Te Akau Matamata Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses on Tuesday 24 February at Matamata.
The footing was rated Dead5, with the rail out twelve metres.

Heat 1 Open 1200 metres (head, neck 1:11.4)
Vive La Difference (3 f Choisir - L'Artiste) - Vinny Colgan (below); received a lovely trip in fourth, four lengths off the pace at the 600m and worked home nicely under her own steam for a close second.

Heat 1 Open 1000 metres (¾ lengths, 2 lengths)
Smashing (3 f Pins - Ruud Van Slaats) - Mark Du Plessis (below); made the lead easily, did it well in front, never off the bridle holding her advantage in the straight - pretty to watch.

Heat 7 2YO 800 metres (long head, 1 ¼ lengths 49.1)
Amperage (2 c Zabeel - Miss Zapper) - Cameron Lammas (below); settled between runners in fifth and into the clear at the 300m he displayed a nice action working home for third.

Vintage Verdot (2 g Pins - Petit Verdot) - Samantha Wynne (below); settled seventh from a wide draw and tracked up behind horses in a heat where positions changed little throughout.

Heat 8 2YO 800 metres (2 ¼ lengths, 2 ¼ lengths 46.3)
Xtravagant (2 c Pentire - Axiom) - Cameron Lammas (below); was keen when steadied off a wide gate to settle back in the field and switched to the inside for a rails run in the straight he rounded off stylishly for third.

Court Case (2 g Star Witness - Marie Doree) - Michael McNab (below); was a touch tardy to begin but worked up to fourth at the 600m, running home solidly for fifth and galloping out strongly past the line.

Heat 9 2YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 length 48.9)
Portia (2 f Street Cry - Posavina) - Cameron Lammas (below); settled last off the outside gate, standing the leader eight lengths at the 600m. Drawn widest rounding the home bend, she quickened to loom and did well making up considerable ground for fourth while displaying an economical top of the ground action in the process.

Heat 10 2YO 800 metres (¾ lengths, 1 length 48.4)
Princess Davone (2 f Iffraaj - Nikey Davone) - Samantha Collett (below); flew the gate to lead before easing to trail, a couple of lengths behind the leader, she probed through on the vacated rail in the straight and kept up a strong gallop to win well.

Heat 11 2YO 800 metres (neck, ¾ lengths 47.7)
2 f Starcraft - Absolute Faith - Vinny Colgan (below); worked across from the outside gate to fifth and ran home determinedly, in a line of horses for the minors, showing a good head carry in the process, for fourth.

Red Poppy (2 f Iffraaj - Newgrange) - Cameron Lammas (below); showed gate speed to run along outside the leader and worked home solidly amongst a line of horses to finish close up in fifth.

Heat 12 2YO 800 metres (2 ½ lengths, 1 ¾ lengths 48.1)
2 f Saperavi - A La Votre - Raphael Schistl (below); travelled on the bridle alongside the leader, appeared to be going easily rounding the turn and after establishing a two length advantage to the 250m she showed her quality to win well.

Royal Success (2 c Savabeel - Royal Show) - Cameron Lammas (below); did everything right to trail in third and kept up a solid gallop to finish third in an ideal trial performance.

Heat 13 2YO 800 metres (4 lengths, 1 ¾ lengths 48.4)
2 c Stratum - The Party Stand - Cameron Lammas; worked up behind horses from fifth to trail rounding the home turn. He gained a lovely rails run, as the leader ran wide, quickening to lead and showed all the right attributes to win with plenty of authority.

Safekeeping (2 c Keeper - Kirin Belle) - Ed Zac-Syed (below); was caught three wide in fourth before being flushed wider around the home turn as the field fanned out, which made it tough to finish closer than he did.

Heat 14 2YO 800 metres (½ a length, ¾ lengths 48.9)
Scrutinize (2 c Savabeel - Legs) - Cameron Lammas (below); was caught wide early, gained cover back in the field at the 600m, eased off heels on the turn when electing for a rails run and he quickened up appreciably for an impressive win. It was a smart ride and the horse displayed a flawless action, appearing a very exciting prospect.

Saperavi - Eclectic Heights 2 f - Samantha Wynne (below); showed gate speed to work up second from the outside gate and fought on in the straight after being carted wide.

Heat 15 2YO 800 metres (1 ¼ lengths, 1 length 48.6)
2 f Shamoline Warrior - Amathea - Raphael Schistl (below in purple & white colours); tracked up handily with cover in fifth and made a run in close quarters down the straight, galloping strongly through the line in fourth.

Splurge (2 c Savabeel - Splashing Out) - Cameron Lammas (two pics below); was eased to last from the outside gate, in a predetermined plan, and opting for a run near the rail in the straight he never really sighted clear galloping room but went through the line strongly in fifth.

Heat 16 Maiden 800 metres (1 length, 1 length 48.0)
Hushed (4 g Don Eduardo - Danewhisper) - Cameron Lammas; received a lovely trail in third from barrier two. Yet again the rider was able to pinch an inside run in the straight which saw him quicken to an advantage and win with his ears pricked.

Heat 17 Maiden 800 metres (3 lengths, 5 lengths 47.9)
Auriol (3 f Flying Spur - America's Idol) - Raphael Schistl; got back in running and drawn widest circling the home bend she continued to put in without really reducing the deficit over the sprint trip, but worked on nicely after the line.

Heat 18 Maiden 800 metres (2 ½ lengths, 3 ½ lengths 48.1)
3 g Savabeel - Fire Song - Ed Zac-Syed (below); went quite keenly in the trail, but cruised through to lead when the rail opened on straightening and went on to win untested.

Duran (3 g Darci Brahma - Breezed) - Cameron Lammas; was fourth in running, but pushed wider as the leader ran out rounding the home bend and he picked up once balanced with a strong finish for second.

Heat 29 Maiden 1200 metres
Regent (3 g Saperavi - Eclectic Heights) - Raphael Schistl; was used a bit after a slow beginning to make ground near the rail and he boxed on in the straight.

Pictures - Stacey Bridgman