Te Akau Ashburton Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Friday 1 September at Ashburton.

As on Thursday 31 August the conditions were: drizzling and Slow8, rail true. 7mls rain forecast Thursday and 7mls race day.

1.55 p.m. R4 1 Zavistic (4 g Zacinto - Miss Avalon) - Tegan Newman (a4); resumes in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres, having won a preparatory trial under Newman on 1 August at Te Teko. Over 820 metres, on Heavy10 footing, he sat three wide on the pace, held a good line around the home turn and kept up a resilient gallop to win well. Five thirds from six starts (in stronger fields) indicates his consistency and from barrier one, as a more mature horse, he strikes an ideal opportunity to break through. Te Akau apprentice Newman won last time out aboard stable-mate Lady Pinot (Starspangledbanner) at Tauranga.

2.30 p.m. R5 3 Age of Fire (3 c Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Michael McNab; makes his debut from barrier seven in the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres, having indicated there was plenty of improvement to come after working home solidly for fourth when trialling over 820 metres on 1 August at Te Teko. He displayed ability and a powerful action when trialling on both good and dead ground as a two-year-old, and appears capable of a bold performance in this field.

2.30 p.m. R5 6 Swing Note (3 f Encosta De Lago - Andallthatjazz) - Chris Johnson; was another to trial well on 1 August at Te Teko, improving quickly near the home turn she kept galloping solidly for fourth. Very encouraging when finishing fourth on debut in the Wentwood Grange 2YO Premier 1100 metres in December at Te Rapa, she spelled after contesting the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at her fourth start. She too is capable of a big run fresh-up in the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres.

3.04 p.m. R6 11 Heart of Courage (3 g Fastnet Rock - Myrrh) - Michael McNab; resumes in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres, having recorded a strong win over 820 metres at the trials on 1 August at Te Teko. Gelded since racing as a two-year-old, the year-younger brother of Group One winning stable-mate Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), who finished Second Top Two-Year-Old in the 2015/16 NZ Free Handicaps, he has won two of his three trials and just needs to transfer that form to race day.