Te Akau Rotorua Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has three horses racing on Sunday 21 May at Rotorua.

As on Saturday 20 May the conditions were: fine and Heavy10, rail true. Showers forecast Saturday.

1.30 p.m. R3 4 Esprit De Corps (4 g Bel Esprit - Vercors) - Michael McNab; made up good leeway on Dead6 footing when resuming with a strong third in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 9 April at Pukekohe, and was only a head from the winner when closing solidly in the Rating 65 1300 metres last time at Tauranga. He won his Maiden by nearly four lengths on Heavy10 over 1400 metres at Te Aroha, and brings the right form to rate top three, despite drawing wide, in the $20,000 Rating 65 1400 metres.

2.04 p.m. R4 7 Foreigner (3 g Savabeel - Pins on Ice) - Michael McNab; worked home solidly on slow ground against strong opposition in the 3YO 1400 metres on 22 April at Ellerslie, having resumed with two tidy efforts in Rating 65 1400-metre races at Pukekohe. Drawn barrier eleven in the $20,000 Rating 65 1400 metres, he won his Maiden here over this distance on Dead4 ground and drops in class to rate an each way chance if appreciative of the conditions.

2.04 p.m. R4 9 Abbey Kay (3 f Keeper - Abbey Tralae) - Cameron Lammas; finished back in the field when resuming, without trial, in the same race as Esprit De Corp (Bel Esprit), above, on 27 April at Tauranga, and drawn barrier six in the $20,000 Rating 65 1400 metres. She was freshened after winning over 1200 metres in January at Te Aroha, from a mare that impressed winning on slow ground, and another that can run a cheeky race if able to cope with the footing.