Te Akau Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has nine horses racing on Saturday 22 September: Hastings, and Riccarton.

Hastings:

As on Friday 21 September the conditions were: cloudy and Dead5, rail out 3 metres. 1ml rain forecast Saturday morning.

2.42 p.m. R5 1 Avantage (3 f Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Danielle Johnson; was crowned Champion Two-Year-Old, having won five of her six starts, including the $1m Karaka Million (Listed, 1200m), Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), and $762,370 in prize money. Johnson was aboard in the Sires' and retains the mount for her resuming run in the $70,000 Gold Trail Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). Pure class, she has drawn barrier one and the horse to beat. Fixed odds: $1.85 & $1.10.

4.28 p.m. R8 9 Our Abbadean (6 m Lookin At Lucky - Highland Lights) - Danielle Johnson; ended her previous campaign in sensational form, winning the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m), Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), second in the Hawkes Bay Cup (Listed, 2200m), and could not have commenced in better fashion when finishing third to stable-mate Melody Belle (Commands) in the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400 metres) here on 1 September. She will be ridden patiently in the $200,000 Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m) and finds the line as well as any. Fixed odds: $13.00 & $4.00.

4.28 p.m. R8 12 Melody Belle (4 m Commands - Meleka Belle) - Shafiq Rusof; resumed with a win in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) at Te Rapa, and franked the performance in the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400 metres) here on 1 September. Ridden superbly on each occasion by Shafiq, she has drawn barrier one in the $200,000 Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m). The Champion Two-Year-Old of her year, stepping to mile should hold no fears, especially when remaining under weight-for-age conditions, and she warrants plenty of respect again. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.70.

Riccarton:

As on Friday 21 September the conditions were: fine and Good3, rail out 6 metres. No rain forecast.

11.30 a.m. R1 10 Publicist (3 c Redoute's Choice - Valadon) - Jason Laking; debuts in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres. Laking was aboard when finishing second in a trial over 1000 metres on 28 August at Rangiora. He showed precocity when trialling as an early two-year-old, has been patiently handled and while bred to go further there is enough to suggest a promising fresh-up performance.

12.02 p.m. R2 5 Miss Scandinavia (4 m Smart Missile - Miss Helsinki) - Nik Bakar (a4); chased home very well for second when fresh-up in the Maiden 3YO 1400 in March at Hawera, and resumes from barrier three in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres. She scored a soft trial win in August at Te Rapa, continues to improve, has weight relief to 52.5kgs and should go well before stepping up in distance.

4.09 p.m. R9 16 Quattro Katie (3 f Zoustar - Kakakakatie) - Jason Laking; trialled well for second on 28 August at Te Teko, and found the line solidly for fifth when resuming here a fortnight ago in the 3YO 1000 metres. Contesting the $50,000 Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m), a race Te Akau won consecutively in recent years (2014-2015) with Darci's Dream and Windborne, both by Darci Brahma (Danehill), she can go a nice race with the right trip. Fixed odds: $10.50 & $3.50.

4.44 p.m. R10 1 Remington (4 g Darci Brahma - Kudamm) - Nik Bakar (a4); capped a strong finishing debut second with a win over 1200 metres, both in February, and spelled in April following two seconds over 1400 metres in Rating 65 grade. He made good progress for fourth when trialling on 28 August at Te Teko, and resumes in the $22,500 Rating 65 1200 metres. Claiming to 56kgs, he just requires the right trip from a wide draw to be competitive.

4.44 p.m. R10 5 Conclusion (5 g Fully Fledged - Every Reason) - Jason Laking; finished fourth after leading here a fortnight ago, resuming in the Rating 65 1000 metres, when having his first start for the stable. He has consistent trial and race form and should go well, ridden with cover from barrier six in the $22,500 Rating 65 1200 metres.

5.19 p.m. R11 4 Wide Awake (5 g Savabeel - Kay's Awake) - Nik Bakar (a4); came of age during his four-year-old season with two wins, including victory in the Woodville Cup (2100m), two seconds, and a third. He trialled twice in August at Te Teko, most recently, letting down well for a close second, and resumes in the $25,000 Rating 72 1400 metres. Placed in each of his three fresh-up assignments, he meets a solid field but should go well with weight relief to 55.5kgs. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.80.