Te Akau Pukekohe Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Wednesday 22 March at Pukekohe.

As on Tuesday 21 March the conditions were: cloudy and Dead4, rail out 3 metres. No rain forecast.

1.28 p.m. R1 4 Grazia (4 m Savabeel - Trocair) - Opie Bosson; was given a perfect ride by Bosson and collected an $11,500 bonus in addition to winning the $12,000 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Rating 65 2100m on 1 March at Te Rapa, at her first attempt over the distance. She was scratched off Slow8 footing a week ago at Matamata, and now meets a field of only five in the Rating 75 2100 metres. She and Splendido (O'Reilly), both up in grade but down in weight, bring the best form and another bold performance is expected.

3.14 p.m. R4 7 Scarlet Princess (3 f Redwood - Volks Princess) - Opie Bosson; has been scratched twice in recent times, to avoid slow going, and presents off 28 days in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres. Other than last start, when caught wide, her previous performances had been solid and although an outside draw to contend with she can return to form.

3.52 p.m. R5 4 Foreigner (3 g Savabeel - Pins on Ice) - Michael McNab; was another to shy away from the slow footing last week at Matamata, and resumes off 52 days in the Rating 65 1400 metres. He had to be good when winning fresh-up to claim stable-mate Scarlet Princess (Redwood) in the Maiden 1400 metres on 27 December at Rotorua, and subsequently contested two very strong races at Ellerslie. He acts fresh and has the ability to rate an each way chance in a very even field.

3.52 p.m. R5 9 Smoke House Bay (4 m Eighth Wonder - Makesmewonder) - Opie Bosson; suffered a glitch in form when the Heavy10 footing proved beyond her two starts ago at Gisborne, but made amends on dead ground with a strong finish for second in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 23 February at Wairoa. Saved for a run, she possesses a good turn of foot and appears capable of finding her way in to the finish.