Te Akau Sydney Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has two horses racing on Saturday 24 March at Rosehill Gardens, Sydney.

As on Friday 23 March the conditions were: overcast and Heavy8, rail out 2 metres. No rain forecast.

5.25 p.m. (NZ time) R6 3 Age of Fire (3 c Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Jason Collett; settled four back on the inner, he kept finding the line solidly and ran on well after the post in race record time (1:33.7) for the $1m Randwick Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 10 March at Royal Randwick, with Collett aboard. Runner-up to stable-mate Embellish (Savabeel), with a massive effort in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and winner of the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m), he has stamped himself as a very good colt. Although drawn wide (15) in the $600,000 Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), a race won last year by stable-mate Gingernuts (Iffraaj), it may prove advantageous given the yielding ground and stepping in distance appears ideal. Fixed odds: $21.00 & $6.00 NZ TAB.

5.25 p.m. (NZ time) R6 5 Mongolianconqueror (3 g Ocean Park - Queen Rania) - Opie Bosson; finished second in a head bobbing finish with race rival Vin De Dance (Roc de Cambes) in the $1m New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) on 3 March at Ellerslie, a race and distance that trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards always believed he was destined for. Also drawn wide (21) in the $600,000 Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), give in the ground poses an issue for a horse better suited to good footing, but he has continued to thrive throughout his preparation. Fixed odds: $14.00 & $4.30 NZ TAB.

On Friday morning, co-trainer Stephen Autridge reported from Sydney: “Dan (Miller) and I couldn't be any happier with both of them. The track is the only concern we've got. We wouldn't want it too firm, but not too bad either. Age of Fire doesn't mind a bit of cut.

“Their work was outstanding when they worked together on Tuesday. Thursday, they worked separately and Dan was really happy with both of them,” he said.

In the race beforehand, Race 5 (4.45 p.m.), Winx (Street Cry) is looking to extend her winning sequence to 24 (one shy of unbeaten Black Caviar (25)) in the $1m George Ryder Stakes (Gr. 1, 1500m). Interestingly, her main danger is expected to come from the three-year-old colt Kementari (Lonhro) who won the Randwick Guineas that Age of Fire contested last start. Give in the ground, and home track advantage, are factors to aid Winx - as if she needs them.