Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Full Noise by SN
Te Akau to make strong claim at Wingatui
Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • February 26th, 2026 2:00 pm
Court Of Appeal will be one of two runners for Te Akau Racing in Saturday's Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) at Wingatui. Photo: Race Images South
Te Akau Racing will head to Wingatui’s Classics Day on Saturday in full force, including stable jockey Opie Bosson, who will fly south to ride several of their leading contenders at the lucrative meeting.
“It is a great day to have runners and good live chances, especially with the money on offer,” Te Akau Racing assistant trainer Hunter Durrant, who heads their Riccarton barn, said.
“It will be great having Opie down here, it always makes a difference.”
Bosson, who recently recorded his 100th Group One win in the saddle, will partner four Te Akau runners on the 10-race card, including the in-form Insatiable in the Happy Retirement Wayne Stevens (1200m).
The six-year-old gelding placed in three consecutive races, including the Listed Stewards Stakes (1200m), before breaking through for an elusive victory in the Banks Peninsula Cup (1100m) earlier this month.
“He is always thereabouts and it was good to see him get one there last time,” Durrant said. “His work on the course proper at Riccarton on Tuesday was really good, he looks outstanding, he is probably one of the better-looking horses in the barn, so I am really confident with him.”
He will be met in his race by stablemate Trobriand, who will be seeking to recapture form under Central Districts hoop Bruno Queiroz.
“He needs to recapture some form, but we are confident he can,” Durrant said. “His work has been good and he is a happy horse, but he does need to find a bit there.”
Bosson will also ride promising juvenile Never Too Much in the KB Contractors (1100m), Purple Prose in the Speights (1600m), and Stonybreck in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m).
“Never Too Much has trialled really well up north,” Durrant said. “His recent trial was really nice. He has fitted into the programme here at Riccarton like an older horse, he does everything right. All he wants to do is work, eat and sleep. His work has been extremely sharp.
“It looks an ideal race on paper for Purple Prose. He has been thereabouts and looking at that race I think he is a really nice chance.
“Stonybreck was only fair there at Wingatui last time. We have changed things up, including some jumping, just to get him thinking about things. If he can recapture some of that form he had in the spring he will definitely be right in the mix.”
The stable has several other stakes contenders, including last-start winner Perlino in the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Dunedin Guineas (1600m).
“Perlino is a lovely filly by Super Seth that has come down and has done everything right,” Durrant said. “We expected her to run well at Riccarton last start, but probably not win in the fashion that she did. It was pretty convincing.
“She has trained on better than she was before, so that is a really good sign going forward.”
Court Of Appeal also takes last start winning form into the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), where she will be joined by stablemate Elegant Lady.
“They both ran last week at Riccarton, so it is only a 10-day back-up, but they have definitely handled it well,” Durrant said.
“Court Of Appeal won very well and Bruno thought that if it was on a Good track at Riccarton she would have won by more.
“Elegant Lady has had a wee while between runs, so she has improved off that Riccarton run and her work since then has been super.
“It is nice going into one of the biggest days in racing down here with two really nice chances.”
Te Akau’s final runner on the card will be juvenile filly Elysienne, who will join Never Too Much in the KB Contractors (1100m), where she will jump from the ace barrier with Courtney Barnes aboard.
“Elysienne is a lovely filly,” Durrant said. “She has been down here a while now and has had that start (fourth on debut over 800m at Riccarton last month).
“We scratched her from a Heavy track at Riccarton last week. It will be good to see her on a Good track.”
