Te Akau North Island Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has four horses entered on Saturday 3 July: Ruakaka, and Hastings.

Ruakaka:

Weather: cloudy, track: Dead4, rail: out 3 metres. Showers forecast.

3.09 p.m. R6 1 Excitonic (4 g Savabeel - Bint Piavonic) - Joe Kamaruddin (a3); won the Rating 65 1400 metres on 5 April at Ruakaka, before fourth at Hastings, and bombed on the line in the $22,500 Rating 65 1600 metres here on 19 June. Claiming to 57kg, he rates top three with a good passage in the corresponding event. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.00.

3.09 p.m. R6 14 Speed of Light  (3 f Proisir - Light Source) - Darren Danis; resumed here in May behind Excitonic (above), before finding the line for fifth in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 22 May at Te Rapa. She was unsuited leading on heavy going in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 9 June at Matamata, and ideally drawn (2) for a cosy trip in the $22,500 Rating 65 1600 metres. Fixed odds: $23.00 & $6.50.

Hastings:

Weather: cloudy, track: Slow9, rail: out 7.5 metres. No rain forecast.

11.54 a.m. R3 5 Bak Da Master  (6 g Mastercraftsman - Bak Da Princess) - Michael Roustoby (a3); won the Open Hurdle (2800m) on 8 May at Te Rapa, before finishing second on the same course in the Waikato Hurdle (Prestige, 3200m) on 22 May. Following a run on the flat in the interim at Wanganui, he contests the $50,000 Te Whangai Romneys Hawkes Bay Hurdle (Prestige, 3200m). With three firsts and seconds from six starts over hurdles, he shapes as a leading contender. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.40.

3.19 p.m. R9 1 Equinox  (4 g Exceed and Excel - Our Ella Belle) - Niranjan Parmar (a4); recorded consecutive thirds, each on slow ground, in the $27,500 Rating 74 1400 metres on 12 June at Te Rapa, and contests the corresponding event. Stakes placed on the course as a three-year-old, barrier one assists and weight relief to 57kg. Fixed odds: $8.00 & $2.70.