Te Akau NZ Rotorua Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the seven-race programme on Monday Jan. 6 at Rotorua.

As on Sunday Jan. 5 the conditions were: raining and Dead4, rail out 4 metres.

1:05pm R1 10 Equanimity (3 f More Than Ready - Insouciant) - Matt Cameron; makes her debut from the outside gate of ten in the Maiden 3YO 1230 metres. She finished second to subsequent impressive winner Lady Cumquat (Duke of Marmalade) when trialling on rain-affected footing in August and following a break finished fourth in a recent trial on good ground. Her dam, Insouciant (Keeper), was a winner on debut over 1200 metres before going on to win the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600) in 2007 and Equanimity is her first foal. She has done enough at the trials to suggest she can prove a factor first up.

2:15pm R3 2 My Fiancée (4 m Snitzel - Meet My Sis) - Matt Cameron; resumes from a 168-day break after trialling nicely for fifth behind subsequent fresh-up winner Rising Force (Duke of Marmalade) on Dec. 17 at Te Aroha. A strong finisher for second on slow ground when debuting, she was unlucky not to have claimed a win through her three-year-old season and appears nicely placed in the Maiden Fillies and Mares 1230 metres to register a bold performance.

3:18pm R5 1 Rapid Gain (4 g Flying Spur - Occasional Gain) - Matt Cameron; never sighted clear galloping room when crossing the line largely untested in the Benchmark 65 1400 metres here on Dec. 27 and has ideally drawn away from the rail in barrier eight for the corresponding race. He displayed a good turn of foot when beating a handy field over 1300 metres on dead ground in August at Taupo, and at best he can prove competitive in what is a solid field.

4:28pm R7 4 King Savinsky (3 g Savabeel - Lynisky) - Matt Cameron; ran home solidly for fourth on Dec. 15 in the Championship Prelude (Listed, 2100m) at Ellerslie, having finished sixth to subsequent Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) winner Rising Romance (Ekraar) prior in the Trevor Eagle Memorial (Listed, 1500m) at Ellerslie. With form behind subsequent 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Atlante (Fastnet Rock) in the Canterbury Stakes (Listed, 1600m) on Oct. 26 at Riccarton, and Great Northern Guineas (Gr. 2, 1600m) winner Puccini (Encosta De Lago) when second to him at Taupo, he is clearly the one to beat.