Te Akau Midweek Trans-Tasman Preview

Te Akau Racing has five horses entered on Wednesday 15 May at Cambridge in New Zealand, and Sandown, Victoria.

Cambridge:

Weather: fine, track: poly-track, rail: true. 

1:42 p.m. R4 2 Stonybreck (4 g Tavistock – Fair Isle) – Tayla Melvin (a4); he made his run widest from last when resuming in the Rating 75 1200 metres on 8 May at Matamata, with Melvin aboard, and contests the $17,000 Rating 75 1300 metres. He enjoys weight relief to 57kg, is the winner of five from 12 to 1550 metres, remains unbeaten in three course attempts, and is a top three prospect from barrier five. Fixed odds: $2.10 & $1.20. 

2:17 p.m. R5 7 Brazen Affair (2 f Brazen Beau – Southern Romance) – Niranjan Parmar (a1); she drew out to win stylishly when trialling on 30 April at Waipa, and debuts in the $17,000 Maiden 2YO 970 metres. By same sire as Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winning former stable-mate On The Bubbles, she has been very good through the trials' stage with two wins and two seconds, and rates a top three chance from barrier one if appreciative of the poly track surface at her first attempt. Fixed odds: $2.70 & $1.35.

3:29 p.m. R7 5 Luxuriant (6 m Iffraaj – Opulent) – Opie Bosson; she resumed with a close sixth to stable-mate Merlotti (Burgundy) in the Rating 60 1200 metres on 27 March and ws then sixth again in a corresponding event on 26 April, both at Matamata. Contesting the $17,000 Rating 60 970 metres, she has placed in two of her three course/distance attempts, and is capable of a top three finished from her handy barrier draw (3). Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.65. 

4:04 p.m. R8 8 Hayate (5 m Maurice – Vamoose) – Opie Bosson; she raced handily but was unable to quicken on Soft7 footing in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 8 May at Matamata, and drops in grade for the $17,000 Rating 60 2000 metres. She has delivered both a win and a second placing on this course over 1550 metres, is ideally drawn (3), and seems capable of bold showing if appreciative of the extra distance. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.60.

Sandown:

Weather: fine, track: Soft5, rail: out 12 metres. No rain forecast.

4.45 p.m. (NZ) ~ 2:45 p.m. (Vic) R5 7 I Choose You (4 m I Am Invincible – Choose) – Damian Lane; she closed well from back in the field for sixth when making her Australian debut in the Benchmark 78 1100 metres for Fillies & Mares on 25 April at Flemington, and contests the A$50,000 Benchmark 78 1000 metres for Fillies & Mares. She resumed with a track record (1:01.6) victory in the Rating 75 1100 metres on 9 March at Trentham, is multiple-times stakes' placed, and will be competitive in this field from barrier one (main photo). NZ TAB fixed odds: $12.00 & $3.10.