Walker and Bergerson out in force again on Matamata’s big day
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • February 12th, 2026 12:50 PM • 5 min read
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have a proud tradition to uphold when they send out seven runners across the four black-type races on Matamata’s biggest raceday of the year on Saturday.
The powerhouse local Te Akau Racing stable has an unparalleled record in this fixture, including 10 previous victories in the Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes.
Te Akau’s first win in that race came with Super Natural in 1991, followed by Bayremah (1995), Maxamore (1997), Te Akau Coup (2008), Te Akau Rose (2009), Gold Fever (2017) and the last four in a row with Maven Belle (2022), Zourion (2023), Captured By Love (2024) and La Dorada (2025).
The stable also boasts 11 wins in the Gr.3 Fairview Matamata Slipper – Cosma D’Or (1995), Darci Brahma (2005), Minstrel Court (2008), King’s Ransom (2009), Heroic Valour (2016), Sword Of Osman (2018), Yourdeel (2019), Need I Say More (2020), Sword Of State (2021), Tokyo Tycoon (2023) and Return To Conquer (2025).
The Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes was elevated to Listed status only last year, with Legarto beating Acquarello and Te Akau’s My Lips Are Sealed in the first black-type running. But the tangerine colours were carried to victory in an earlier edition of the race by Imperatriz.
The day’s other black-type feature, the Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai Stakes( Race 8), was won by Te Akau’s What You Wish For 12 months ago.
That runner is back to defend his title on Saturday, taking his place among a potent Te Akau contingent pursuing black-type spoils on their home track.
The headline act is the undefeated filly Lara Antipova in the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Race 5).
The daughter of Russian Revolution was bought by David Ellis and Fortuna Racing for A$100,000 from last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Her two-start career has produced two of the most impressive two-year-old performances of the season so far, scoring by eight lengths at Te Aroha on December 7 and then by four and a half lengths in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham on December 20.
“She’s very exciting and has been hard to fault the whole way through,” Bergerson told RaceForm on Tuesday. “With her being ineligible for the Karaka Millions, we freshened her after Wellington and this race was always the goal.
“She’s come back well. We were happy with her exhibition gallop at Tauranga last Thursday, and then she worked beautifully on the course proper this morning. She’s going into Saturday in great order.
“It’s a field that’s light on numbers but has a fair bit of quality. We’ll know more about her after this, and hopefully we can carry on into the Sistema.”
Te Akau’s Matamata Slipper (Race 3) runners, Kinnaird and Out Of The Blue, have both come through the Karaka Millions. Kinnaird finished at the tail of the field as favourite for that race, while Out Of The Blue was a late-finishing seventh.
“For whatever reason it just wasn’t Kinnaird’s night,” Bergerson said. “We did all the checks on him afterwards, and he passed them with flying colours. He had a quiet week and then started building nicely towards this race.
“Racing on his home track suits, and we think being back left-handed will help too. Even though he won the Eclipse on New Year’s Day, he still did a lot wrong racing around Ellerslie. Hopefully we see a turnaround this weekend, because we know he’s very talented at his best.
“Out Of The Blue really blew the start in the Karaka Millions, which is unlike him. He ran the fastest last 800 and 600 metres, so he could have finished a lot closer if he’d jumped cleanly. He’s come through it beautifully. He’s not overly big, but he’s tough and thrives on racing.”
Walker and Bergerson will take three shots at the Lisa Chittick (Race 6), with last year’s placegetter My Lips Are Sealed joined by Group One winner Captured By Love and classy three-year-old filly Belle Cheval.
“They bring in three completely different form lines,” Bergerson said. “Belle Cheval has come through her win in the Almanzor Trophy well. This is a tough ask, being only her fifth start and a three-year-old filly up against some Group One mares, but she’s got a lot of ability. It’s a suitable progression towards the NZB Kiwi – three weeks from the Almanzor to this race, then three more to the Kiwi. And it’s on her home track with no travel, so we thought it would be an ideal lead-up.
“Captured By Love was disappointing last start at Te Rapa, but we’ve freshened her and she seems bright and well. Her work this morning was good.
“My Lips Are Sealed didn’t really fire in the spring, but she found some good form around this time last year. She’s been working nicely and we’re hoping for more of the same this time around.
“They’re three very talented horses, we’re really happy with all of them, and they certainly deserve their opportunity in what’s shaping up to be a strong race.”
What You Wish For has warmed up for his Kaimai Stakes defence with a win in the Taupo Cup and a last-start second in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes.
“His Taupo Cup win was outstanding, and he ran really well last time over a distance that was short of his best (1500 metres),” Bergerson said. “That race was a bit of a change of plans after the wet track forced him out of the Taranaki Cup.
“He’s bouncing around the place. He gets in nicely at the weights on Saturday with Wolfgang up the top, so hopefully he’s a nice chance to go back-to-back.”
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Big Saturday includes meetings at Matamata and Ascot Park. Race highlights are the Matamata Breeders Stakes and the Matamata Slipper.
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