Te Akau Matamata Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the nine-race programme on Wednesday March 12 at Matamata.

As on Tuesday March 11 the conditions were: fine and Good3, rail out five metres.

1:10pm R2 4 Maestro (3 g Encosta De Lago - Miss Scarlatti) - Hayden Tinsley; makes his debut from barrier seven in the Maiden 1400 metres, after winning and then finishing third at the trials this time in. He tracked up effortlessly before producing a strong run to win on Feb. 11 at Cambridge, and although looking for more ground he worked home nicely for third over 1000 metres on Feb. 25 at Matamata. His dam, Miss Scarlatti (Stravinsky), was one of the best three-year-old staying fillies of her time in Victoria, and in turn her dam, Crimson (Zabeel), was Third top filly on the NZ Free Handicaps as a 3YO. His half-sister by Fastnet Rock (Danehill) sold for $700,000 this year at Karaka, and he is closely related to Abidewithme (Redoute's Choice) who has won six from ten for Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman.

1:45pm R3 1 Rockfast (2 c Fastnet Rock - Gypsy Princess) - Hayden Tinsley; showed plenty of heart after leading to finish second in the Matamata Slipper (Listed, 1200m) at the last meeting here on Feb. 22, and trainer Jason Bridgman has settled on a softer option in plotting a path to the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on March 29 at Awapuni. From barrier six in the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres, he is expected to take a sit just off the pace and his form warrants favouritism in this race.

3:30pm R6 16 La Adelita (3 f High Chaparral - Romantic Liaisons) - Hayden Tinsley; has looked promising in her three trials to date and makes her debut from barrier two in the Maiden Fillies & Mares over 1400 metres. Trialling over 950 metres on Feb. 11 at Cambridge, she circled wide and staged a big finish for second, and out of her grade in an Open Handicap 1200-metre trial here a fortnight ago she cleared the gates quickly and was very encouraging in finishing third. Although there is plenty in her pedigree to suggest getting over a trip will become her forte, she has shown promising attributes thus far and this appears an ideal starting point to commence her career.

4:40pm R8 13 Osmunda (3 f O'Reilly - Wyndam Special) - rider to be advised; resumes from a 70-day break, having contested the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), won by Rising Romance (Ekraar), on Jan. 1 at Ellerslie. She followed a second on debut with a win over a mile at Awapuni, and after working home nicely in a trial she should race well in a fresh state from a handy draw in the Benchmark 65 1400 metres.