Te Akau Ashburton Update

Te Akau New Zealand has three horses racing on Thursday 30 August at Ashburton.

As on Wednesday 29 August the conditions were: overcast and Slow8, rail out 3 metres. 10mls rain forecast Wednesday, fine Thursday.

2.02 p.m. R5 5 Swing Note (4 m Encosta De Lago - Andallthatjazz) - Nik Bakar (a4); has looked good finishing first and second respectively in two recent trials and resumes in the $11,000 Rating 72 1400 metres. A winner last spring at Riccarton, she was then third in the Zacinto Stakes (Listed, 1600m) and notable fifth in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on the same course. A very athletic mare, she has weight relief to 51.5kgs and should give this field plenty to think about.

Te Akau apprentice Nik Bakar gained his first win aboard stable-mate Don'tblamethemusic (Coats Choice) last Wednesday at Taupo, doing a fine job in only his second race day ride.

3.12 p.m. R7 2 Summer Monsoon (4 g Stratum - Princess Narine) - Shafiq Rusof; powered home wide on the track for second to dual Group Two winner Ocean Emperor (Zabeel) when trialling on 13 August at Te Teko, and resumes in the $10,000 Rating 65 1250 metres. He has shown professionalism in winning, and finishing second in the Matamata Slipper (Listed, 1200m), from six starts, and another that should prove very competitive.

3.47 p.m. R8 1 Bak Da Master (4 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess) - Shafiq Rusof; has trialled up nicely to resume in the $10,000 Maiden 1600 metres. A half-brother to Group One Easter Handicap winner Pondarosa Miss (High Chaparral) and Group One placed multiple stakes' winner Ecuador (High Chaparral), he had two seconds and two thirds up to 2100 metres from four starts in his first campaign, boasts the consistency to go well fresh and has visor blinkers on.