Te Akau Pukekohe Midweek Preview

Te Akau Racing has five horses entered on Wednesday 23 February at Pukekohe.

Weather: fine, track: Dead5, rail: true. Showers forecast.

2:45 p.m. R3 7 Midnight Special (4 m Excelebration - Midnight Van Damme) - Opie Bosson; settled last before posting the fastest last 600m (34.2) for fifth in a Maiden 1200 metres on 30 January at Ellerslie, and contests the $15,000 Maiden 1200 metres. Ideally drawn (5), settling is key to her chances.

3:55 p.m. R5 4 A Little Bit Bossy (3 f Rock ‘n' Pop - Molly Coco) - Opie Bosson; showed pace to trail and was resilient finishing third when debuting in a Maiden 1200 metres on 30 January at Ellerslie. Solid through the trials' stage, prior, she has drawn barrier two, and rates a top three prospect in the $15,000 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden 3YO Fillies 1400 metres (eligible $11,500 bonus).

5:34 p.m. R8 4 Invincibeel (3 f Savabeel - Matakana) - Kozzi Asano; unleashed powerfully from back in the field to win a Maiden 1600 metres on 19 January at Te Rapa, and was without room after getting back in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) on 29 January at Trentham. She rates a top three chance in the $60,000 Grangewilliam Stud ‘Derryn' Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m) - one of two in the event for the stable.

5:34 p.m. R8 6 Outfit (3 f Tivaci - Costume) - Opie Bosson; quickly ascended when winning a Maiden 1600 metres on 18 December at Te Rapa, before finishing back in the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) won by stable-mate Self Obsession (Shocking) on 1 January at Ellerslie, who franked that form by winning the David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m). She looked good in an exhibition gallop with stable-mate and Champion Two-Year-Old Sword of State (Snitzel) on 12 February at Te Rapa, and resumes in the $60,000 Grangewilliam Stud ‘Derryn' Oaks Prelude (Listed, 1800m). She is ideally drawn (4) and is capable of finishing in the top three.

6:44 p.m. R10 8 La Flora Belle (4 m Iffraaj - Tsarina Belle) - Opie Bosson; ran home solidly from well back in a Maiden 1600 metres on 2 February at Te Rapa, and contests the $15,000 Maiden 1600 metres. Racing well and she rates a top three chance with any luck from the wide draw (15).