Te Akau Ruakaka Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has seven horses entered for the eleven race programme on Wednesday 20 May at Ruakaka.

As on Tuesday 19 May the conditions were: fine and Dead5, rail true.

11.25 a.m. R2 4 Highly Likely (4 g High Chaparral - Starrinka) - Matt Cameron; made good ground over the concluding stages for a close sixth on May 6 in the Rating 75 2000 metres on Dead6 footing at Matamata. With blinkers on for the Rating 75 2100 metres, finding a good position from barrier nine could be paramount to his chances and he has the ability to match his rivals in a small but solid line up.

2.17 p.m. R7 2 Opulent (3 f Keeper - Silk Slipper) - Matt Cameron; resumes off 124-days in the Maiden Fillies and Mares 1200 metres. She found the line nicely when trialling over 1000 metres on April 30 at Te Teko, and drawn barrier ten she should see her doing the same here from off the pace. With the pedigree to get over more ground in time, she has the quality to produce a bold showing and interestingly her dam, Silk Slipper (Woodman), finished second here at her only race day start.

2.52 p.m. R8 1 Sir Darci (4 g Darci Brahma - Dominant) - Josh Oliver (a2); made good ground from last when resuming in the Rating 85 1200 metres on May 2 on Dead5 footing at Te Rapa, and although carrying 58kgs with the claim he does drop in grade for the Rating 75 1200 metres and has drawn barrier one. With likely favourite Belial (Domesday) expected to lead, he has done well in the interim and boasts the form at best to prove competitive.

3.27 p.m. R9 6 Arpeggio (3 f Tavistock - Macchiato) - Matt Cameron; trialled up nicely when finding the line solidly for a close second over 1000 metres at Waipa, and resumes off 88-days in the second of the Rating 75 1200-metre races. She strips in very good order and should be finding the line in encouraging fashion from off the pace. Twice a winner over this trip, from only four starts to date, her dam Macchiato (Night Shift) was impressive winning four of her nine starts and this filly has inherited ability on both sides.

4.02 p.m. R10 10 Latin Rose (3 f Mastercraftsman - Down View) - Matt Cameron; kept closing the margin from last in an encouraging debut performance on heavy ground in the Maiden 1200 metres on April 27 at Avondale, and drew nicely in barrier two for the Maiden 3YO 1400 metres. A half-sister Mexican Rose (Volksraad), the champion 2YO & 3YO in Singapore, having first impressed winning two of three in NZ, this filly has plenty of scope about her and with ear covers if she can get away on terms should see a tidy performance again.

4.36 p.m. R11 5 Scandinavian (3 g Dylan Thomas - Blanche Amelia) - Matt Cameron; has a nice trial win under his belt over 1200 metres on April 30 at Te Teko, and resumes off 188-days in the second of the Maiden 3YO 1400-metre races from barrier six. A staying type in the making on type and pedigree, he has the gate speed to take up a handy position and should be in the contest for a long way - one of two in the race for Te Akau.

4.36 p.m. R11 8 Bordeaux (3 g High Chaparral - Our Echezeaux) - Opie Bosson; got back off a wide gate and closed the gap between horses when resuming off 143-days in the Maiden 1400 metres on April 18 at Hastings, and lines up over the same trip a month later. Again drawn wide and likely to settle back, the tactician skills of the rider will come into play in what appears an even field.