Te Akau NZ Ellerslie Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the eight-race twilight programme on Sunday Dec. 15 at Ellerslie.

As on Friday Dec. 13 the conditions were: fine and Good3, rail out 7.5 metres.

2:30pm R1 8 Osmunda (3 f O'Reilly - Wyndam Special) - Matt Cameron; sustained a wide run from back in the field to beat subsequent winner Landlord on Nov. 2 over a mile on good footing at Awapuni, and given time since she comes off 43-days in the Benchmark 65 1600 metres. Having drawn wide on debut and again when winning, she should receive a sweet trip from barrier three and possesses what it takes to prove very competitive in this field.

5:36pm R6 7 King Savinsky (3 g Savabeel - Lynisky) - Matt Cameron; tracked up behind the leaders in the straight when rounding off in staying fashion for sixth here on Nov. 30 in the Trevor Eagle Memorial (Listed, 1500m). With form behind subsequent 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Atlante (Fastnet Rock) in the Canterbury Stakes (Listed, 1600m) on Oct. 26 at Riccarton, he appears ready made the distance in the Championship Prelude (Listed, 2100m) and should be nicely poised throughout from barrier five.

6:10pm R7 11 Angelica Hall (3 f Guillotine - Greta Hall) - Matt Cameron; was far too good for her Maiden rivals on Nov. 21 when scoring over 1200 metres in 1:10.57 at Matamata. Given time since, she faces some worthy opponents in the Benchmark 65 1200 metres but has drawn nicely in barrier five and looks a top chance providing she does everything right. Her dam, Greta Hall (Kaapstad) won five of her nine starts and being from the family of Golden Sword (Kaapstad), Madam Valeta (Palace Music) and Falkirk (Tale of the Cat) she does not lack for quality.

6:40pm R8 5 Longbeach (3 c Fastnet Rock - Betwixt) - Matt Cameron; finished second to The Fire Inside, who contests the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) on Saturday Dec. 14 at Awapuni, over a mile on Nov. 24 at Te Rapa, with fourth placed Colonel Carrera subsequently haring away to win by nearly five lengths on Dec. 11 at Ellerslie. Prior to, at his second start, he finished third to subsequent winners Fast Learner and Super Mover. Drawn barrier four in the Maiden 1600 metres, he has the form factors in his favour to suggest a big run.