The time-honoured J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes is the feature race of Saturday’s raceday and the Group 2 feature has an illustrious list of prior winners.
A race dominated in recent years by the Te Akau Racing team, we can’t wait to see who’ll take out 2025’s edition.
Fields are out on Wednesday so before we wrap our minds around this year’s field, we took a look back at the past five winners to see whose name has been put up in lights (and whose colours have been displayed on our wee jockey!).
2024 | Captured By Love
It was the tangerine to the fore in 2024 with Captured By Love continuing her unbeaten (at the time) streak to claim the Group 2 feature with Opie Bosson in the saddle. Local stable Te Akau Racing were victorious in both 2022 and 2023 so this win added a third to their tally. Captured By Love has since gone on to win at the highest level taking out the G1 NZ 1000 Guineas in late 2024.
2023 | Zourion
Once again Te Akau Racing put their name against our most significant race on the calendar with Zourion claiming the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes in 2023 for the local stable. In only her second start, the daughter of Zoustar, owned by Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay, defeated Central Districts raiders Lowe Flying and Pignan to secure that valuable black type with Opie Bosson aboard.
2022 | Maven Belle
Classy filly Maven Belle made it three wins from three starts when she took out the 2022 G2 J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes. Under rider Ryan Elliot and trained by Jamie Richards for Te Akau Racing, the daughter of Burgundy showed her class in the hotly contested local feature.
2021 | Bonny Lass
It was Bonny Lass in the spotlight in 2021 when the local filly claimed the G2 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes for trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall. With Craig Grylls in the saddle she overcame a slow start from the barrier to hold off a late challenge from Fonsalette to triumph for owner/breeder, Sandy Moore and the Social Racing Starting Gates Syndicate.
2020 | Vernazza
2020 saw Brendan and Jo Lindsay take out the feature race again with Vernazza, trained by Lance Noble, battling to the end to claim the win. The win created a special moment for trainer and former Matamata Racing Club committee man Lance Noble, who now trains out of the Lindsay’s purpose-built Karaka base.
There are limited tickets still available to J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders' Stakes Day or general admission is free to all. More information about the day below.