Te Akau Rotorua Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses on Tuesday March 10 at Rotorua.
The footing was rated Dead5, with the rail out eights metres.

Heat 1 Open 1230 metres (head, one length 1:15.5)
Highly Likely (4 g High Chaparral - Starrinka) - Ed Zac-Syed (below); settled at the rear of five runners, tracked up near the rail to the 200m and angling off for a run he found the line solidly to finish close up in fourth.

Heat 2 Open 1230 metres (head, 1 ½ 1:13.9)
Flirty Gertey (4 m Thorn Park - Granma Gertey) - Ed Zac-Syed (below); secured a lovely trail, worked off at the 200m and quickened up when sighting daylight to win well.

Heat 7 2YO 800 metres (¾ lengths, 1 ½ lengths 48.3)
Ebony Star (2 f Bachelor Duke - Keepa Cruisin) - Cameron Lammas (below); began well to take up a trailing position, travelled on the bridle and although remaining in tight quarters down the straight she put in nicely for a close fifth.

Heat 12 2YO 1000 metres (¾ lengths, ¾ lengths 1:00.9)
2 f Starcraft - Absolute Faith - Cameron Lammas (below); poised in third with cover, she ranged three wide rounding the home turn and worked home nicely for a close third.

Safekeeping (2 c Keeper - Kirin Belle) - Raphael Schistl (below); received an economical trip fourth on the inner and tracked along the inner in the straight.

Heat 13 2YO 1000 metres (head, 1 length 1:01.9)
Scrutinize (2 c Savabeel - Legs) - Cameron Lammas (below); was easy off a wide gate to settle last of six, on a competitive pace early. Standing the leader five lengths at the 600m, he tracked up one-off to be camped rounding the home bend and without room he finished full of running in third.

Portia (2 f Street Cry - Posavina) - Raphael Schistl (below); settled fourth on the inner and as a staying type of filly she worked home accordingly near the rail.

Heat 14 2YO 1000 metres (½ a length, 3 lengths 1:01.5)
Princess Davone (2 f Iffraaj - Nikey Davone) - Samantha Collett (below); began well before steadying to settle last of five runners, and four lengths off the pace at the 600m. Drawn widest for a clear run on straightening, she quickened into contention at the 200m and ran home solidly for second.

Heat 16 Maiden 800 metres (½ a length, 3 lengths 47.0)
3 g Saperavi - Paerangi - Raphael Schistl (below); found a nice spot in fourth from the outside barrier and urged to pick up from the 400m he circled wide into the straight and put in determinedly to finish in a photo for third.

Heat 17 Maiden 1000 metres (½ length, neck 59.2)
Duran (3 g Darci Brahma - Breezed) - Cameron Lammas (below); was nicely placed in fourth on the outer, he came wide from fifth at the 400m and although tending to lay out a touch he ran home solidly for fourth.

Heat 18 Maiden 1000 metres (2 ½ lengths, 3 lengths 59.0)
Hushed (4 g Don Eduardo - Danewhisper) - Cameron Lammas (below); was given a perfect trip camped on the two leaders, ranged at will into the straight and kept up a solid gallop for second.

Heat 22 Open 1000 metres (head, 7 lengths 58.1)
Costa Viva (4 m Encosta De Lago - Vivacious Spirit) - Cameron Lammas; shared the lead, inner, on a genuine pace, and after remaining in a duel throughout she kept up a resolute gallop and lost the bob on the line.

Heat 23 Maiden 1230 metres (¾ lengths, 4 ½ lengths 1:16.0)
Imperium (3 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal) - Cameron Lammas; settled last of six runners, worked one-off to fifth at the 600m and after circling widest into the straight he got home nicely for third.

Heat 25 Maiden 1230 metres (head, neck 1:15.7)
Bordeaux (3 g High Chaparral - Our Echezeaux) - Raphael Schistl; began well before settling in fourth. He was urged to improve from the 600m and coming home with a gallant finish he just missed out on claiming the winner with a late dive on the line.

Heat 27 Maiden 1400 metres (2 ¼ lengths, 1 lengths 1:26.3)
Auriol (3 f Flying Spur - America's Idol) - Raphael Schistl; travelled third in the open, was urged to improve from the 600m and fought on gamely for fifth.