Te Akau at Te Teko Trials

Te Akau trialled horses on Tuesday Aug. 26 at Te Teko.
The footing was rated Slow8, with the rail out three metres.

Heat 1 Open 1000 metres (¾ lengths, 2 ½ lengths 1:00.2)
Bronte Lass (6 m Stravinsky - Little Dorrit) - Matt Cameron - below; settled second last of eight runners. She was the widest in the straight and made ground with a strong finish for fourth, doing her best work late.

La Adelita (4 m High Chaparral - Romantic Liaisons) - Michael Coleman - below; tailed the field, standing the leader seven lengths at the 600 metres.  She worked into contention nearer the rail over the final stages in what was a nice trial.

Equanimity (4 m More Than Ready - Insouciant) - Danielle Johnson; positioned well in fourth and not asked for much she was held together in an easy trial.  She will take plenty of improvement and will look to trial again in two to three weeks.

Heat 2 Open 1000 metres (1 length, head 1:01.7)
Alchemy's Flight (4 m Darci Brahma - Eloa) - Michael Coleman - below right green colours; settled last, standing the leader seven lengths at the 600 metres and made good ground on the outside for fourth.  A touch keen early, she then relaxed in a much improved performance.

Flirty Gertey (4 m Thorn Park - Granma Gertey) - Matt Cameron - above second from right Te Akau colours; jumped smartly to lead before trailing and settled fifth on the inner, she worked home under a hold for fifth with no pressure.

Longbeach (4 g Fastnet Rock - Betwixt) - Rory Hutchings - below; settled at the rear and ran home in staying fashion, working on nicely past the post.  Without blinkers on, he was doing his best work late.

Dreamer (4 m More Than Ready - Make Me Strong) - Kelly Myers - below; worked up second, was third with cover at the 600 metres and showed to need the outing in the run home, having had a long break.

Heat 3 3YO 1000 metres (3 lengths, neck 1:00.9)
Rockfast (3 c Fastnet Rock - Gypsy Princess) - Danielle Johnson - below; came from fourth with cover, ranged to lead at the 200 metres and galloped out stylishly to win well.  With blinkers on, he appreciated improved track conditions, travelled kindly and won comfortably.

Flaming (3 f Bachelor Duke - Flying Firebird) - Matt Cameron - below; travelled three wide in fifth and worked home solidly on the outside for fifth.  On a day when it was difficult to make ground, she ran another sound trial.

Smashing (3 f Pins - Ruud Van Slaats) - Kelly Myers - below; jumped away smartly to co-lead on the outer, travelled quite keenly and was not knocked around late in the piece.  Her action is good and she will continue to improve as her coat shifts.

Heat 4 Open 1200 metres (head, long head 1:15.5)
Osmunda (4 m O'Reilly - Wyndam Special) - Matt Cameron - below; received a nice trip in fourth. She ranged to challenge entering the straight and kept up a solid gallop for second.

Quintette (4 m Alamosa - Everswindell) - Mark Sweeney - below; began smartly before steadying to trail. She popped off at the 250 metres and worked home without being extended for fifth.

Clos De Tart (5 m Darci Brahma - Rapid Kay) - Shaun McKay - below; settled at the rear of seven runners and tracked them home, doing her best work over the concluding stages.  She was fidgeting when the gates were released and got back as a consequence however her recovery was good.

Heat 5 2YO 600 metres (1 ¾ lengths, 1 ½ lengths 35.4)
2 c Captain Rio - Lady Classique - Matt Cameron - below; began well from barrier two to co-lead on the inner and showed good extension and attributes entering into a duel, finishing second.

Vintage Verdot (2 c Pins - Petit Verdot) - Kelly Myers; trailed from barrier one but raced a bit greenly entering the straight and worked home behind runners for a good educational trial.

Heat 6 2YO 600 metres (2 ½ lengths, 1 ¾ lengths 35.2)
Windborne (2 f Darci Brahma - Sweet Dreams Baby) - Matt Cameron - below; showed good pace from barrier five to cross and lead, off the rail. She quickened to an advantage at the 250 metres and went to the line easing down for a smart win.

2 g Paco Boy - L'Accord - Craig Grylls - below; got back off the pace but galloped up behind runners, making good ground, and went through the line strongly for fourth.  It was ideal from an educational standpoint.

