Te Akau Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has seven horses racing on Saturday 9 March: Ellerslie and Trentham.

Ellerslie:

As on Friday 8 March the conditions were: cloudy and Good2, rail out 2.5 metres. 12mls rain forecast midday - 6 p.m. Friday, no rain Saturday.

2.25 p.m. R4 11 Together (4 m Ocean Park - More to Love) - Matt Cameron; franked her Maiden win when stepping up immediately with victory in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 29 December at Matamata, closing off in the fastest 600m (34) of the day, and made a lot of ground from well back in the Rating 72 1200 metres on 6 February at Tauranga. Drawn barrier seven in the $50,000 Rating 72 1400 metres, with side winkers on, she has the ability to rate a top three chance if appreciative of the course at her first attempt. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $2.30.

4.15 p.m. R7 1 Yourdeel (2 g Dundeel - Miss Zapper) -
Opie Bosson; enhanced his stocks with an impressive six-length victory in the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3,
1200m) on 23 February at Matamata. He won on debut by over five lengths,
followed with a very good effort for second here to stable-mate Probabeel
(Savabeel) in the 2YO 1200 metres on 13 January, and hung tough for third,
again to Probabeel, when providing a Te Akau trifecta in the $1m Karaka Million
(Restricted Listed, 1200m) here on 26 January. His 1231 form line cannot be
faulted and he rates a strong chance in the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1,
1200m). Last year, Sword of Osman (Savabeel) became the fourth winner of the
race for Te Akau. Fixed odds: $2.90 & $1.35.

4.15 p.m. R7 2 Aotea Lad (2 g Savabeel - Corsage) -
Michael McNab; created an immediate impression with a debut victory in the
Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m), ran the fastest 600m (34.6) when
finishing strongly for second in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and franked the form with a
terrific effort for second to stable-mate Probabeel in the $1m Karaka Million
(Restricted Listed, 1200m). He finished second to Yourdeel (above) in the
Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) and his 1222 form line warrants respect in
the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m). Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.80.

4.15 p.m. R7 4 Equinox (2 c Exceed and Excel - Our
Ella Belle) - Craig Grylls; won his only trial by nearly five lengths in
January at Cambridge, and flattened out stylishly for an impressive debut win
in the Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 26 January at Trentham. Unsuited by slow
footing when finishing unplaced behind the two above in the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3,
1200m), he has the talent to bounce back with the addition of blinkers and a
tongue tie in the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m). Fixed odds: $14.00
& $3.60.

4.50 p.m. R8 9 Melody Belle (4 m Commands - Meleka Belle) - Opie Bosson; appreciated give in the ground when notching her fifth Group One victory on 23 February at Otaki, with Bosson aboard, having won the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) a fortnight earlier at  Te Rapa. The former Champion Two-Year-Old is having a wonderful season, has won both the Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and Mongolian Khan Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) on this course and boasts the pedigree to stretch out in distance and give her rivals plenty to think about in the weight-for-age $200,000 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m). Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.40.

Trentham:

As on Friday 8 March the conditions were: overcast and Dead4, rail true. 20mls rain forecast Friday and 6mls Saturday.

1.30 p.m. R2 5 Cisjurane (2 f Burgundy - Femmebot) - Nik Bakar (a3); has trialled solidly and debuts in the $10,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. Claiming to 52.5kgs, she has the gate speed to take up a handy position from barrier four and out of a Stravinsky mare may appreciate some cut in the track.

3.56 p.m. R6 1 Don'tblamethemusic (5 g Coats Choice -
Blame the Music) - Nik Bakar (a3); provided the Te Akau apprentice with his
first win in August at Taupo, commencing a campaign that saw the pairing
register two wins and three seconds from five starts. They were back in action
winning a trial in good style on 26 February at Avondale, and should prove
competitive in the $25,000 Rating 72 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $4.50 &
$1.75.

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