Te Akau North Island Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has three horses entered on Saturday 1 June: Te Rapa, and Trentham. 

Te Rapa:  

Weather: showery, track: Heavy9, rail: true. 6mls rain forecast Friday, 2mls Saturday. 

1:27 p.m. R5 1 Devoted (6 g Contributer – Mapmaker) – Nick Downs; he provided Te Akau apprentice Tayla Melvin (a4) with her first win when coming from last in the Rating 65 2100 metres on 25 May at Pukekohe, and delivered a great effort for a close second, with Downs aboard, in the Maiden Steeplechase (3500m) on 3 June at Te Aroha. He is racing in fine fettle, is hot favourite for, and rates a top three chance in, the $20,000 Maiden Steeplechase (3900m). Fixed odds: $1.60 & $1.05. 

2:41 p.m. R7 3 Freeze Frame (4 g Vadamos – Snow Petal) – Warren Kennedy; he closed strongly from last, with Kennedy aboard, in the Open Handicap 1300 metres here on 18 May, won by stable-mate Aris Aris (Contributer), and contests the $40,000 Open Handicap 1600 metres. The very consistent winner of five races to 1400 metres, he loves the course, is a dual winner on heavy going, and is a tope three proposition. Fixed odds: $4.00 & $1.60.

Trentham:  

Weather: raining, track: Heavy10, rail: out 9 metres 1000m – 600m, remainder out 6 metres. 15mls rain forecast Friday, 6mls Saturday. 

11:30 a.m. R1 1 Pokuru Gold (3 g Darci Brahma – Pokuru Nugget) – Niranjan Parmar (a1); he drew out to score easily by two and a half lengths when resuming in the 3YO 1100 metres on 18 May at Te Rapa, and made it three from three in the 3YO 1200 metres on 1 June at Pukekohe. With two wins from two starts on heavy ground, he warrants favouritism in the $35,000 3YO 1000 metres. Fixed odds: $2.00 & $1.10.