Heat 7 2YO 600 metres (Dead-heat, 6 lengths 35.5)
Esprit De Corps (2 c Bel Esprit - Vercors) - Matt Cameron - below; was held together off a wide gate, switching ground to track runners home in the straight.  Although racing a bit greenly in the straight he will take massive improvement from the experience.

Heat 8 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 length, 1 ¼ lengths 48.2)
Sonsy (3 f Thorn Park - Flowing) - Matt Cameron - below; eased across from barrier nine of ten, settling last and standing the leader eight lengths at the 600 metres. Widest in the straight and still last at the 300m, she made up plenty of ground in stylish fashion late in the piece to finish fifth.

Heat 9 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 length, 5 lengths 47.8)
3 f Minstrel Court - La Conga - Danielle Johnson - below; quickened through to lead after being a stride slow from barrier two. She co-led on the on the inner, gained an advantage at the 250 metres and displayed promising attributes striding out to win comfortably.

Heat 10 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (3 lengths, ½ length 48.5)
3 f Mastercraftsman - Due Diligence - Matt Cameron - below; pinged the gate, to contest a competitive tempo in the middle of three and was easy inside the final 100 metres to finish sixth.  She got a little bit lost amongst runners in the straight, but it was her first educational trial and she will take plenty of improvement.

Heat 11 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1¼ lengths, 3 lengths 47.6)
3 f Savabeel - Mezaire - Matt Cameron - below; crossed from a wide gate to track the first division in fifth. She ranged nicely rounding the home turn and ran home in good fashion for third for a nice tidy trial.

Heat 12 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 length, long head 48.5)
3 f Saperavi - Encosta Lotta - Danielle Johnson - below; settled beyond midfield and urged along eight lengths off the pace at the 600 metres, she showed a sound staying type action in the straight and rolled on nicely after the line.

Heat 13 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 length 48.5)
Latin Rose (3 f Mastercraftsman - Down View) - Matt Cameron - below; got back on the inner from barrier one, was last of nine at the 400m and kept winding up a solid finish for sixth.  She was squeezed coming out of the gates and got back as a consequence.

Heat 15 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (1 ¾ lengths, 3 ½ lengths 1:01.6)
Zarules (3 g Zabeel - Gwen's Rules) - Danielle Johnson - below; trailed on the rail in fourth, worked into contention three wide from the 500 metres and stayed on in the straight for sixth in an educational outing today.

Cathedral Cove (3 c Zabeel - Thistle Cove) - Matt Cameron - below; settled fifth on the outer, became a little unbalanced around the home turn and as a staying horse he found the sprint trip too sharp but was professional in his trial.

Heat 16 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (4 lengths, ½ a length 1:01.6)
Irish Mystic (3 f O'Reilly - Lodore Mystic) - Matt Cameron - below; went forward quickly from the outside but remained posted three wide on the pace, which told in the final analysis.  She showed plenty in her first trial and will now have a short break.

Heat 17 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (1 length, 1 ½ lengths 1:02.1)
Prince Henry (3 g Henrythenavigator - Ocean of Tears) - Matt Cameron - below; jumped out well to lead before steadying to trail at the 700 metres. He did well and showed a good action working home in the worst of the going near the rail for second.

Heat 18 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (1 ½ lengths, 2 lengths 1:02.3)
Scandinavian (3 g Dylan Thomas - Blanche Amelia) - Matt Cameron - below; trailed in fourth from barrier one and got home in staying fashion nearer the rail for fourth, doing his best work late.

Atua (3 c Murtajill - Silent Smytzer) - Danielle Johnson - below; settled in a nice spot one off the rail in fifth. He received a shuffle rounding the turn before working into contention and fought on in the straight.

Heat 19 Maiden 3YO 1000 metres (¾ lengths, 1 length 1:02.3)
Storm Trooper (3 g Tavistock - Shock) - Rory Hutchings; travelled back and wide from the outside gate, eight lengths from leader at the 600 metres, switching ground to the inside at the 300m and made eye-catching ground late for second.

Bettorock (3 f Fastnet Rock - Astounded) - Matt Cameron - below; was easy through the early stages to settle at the rear. She circled in hand rounding the bend and sustained a big finish widest on the track for third.

Pictures - Stacey Bridgman - main picture Windborne and 2g Paco Boy/L'Accord