Te Akau NZ Weekend Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Saturday 21 January at Trentham, and Gore.

Trentham:

As on Friday 20 January the conditions were: cloudy and Dead4, rail out 3 metres. 1ml rain forecast Friday.

4.56 p.m. R10 11 Zambezi Warrior (4 g Pentire - Zambezi) - Opie Bosson; ran a very good race for seventh after being held up and checked inside the 600m on 1 January in the City of Auckland Cup (Gr. 3, 2400m) at Ellerslie, having made plenty of ground from last over 2200 metres at his previous start on the course. Beautifully drawn in barrier three for the $250,000 Wellington Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m), the Zabeel (Sir Tristram) influence on his dam side is a major factor in seeing out the ultimate staying test and his grand-dam Tall Poppy (Kaapstad) included one of her three Group One victories here. Fixed odds: $15.00 & $4.80.

4.56 p.m. R10 17 Echezeaux (5 m Encosta De Lago - Grand Echezeaux) - Danielle Johnson; tracked up behind runners with a strong finish for third here last Saturday in the Marton Cup (Listed, 2200m) after winning a tight finish here over a mile on 3 December. She has continued to thrive in training through the week, will receive a cosy trip from barrier one, and being out an Australian Oaks (Gr. 1, 2000m) winning Zabeel mare aids her chances in what should be a cracking two-mile contest. Fixed odds: $15.00 & $4.80.

It should also be noted that there is no clear favourite for the Wellington Cup, with the best hovering around $6.50 - $7.50.

5.31 p.m. R11 13 Our Abbadean (4 m Lookin at Lucky - Highland Lights) - Michael McNab; came of age with an impressive win on 10 December in the Rating 75 1400 metres at Awapuni, and had no luck late in the piece, running her final 600m in 33.9, on 1 January in the Rating 75 1600 metres at Ellerslie, won by race rival Wildflower (Keeper). She drops four-kilos to carry 54kgs in the $40,000 Douro Cup (Rating 85, 1600m), but having drawn the outside (13) will require luck and a patient ride. It is generally a hotly contested race and last year Skyweka (Pentire) won it with McNab aboard when piercing through from last. Fixed odds: $8.80 & $2.90.

Gore:

As on Friday 20 January the conditions were: showery and Slow9, rail true. 1ml rain forecast race day.

4.04 p.m. R8 8 Play for Time (3 f Foxwedge - Procrastinate) - Masa Tanaka; resumed off 88 days in the Maiden 1100 metres on 3 January at Omakau, racing away to win by five lengths with Tanaka aboard on Dead5 going and steps up in class for the $50,000 Gore Guineas (Listed, 1335m). Although facing a far stronger field the manner of her win was compelling and she could prove somewhat of a surprise package with a favourable run from barrier seven. Fixed odds: $12.00 & $3.50.