Te Akau NZ Weekend Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has two horses entered for the nine-race programme at Thames, and one on the six-race card at Woodville, Saturday 3 January.

Thames:  
As on Friday 2 January the conditions were: fine and Good3, rail true.

12.55 p.m. R1 5 Astrid (3 f Pins - Astralita) - Lee Magorrian (a2); makes her debut in a small field of seven for the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres, drawn barrier six. Always finding the line in her trials, she has the surrounding family makeup to be a miler/2000-metre type and a solid effort here would have her career off on the right note.

2.40 p.m. R4 10 Frock (3 f Road to Rock - Mya) - Lee Magorrian (a2); also makes her debut, from barrier six in the Maiden 1700 metres. She had a very quiet trial on Dec. 5 at Cambridge, working home from fifth on the rail without urging. Her dam won over a mile, and 2050 metres in Australia, and she has plenty of stoutness in her dam side pedigree to suggest that this trip and further will suit.

Woodville:  
As on Friday 2 January the conditions were: overcast and Good2, rail true.

1.53 p.m. R2 6 Enshrine (2 f Minstrel Court - Pinstinct) - Jonathon Parkes; makes her debut from barrier five in the 2YO 1100 metres, following two tidy trial performances. She possesses natural precocity and strength, in keep with her winning siblings: The Looker (Handsome Ransom), who won on this course, and Enhance (Saperavi), also owned and bred by Karyn Fenton-Ellis. With only three race day performers amongst her rivals there is an element of the unknown, but the family does act well fresh.