The vision of one man led to a racing dynasty in New Zealand that still stands strong today

While attending the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka yearlings Sales held every January down in South Auckland, there is always one guarantee. A man sitting quietly on the far side of the sales ring watches intently as each young horse enters into the parade ring. With catalogue in hand he carefully assesses each thoroughbred and gives a gentle nod or a wink to the bid chaser if the horses bloodlines match his experience and ability to spot future winners. If he wants it, he buys it, rarely outbid, paying seven figures if need be.

The man is David Ellis CNZM - now Sir David Ellis the principal at Te Akau racing with more than 40 years experience within the New Zealand racing industry. In 2026 he becomes Sir David after receiving a Knighthood in the 2026 Kings Honours list. The 72-year-old expressed gratitude upon being honoured, recognising his exceptional contributions as the founder of the prominent racing industry entity, Te Akau, and acknowledging his philanthropic endeavors. Ellis set up Te Akau as a way of making horse-racing ownership accessible for thousands of owners. The company buys, breeds and syndicates horses, creating the Tangerine dream for a great many racing enthusiasts.

His first winner came in 1978 with a filly named MAGNUM, who won her third start at Paeroa before later winning at Ellerslie. Four years later, David attended his first New Zealand National Yearling Sale in 1982. That was the beginning of a remarkable journey. From modest beginnings, he worked numerous jobs, including pouring petrol on his days off, to save enough money to buy his first farm, a purchase that would ultimately lead him to Te Akau. David celebrated his first Group One victory when COSMETIQUE won the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie in 1986. Few could have imagined at the time that it would become the first of more than 100 Group One victories.

Te Akau has established a unique position in the New Zealand racing industry by employing highly skilled individuals to consistently produce champion racehorses. Under the leadership of David Ellis, the stable has developed into a formidable force, often showcasing some of the most beautifully bred, high quality young racehorses in the country. Karen Fenton-Ellis, and her husband David, form a powerful team. The previous Trackside TV host oversees a substantial portion of the Te Akau syndication system, which has enabled individuals to experience the Tangerine Dream first hand. She is often the first person you see celebrating with the ownership group after a victory.

The Matamata-based stable has a distinguished track record of accomplishments in New Zealand racing, having secured the trainers premiership on 16 occasions. Under the able leadership of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Te Akau consistently engages the services of highly skilled jockeys such as Opie Bosson and Michael McNab, thereby solidifying its position at the forefront of the industry. There are too many incredible horses to mention, but a few of the greats include IMPERATRIZ, MELODY BELLE, EMBELLISH, PROBABEEL, ENTRIVIERE, ADVANTAGE, TE AKAU SHARK, GINGERNUTS, XTRAVAGANT, ROCK n POP, BURGUNDY, DARCI BRAHMA and the original stayer that started the journey, TE AKAU NICK.

Several prominent trainers in New Zealand have emerged from the Te Akau system, including Roger James, Stephen Autridge, Jamie Richards, and currently Mark Walker, who joined forces with Sam Bergerson to bolster their training partnership. In a strategic move, David Ellis expanded into the Australian market by establishing a stable operation at Cranbourne in Melbourne. We can expect to see the Tangerine colours flying high and dominating the NZ Racing scene for many years to come.

Te Akau, Matamata in New Zealand, Cranbourne in Melbourne, Australia and Singapore.

Winner of 16 New Zealand Trainers’ Premierships

Winner of 4 Singapore Trainers’ Premierships

Winner of 12 New Zealand Champion Trainer of the Year titles

Winner of 4 Singapore Champion Trainer of the Year titles

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

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

Over 106 Group 1 race successes

Te Akau also provided the indomitable Gai Waterhouse with her first ever G1 winner in the Sydney Cup - Te Akau Nick who ran 2nd in the ‘93 Melbourne Cup won by Vintage Crop. The stable now sits on 2,938 domestic wins and continues its march towards the extraordinary milestone of 3,000 New Zealand winners. Last year, Sir David Ellis was inducted into the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.