Te Akau NZ Riccarton Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has three horses entered during the ten-race premier programme on Saturday Nov. 16 at Riccarton. 

As at 9:26am on Friday Nov. 15 the conditions were: overcast and Good3, rail out 2 metres from the 1200m to the 700m with the remainder in the true position.

12:55pm R2 2 Viana (5 m Volksraad - Hecuba) - Ashley Frye; drops back in grade, with weight relief to carry 58kgs, after gaining a valuable stakes win here on Oct. 26 in the Spring Classic (Listed, 2000m). Drawn wide in the Benchmark 85 1800 metres, she has trained on very well and with her genuine attributes can find any chinks in the armour of likely favourites, Holy Smoke and Traveller, if able to secure an economical trip.

3:16pm R6 2 Costa Viva (3 f Encosta De Lago - Vivacious Spirit) - Leith Innes; has drawn the outside barrier in a field of eight for the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m). She beat stable-mate Chambord on Oct. 19 in the Ray Coupland Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Ashburton, run in an unofficial race record time of 1:21.13. Chambord has subsequently franked the form by finishing second in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) last Saturday at Riccarton. At her previous start she closed off very nicely for a three-quarter length second to Bounding on Sept. 22 in the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m), run in race record time: 1:09.59, on Dead4 footing at Hastings. She has done everything right in the lead up and possesses the acceleration to pounce off a sweet trip - one of two in the race for Te Akau.

3:16pm R6 4 Spellbinder (3 f O'Reilly - Scenic Sprint) - Matt Cameron; has drawn barrier five in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m). Two for two after haring away by six and a half lengths in the Soliloquy Stakes (Listed, 1400m) on Slow9 footing at Ellerslie, she then ran a bold race on Oct. 28 for second to Bounding in the James & Annie Sarten Memorial (Gr. 3, 1400m) on Good3 ground at Te Rapa. A beautifully balanced mover, she is likely to make a genuine race of it from in or near the lead and her qualities to force the issue cannot be disputed.

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