Te Akau Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has five horses racing on Saturday 8 December: Ellerslie, and Trentham.

Ellerslie (twilight meeting):

As on race morning, the conditions were: fine and Dead5, rail out 6 metres. No rain forecast.

4.34 p.m. R4 14 Meteoric Lass (4 m Stratum - Benatar) - Michael Coleman; made it two wins from two starts when resuming with victory in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 10 October at Taupo. Up in grade for the Rating 72 1200 metres on 10 November at Te Rapa, she worked forward from a wide draw (11) and finished fourth after leading inside the 600m - finishing one place ahead of subsequent winning stable-mate Pacific Coast (Snitzel). Having her first right-handed race day start, she should position handily behind likely leader Marzemino (Per Incanto) and another bold run is expected in the $30,000 Rating 72 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $8.00 & $2.50.

5.50 p.m. R6 4 Total Excess (3 g Delago Deluxe - Avail) - Michael Coleman; made it two wins from two starts when resuming with an impressive victory in the 3YO 1300 metres on 24 November at Awapuni, running the fastest last 600m (33.9) on the day. He meets a stronger field in the $70,000 Bonecrusher Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m), but the right trip from barrier nine should see him in the firing line. Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.85.

6.30 p.m. R7 2 Beaumarchais (5 g Savabeel - Almaviva) - Michael Coleman; resumed with a notable effort for third in the Rating 82 1200 metres on 17 November at Tauranga, and should appreciate stepping in distance for the $35,000 Dunstan Feeds 1500 Championship Qualifier (Rating 82 1500 metres). Fourth here in the NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) to stable-mate Gingernuts (Iffraaj) as a three-year-old, he has been patiently handled and capable of another good effort in a strong field. Fixed odds: $11.50 & $3.80.

Trentham:

As on race morning, the conditions were: fine and Slow8, rail true. No rain forecast.

2.30 p.m. R4 1 Aotea Lad (2 g Savabeel - Corsage) - Opie Bosson; was back and wide off the outside gate and sustained a big finish to win a trial on Slow9 last Tuesday at Matamata, with Bosson aboard, and debuts in the $100,000 Anuka Smoker Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m). His dam, Corsage (Volksraad), placed in the Diamond Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) and Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), finishing Joint Second Top Filly of her year. Likely to seek cover from barrier six, appreciation of conditions will be paramount to his prospects. Fixed odds: $3.00 & $1.15.

4.50 p.m. R8 9 Our Abbadean (6 m Lookin At Lucky - Highland Lights) - Shafiq Rusof; was freshened after contesting all three legs of the Triple Crown at Hastings: resuming with a huge finish for third to stable-mate Melody Belle (Commands) in the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400 metres), equally compelling when fifth, again to Melody Belle, in the Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m), and fifth again, to Savvy Coup (Savabeel), in the Livamol Classic (Gr. 1, 2040m). She trialled well for second last Tuesday at Matamata, was a course winner in May over 2100 metres, and warrants respect in the $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m) - a race in which the mares hold a strong hand. Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.20.