Te Akau Saturday North Island Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has five horses racing on Saturday 23 November: Pukekohe, and Awapuni.

Pukekohe:

Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: true. No rain forecast.

1.25 p.m. R3 1 Cool Aza Beel  (2 c Savabeel - Cool ‘N' Sassy) - Opie Bosson; looked good winning both his trials before winning the first two-year-old race of the season, over 800 metres on 7 September at Wanganui. Freshened, he has since won two trials: without being extended on 15 October at Te Rapa, and never off the bridle in a smart performance on 13 November at Avondale. The only race winner in the $55,000 Fasttrack Insurance 5K Bonus 2YO Stakes (Listed, 1100m), he warrants favouritism from barrier two. Fixed odds: $1.90 & $1.20.

3.40 p.m. R7 7 In A Twinkling (4 g Fastnet Rock - Moment in Time) - Opie Bosson; returned to form with a defiant effort under 61kgs in the Rating 82 2100 metres on 28 October at Te Rapa, and steps up in the $100,000 Ssangyong Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m). The NZ Derby runner-up finished fifth in both the Tulloch Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) at Rosehill, and ATC Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) at Randwick, last season, and has the ability to prove competitive. Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.95.

Awapuni:

Weather: cloudy, track: Dead5, rail: out 2.5 metres from 800m to 400m, remainder out 5 metres. No rain forecast.

1.38 p.m. R3 6 Lilikoi (3 f Charm Spirit - Barbadine) - Ryan Elliot; recorded a smart fresh-up win over 1200 metres in September, and given time after clocking the fastest 600m (34.4) when finishing second on 9 October, both over 1200 metres at Taupo. Not asked to extend when trialling well on 13 November at Avondale, and ideally placed to resume with a bold performance in the $25,000 3YO 1300 metres. Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.40.

3.24 p.m. R6 1 Challa (3 g Dissident - Are There Any) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); was put aside after a luckless stakes placed two-year-old campaign, and resumed with a dominant victory in the Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 1 November at New Plymouth. With weight relief to 56kgs, he appears a solid chance from barrier four in the $22,500 Rating 65 1200 metres. 

4.34 p.m. R8 1 Weaponry (4 g Declaration of War - Cat Shmea) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); resumed on 4 October with a strong second in the 72 1200 metres at Te Rapa, and good when third in the corresponding event on 2 November at Pukekohe. He won three from five during his first campaign, culminated by a dominant victory in the Southland Guineas (Listed, 1600m). Aided by weight relief to 58kgs, he rates an each way chance with luck from barrier 11 in the $25,000 Rating 72 1400 metres. Fixed odds: $4.00 & $1.65. 

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