Te Akau Ellerslie Monday Preview

Te Akau Racing has six horses entered on Monday 27 April at Ellerslie.   

Ellerslie: 

Weather: fine, track: Soft5, rail: out 3 metres. No rain forecast. 

12:20 p.m. R2 15 Chica De Oro (3 f Medaglia d’Oro – Channeled’s Lady) – Craig Grylls; she ran home well for third in the Maiden 2000 metres on 22 March at Matamata, with also with Craig aboard, and since then closed strongly for fourth in a trial on 16 April at Tauranga. Contesting the $25,000 Maiden 2100 metres, she’s a filly who has placed in both starts and rates a top three chance from barrier one. Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.40.

12:55 p.m. R3 3 Centurial (3 g Savabeel – Purcentage) – Hayley Hassman (a2); with Opie not riding, our stable apprentice takes the mount and knows this boy well, riding him in trackwork,. He finished strongly for second after being held up off the trail in the Maiden 1400 metres on 1 April at Pukekohe, and contests the $25,000 Maiden 2YO & 3YO 1400 metres. He ran the fastest last 600m (33.7) for fifth over 1200 metres the start prior, and from barrier five is expected to race well. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.10. 

1:32 p.m. R4 10 Luvabeel (4 m Savabeel – O’Lovely) – Joe Doyle; she got back, was closer entering the home straight, but was unable to quicken on heavy ground and as such, was given an easy time in a trial on 16 April at Tauranga. Resuming in the $25,000 Maiden 1400 metres, she’s a lovely mare who has placed in three of her four starts to 1600 metres earlier in the season, she brings solid form and ideally drawn (4) to race well first-up. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $3.10. 

2:44 p.m. R6 7 Sabatini (4 m El Roca – Amarantha) – Craig Grylls; she was steadied back from barrier one as she tended to travel keenly, but then camped onto the leaders turning for home, and was nicely held together, finishing well for fourth in a trial on 16 April at Tauranga. Debuting in the $25,000 Maiden 2YO & Up 1200 metres, she has trialled well, including here at Ellerslie, her dam Amarantha (Van Nistelrooy) raced well when fresh, and this girl shapes to race well with a decent trip from barrier nine. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.60.

3:21 p.m. R7 10 Geneva Queen (3 f Swiss Ace – Sigiriya) – Craig Grylls; she ran the fastest last 600m (34.2) on the day for second when debuting in the Maiden 3YO 1050 metres on 11 March at Matamata, but was unable to handle Heavy10 footing second-up on 28 March at Te Aroha. Contesting the $25,000 Maiden 2YO & Up 1200 metres, she trialled nicely for third on the course before racing, and has the perfect gate and rider combination (3) to bounce back with a good showing on the better footing she strikes today. Fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.80.

3:58 p.m. R8 5 Avantaggia (3 f Wootton Bassett – Avantage) – Craig Grylls; she kept producing for a strong win in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 11 April at Otaki, and contests the $30,000 Rating 69 3YO 1200 metres. Beautifully bred out of the Te Akau bought and trained nine-time Group One winner Avantage (Fastnet Rock), she’s recorded two smart wins from five starts. She fought hard for fourth when debuting here in September, the race won by subsequent NZB Kiwi winner Well Written, and she looks a top three prospect if the tricky draw doesn’t get in the way of her chances (12). Fixed odds: $4.00 & $1.80.

Main picture - Avantaggia