Te Akau Ellerslie preview

Te Akau New Zealand has one horse entered for the six race twilight programme on Thursday 4 February at Ellerslie.

As on Wednesday 3 February the conditions were: fine and Dead4, rail out 12 metres. There is the occasional shower forecast.

7.37 p.m. R6 5 Zambezi Warrior (3 g Pentire - Zambezi) - Matt Cameron; powered home to win easily on January 15 in the Maiden 1600 metres at Matamata, and steps up to contest the $20,000 Rating 65 2100 metres from barrier five. Holding a Derby nomination (raced here on March 5), he certainly has the right pedigree - being from a Zabeel mare out of the classy Tall Poppy (Kaapstad) who won the NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie. Including five three-year-old rivals, with staying intentions, the field is pretty strong but able to emulate his last start effort should make him a genuine threat.