Te Akau NZ Woodville Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has three horses entered for the nine-race programme on Thursday May 9 at Woodville.

As at 8:51am on Wednesday May 8 the conditions were: fine and Slow7, rail True.

1:25pm R4 7 O'Darci (3 g Darci Brahma - O'Sequita) - Matt Cameron; was scratched from a heavy track on Monday at Matamata. He came from the rear with a circling run for second when trialling over 950 metres on April 11 at Cambridge, and makes his debut from barrier four in the Maiden 1200 metres. Three trials in this preparation have him fit for the assignment and the eye-catching big lad hails from a top family. His half-brother Captain Kurt (Volksraad) finished second to Darci Brahma (Danehill) in the 2005 Two Thousand Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), producing a 10:3-5-2 record, and his grand-dam, Sequita (Sovereign Edition), was a stakes winning mare in a career of ten victories from thirty starts over 1200 - 2000 metres. Strikingly obvious in the form of these horses is their consistency and O'Darci strips in the right shape to emulate.

3:10pm R7 7 Exabelle (4 m Exceed and Excel - Avabelle) - Matt Cameron; was scratched from a heavy track on Wednesday at Avondale. Steadied to midfield at the 600 metres, she produced a strong finish to win on April 12 in the Benchmark 65 1600 metres on Dead6 at Awapuni. Although stepping up in distance for the Benchmark 65 2100 metres, she remains in the same grade and appears nicely placed in this field. Blinkers are removed for this assignment and let find her feet early, from a wide draw, she has the ability to threaten if the course and footing agree with her. From the family of Eye Full (Palatable), Vision (Entrepreneur) and Gaze (Cape Cross) she is bred to get over more ground.

3:45pm R8 3 Bronte Lass (4 m Stravinsky - Little Dorritt) - Matt Cameron; sustained a big run from back in the field for third on April 28 in the Benchmark 75 1400 metres on Dead4 at Blenheim, on her way north to the main stables at Matamata. Commendable when close up in third at her only course attempt, she brings solid form to the Benchmark 75 1600 metres and has the ability to force the issue off a decent trip.