Te Akau Ellerslie Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has two horses entered for the ten-race Auckland Cup Day programme on Wednesday March 5 at Ellerslie.

As on Tuesday March 4 the conditions were: overcast and Dead4, rail out 2 metres.

4:05pm R6 6 Thy (5 m O'Reilly - Star Affair) - Vinny Colgan; resumes from a break of 123-days and drew barrier two in the Westbury Classic (Gr. 3, 1400m). Third in the 2008 Australian Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) at Randwick, and a duel listed winner of the Aspiration Quality (1600m) in March last year at Warwick Farm, and the Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, she signalled her readiness when rounding off nicely for third to Bounding in her most recent trial at Matamata. She can act fresh and has the right record to prove competitive - one of two in the race for Te Akau.

4:05pm R6 8 Abidewithme (4 m Redoute's Choice - Crimson) - Matt Cameron; has been freshened since staging a massive performance to win the Anniversary Handicap (Listed, 1600m) on Jan. 18 at Trentham. From twelfth in running, off a wide gate, she engulfed the field wide on the track in the straight. Unfavoured again in the draw, she has the outside barrier in a field of thirteen. Unbeaten in three starts on the course and the 1400-metre trip, her credentials are impeccable and she has the class factor to force the issue with some luck in running.