Te Akau NZ Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has ten horses racing on Saturday 7 October: Hastings, and Riccarton.

Hastings:

As on Friday 6 October the conditions were: fine and Dead4, rail true. 3mls rain forecast during the meeting.

3.02 p.m. R5 10 Griffin (3 g Iffraaj - Double Elle) - Opie Bosson; won his only start as a two-year-old, resumed here in the El Roca - Sir Colin Meads Trophy (Listed, 1200m) on 2 September, in ground bordering on heavy, and found the line solidly for fifth. Three of the four that finished ahead of him also take their place in the $100,000 Sacred Falls Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m). Drawn barrier one, with side winkers on, well documented as the brother of triple Group One winning stable-mate Gingernuts (Iffraaj), he will appreciate both better ground and a step up in distance to rate an each way chance in a strong field. Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.00.

4.50 p.m. R8 3 Chance To Dance (8 g Teofilo - Crystal Ballet) - Leith Innes; could not have asked for a better lead up run to the $250,000 Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m), scoring fresh-up in the Haunui Farm Karaka Classic (Listed, 1600m) on 24 September at Pukekohe. That, off the back of a top second at the trials to subsequent dual winner Deals In Heels (Iffraaj). The winner of six races from 2000m - 2400m, he is ideally suited by weight-for-age conditions and while stepping up in competition he should perform very well. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $1.90.

4.50 p.m. R8 12 Gingernuts (4 g Iffraaj - Double Elle) - Opie Bosson; was super in his effort to beat a similar field here a fortnight ago in the Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m), under a great ride by Bosson, to record his third Group One win. Drawn the outside barrier (16) in the $250,000 Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m) certainly stiffens the task, but prior renditions has often seen winners come from beyond midfield, such is the pressure of the race, and having won the Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), New Zealand Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m), and Rosehill Guineas (Gr. 1, 2000m), the advent of a hotly contested affair is just what he needs. Fixed odds: $2.00 & $1.15.

Riccarton:

As on Friday 6 October the conditions were: fine and Good3, rail 4.5 metres. 5.5mls rain forecast during the meeting.

11.52 a.m. R1 12 Swing Note (3 f Encosta De Lago - Andallthatjazz) - Alysha Collett; got back in the field when resuming here on 9 September in the 3YO 1000 metres, yet still ran her final 600m (33.3) faster than half the field. Drawn barrier four in the $10,000 Maiden 1400 metres, with a very much in-form rider aboard (having won four races on Wednesday at Ruakaka), she was thought enough of to contest the Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) at her fourth start and warrants plenty of respect in this field.

12.22 p.m. R2 13 Heart of Courage (3 g Fastnet Rock - Myrrh) - Michael McNab; trialled well for second on 12 September at Ashburton, and resumes in the $10,000 Maiden 1400 metres. He also recorded a strong win over 820 metres at the trials on 1 August at Te Teko. Gelded since racing as a two-year-old, the year-younger brother of Group One winning stable-mate Heroic Valour (Fastnet Rock), who finished Second Top Two-Year-Old in the 2015/16 NZ Free Handicaps, he has won two of his four trials and just needs to transfer that form to race day.

12.52 p.m. R3 2 Avantage (2 f Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Michael McNab; makes her debut in the $22,500 2YO 800 metres. She recorded a soft trial win over 800 metres here a fortnight ago on heavy going over 800 metres, having finished on the bridle for second in her previous trial on 1 August at Te Teko. Her dam, Asavant (Zabeel), won the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m) on this course as a three-year-old and while destined to get over more ground, she looks to have the class to prove very competitive.

1.27 p.m. R4 9 Grazia (5 m Savabeel - Trocair) - Michael McNab; ended the previous campaign on a high, winning three of her last five starts, and resumed with a close fifth to stable-mate Imperium (Encosta De Lago) here on 9 September in the Rating 75 1600 metres with Te Akau apprentice Tegan Newman (a4) aboard. Drawn the outside barrier in the $25,000 Rating 75 1600 metres, she is angling to step up in distance at her next start but looks in the right shape to go another very good mile. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.70.

2.41 p.m. R6 5 Age of Fire (3 c Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail) - Michael McNab; sustained a strong finish from off the pace for a close second when making his debut here on 9 September in the 3YO 1000 metres: where inconvenienced over the concluding stages, an enquiry against the winner was dismissed. Drawn barrier ten in the $25,000 Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial (1400 metres), he has continued to thrive since the race and appears capable of threatening this field. Fixed odds: $2.70 & $1.17.

3.58 p.m. R8 4 Imperium (6 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal) - Michael McNab; showed to be in great fettle through two trials and franked his fresh-up mile form when coming from last to win the Rating 75 1600 metres here on 9 September. On a path towards another tilt at the New Zealand Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m), a race in which he finished third last year, he has drawn barrier three in the $35,000 North Canterbury Cup (2000m). Ideally weighted on the minimum (54kgs), he appears in the right sort of order to force the issue again. Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.13.

5.09 p.m. R10 8 Tiffany's Time (4 m Alamosa - Tinsel Time) - Michael McNab; made an encouraging start to her campaign with a solid performance for third on Dead6 here on 9 September in the Rating 65 1400 metres, and contests the $22,500 Rating 65 1400 metres. Consistent in four starts before winning her Maiden over 1400 metres, on Dead6, last October at Ruakaka, she has a wide draw to contend with (13) but possesses the gate speed to find a position and just requires a touch of luck to rate an each way chance again. Fixed odds: $3.90 & $1.60.