Te Akau Gisborne Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has nine horses racing on Sunday 19 February at Gisborne.

As on Friday 17 February the conditions were: overcast and Dead6, rail true. 6mls rain forecast Saturday, 1.5mls race day.

1.30 p.m. R2 4 Paradise Rock (4 g Fastnet Rock - Apple Charlotte) - Cameron Lammas; produced a notable effort for third after being caught wide near the pace in the Rating 65 1950 metres on 18 January at Rotorua, and given time to freshen since he contests the Rating 65 2000 metres. He proved too good off the front when winning with Lammas aboard in November at Rotorua, and shapes to go well again from barrier three.

2.05 p.m. R3 12 Silver Missile (2 g Smart Missile - Ocelot) - Cameron Lammas; was given time after trialling well earlier in the season and two subsequent trials have him ready to debut. Much will depend on securing a good trip from barrier ten, but he gets weight off his older rivals in the Maiden 1200 metres and has shown the right attributes to go well.

3.15 p.m. R5 8 Smoke House Bay (4 m Eighth Wonder - Makesmewonder) - Cameron Lammas; never saw daylight and went to the line untested when resuming in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 1 February at Hastings, following a solid third at the trials. A winner over 1400 metres, she has displayed the attributes to round off strongly but will require luck from the outside barrier in a field of twelve for the Rating 65 1200 metres.

3.15 p.m. R5 9 Corporate Missile (3 f Smart Missile - Corporate) - Alysha Collett; has the benefit of two quiet trials under her belt and resumes off 130 days, with blinkers on, in the Rating 65 1200 metres. She ran home strongly over 1000 metres when commencing her previous campaign, appears to have matured nicely for a break, and possesses genuine qualities to prove competitive.

3.48 p.m. R6 14 Abloom (3 f Darci Brahma - Corsage) - Cameron Lammas; found the line from back in the field for fourth on 1 February in the Maiden 3YO 1300 metres at Hastings, after racing into second over 1200 metres on 12 January at Wanganui. Handily drawn (4) in the Maiden 1400 metres, she again receives a good opportunity in this field to force the issue.

4.23 p.m. R7 13 Zip Zap (3 f Stravinsky - Miss Zapper) - Cameron Lammas; found the line for a close fourth in the Maiden 1300 metres on 2 January at Tauherenikau, and looked to find the Slow9 going a touch beyond her when producing another creditable performance for fifth in the Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 23 January at Woodville. Stepping to 1600 metres, with blinkers on, she appears a good each way chance from barrier four.

4.58 p.m. R8 7 Princess Davone (4 m Iffraaj - Nikey Davone) - Cameron Lammas; did well to close the gap for third, and was strong through the line, in the Rating 85 1400 metres on 4 February at Te Rapa, running her last 600m in a slick 33.6. She has won two of her four starts in this campaign, stakes placed five times as a three-year-old, and appears ideally weighted with 54kgs to prove competitive from barrier three in the $30,000 Poverty Bay Cup (Rating 85, 1600m).

5.29 p.m. R9 4 Amperage (4 g Zabeel - Miss Zapper) - Cameron Lammas; trialled well on 7 February at Matamata, when beginning smartly to lead and keeping up a solid gallop for fourth, and he resumes off 144 days in the Rating 65 1600 metres. A winner over 2100 metres, he is a half-brother to Zip Zap, above, and with blinkers on will be looking to get his campaign underway with an encouraging performance.

5.29 p.m. R9 6 Fastnet Fire (4 m Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Alysha Collett; ran on solidly for third to stable-mate Gingernuts (Iffraaj) in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 30 January at Te Teko, and kept going solidly past the post. She has a good record at a mile, with a win and three places from four starts, and with luck from a wide draw she should again go well in the Rating 65 1600 metres. Additional gear is a tongue tie.