Te Akau Ellerslie Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Saturday 2 March (Derby Day) at Ellerslie.

As on Friday 1 March the conditions were: cloudy and Dead5, rail true. No rain forecast.

3.10 p.m. R6 8 Savy Yong Blonk (3 f Savabeel - Ampin) - Opie Bosson; followed
consecutive wins with a notable midfield finish in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr.
3, 1600m) in January at Trentham, and closed appreciably for fifth in the Sir
Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m) on 9 February at Te Rapa. She has
continued to improve throughout the campaign and looks a top four chance in the
$70,000 McKee Family Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m). Fixed odds: $10.00 & $3.30.

3.45 p.m. R7 12 Queen Of The Air (3 f I Am Invincible - Flying Single) - Glen Boss;
won her Maiden in track record time, 1:09.6, for 1200 metres at Waverley, and
resumed from a freshen-up clocking the fastest last 600m (34.3) when bolting
away by five lengths in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 8 February at Awapuni. Up
in class for the $60,000 Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Listed, 1300m), she meets a
classy fields but has the form to match them. Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.40.

4.55 p.m. R9 3 In A Twinkling (3 g Fastnet Rock - Moment in Time) - Glen Boss; ran
a slashing trial for the $1m Vodafone NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) when narrowly
beaten here in the Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m) on 16 February. Fourth in
the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and home in a faster time (34.3) than the
winner in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m), he
brings the right form and ideally drawn in barrier six. Fixed odds: $7.50 & $2.60.

4.55 p.m. R9 16 Prise De Fer (3 g Savabeel - Foiled) - Opie Bosson; was doing his
best work through the line in fifth here a fortnight ago in the Avondale
Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), after finishing solidly for sixth in the $1m Karaka
Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m), ridden by Bosson in each. He
has fashioned a good record and should go well from barrier nine in the $1m
Vodafone NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m), a race Te Akau won two years ago with
Gingernuts (Iffraaj) and beaten a nose last year with Mongolianconqueror (Ocean
Park). Fixed odds:
$14.00 & $4.20.

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