourne stable) so I have had to take up a lot more responsibility, and I can’t thank the team here at home enough, especially Reece (Trumper), he has been a massive help as the assistant (trainer).
“It has been a tough season, it has been a lot of work, but it has been really rewarding, and it’s great to take out the premiership.”
The stable has had plenty of highlights this season, but one day stands out above the rest for Bergerson.
“The day that really stands out for me is the Manawatu Sire’s Produce Day where Seize The Day got it done (in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes) and then we had Belle Cheval win the Vinery (Gr.1, 2000m).
“For the team here in New Zealand to turn her around from a NZB Kiwi ($4 million, 1500m) three weeks earlier up to 2000m to take on the Aussies and win was really rewarding.”
The Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes victory was a true family affair, with Bergerson’s father, Roydon, training runner-up Sweetest Thing.
“It was cool to do it with Dad, he was just as stoked for me winning it as for him running second,” Bergerson said.
Sweetest Thing was subsequently purchased by Australian Bruce Wilson, under his Glentree Racing banner, and the filly has joined Te Akau Racing’s Riccarton barn where she is being set for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) in November.
“She was purchased by an Australian interest, Glentree Thoroughbreds, and we are grateful to them for keeping her in New Zealand until November for the 1000 Guineas, and then she will head over to Melbourne,” Bergerson said.
“Dad has been awesome, he has filled me in on her quirks, and hopefully she can have a really good spring. She has already settled in down south and all going well she will kick off in the Canterbury Belle (Listed, 1200m).”
Seize The Day has crossed the Tasman and joined Te Akau’s Cranbourne stable, where Bergerson is hopeful he can stamp his stallion credentials.
“Seize The Day is going to be a really nice three-year-old colt and the goal with those colt partnerships is to try and make stallions of him,” he said. “We have given him a really good opportunity now to make his mark as a three-year-old over in the Cranbourne team.”
Te Akau’s Riccarton barn has played an integral part in Te Akau’s premiership win, with the southern arm contributing 50 wins, which also cemented their place as the leading South Island stable.
“I can’t speak highly enough of the team down there, especially Hunter (Durrant, assistant trainer), who runs the ship,” Bergerson said.
“He is a very accomplished young horseman and he rides a lot of work. He is so meticulous, a really hard worker and a lot of the success should be credited to him.
“It (Riccarton barn) is a fantastic tool we are able to utilise in our stable. You take a filly like Origin Of Love who up here was really struggling. We were trialling her and she was just finding it all a bit too much. We sent her down there to a bit of a quieter environment and she really found her form and got to a 1000 Guineas and managed to win a Wellington Guineas (Gr.2, 1600m).”
Bergerson already has his attention on next season, and while several of the stable’s leading lights have headed across the Tasman to their Cranbourne barn for a Melbourne Spring preparation, he said there is still plenty of young talent to keep the Matamata barn excited heading in the new term.
“It is hard when you are losing Lara Antipova, Seize The Day and Belle Cheval, they are certainly hard to replace but we have got a really exciting young team here,” Bergerson said.
“Of them, I think System Of Play is a colt we are really looking forward to, he is one for one.
“I think he is the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) favourite (alongside Excite) at the moment. There is still a heap of water to go under the bridge, but he couldn’t have been more impressive in his only raceday start and he seems to be coming up really well.”
Bergerson is also excited to have Damask Rose back in New Zealand, while he is also upbeat about the season ahead with the likes of Drops Of God, La Dorada, Kinnaird and He Who Dares.
While the stable has had plenty of success on the track on both sides of the Tasman, one of their biggest highlights was off the track when Te Akau Racing principal Sir David Ellis was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday Honours last month for services to the thoroughbred industry and philanthropy.
“What he has done for the New Zealand racing industry has been pretty incredible,” Bergerson said. “He has been leading buyer at Karaka and the investment he constantly puts into racing here is massive.
“He is as keen as ever to see young people like myself, Reece and Hunter do well. He is as passionate as ever and although he is getting older, he is certainly not losing his enthusiasm for the game. He is really inspiring.
“I can’t thank him enough for the opportunities I have been given. I know he was extremely proud to get that honour, and it’s a real highlight for everyone here.”
Saturday looms as the opening day of the new season, and Bergerson is hoping the stable can get it off to a winning start at Riccarton.
Their Riccarton barn will line-up two horses at the opening day of the Grand National Festival of Racing, including Balance Of Power in the Group 1 Raceday Party – 12 September Rating 75 (1800m), and Vivacious in the Zilco Rating 75 (1400m)
“Balance Of Power is up in trip,” Bergerson said. “He has been running there or thereabouts without really lighting up the finish. Hopefully they don’t get too much rain, but we think he can handle the going. Hayley (Hassman, stable apprentice) is aboard, and arguably there is no one riding better at the moment, and a kilo off should help.
“If the track were to stick around that Heavy8 range, back on the turf, hopefully Vivacious can bounce back to a bit of form. Her first-up run on a Soft7 she beat Iron Hawk, who is quite a talented horse. If it got out to the 10 range it would be a little bit doubtful, but she is a talented mare on her day.”
