Te Akau Saturday North Island Preview

Date: 20 Jan 2023

Te Akau Saturday North Island Preview

 

Te Akau Racing has 22 horses entered on Saturday 19 January: Pukekohe, and Trentham.

 

Pukekohe (twilight meeting - Karaka Million Night):

Weather: fine, track: Soft5, rail: out 2 metres. No rain forecast.

4:09 p.m. R1 5 Soprano Supreme (5 m Contributer - Falsetto) - Joe Doyle; she chased home well for third on Heavy8 footing in the Rating 87 1600 metres on 13 January at Tauranga, and contests the $120,000 Rating 87 2200 metres. Racing well, back up in trip suits her, and she rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.40.

4:09 p.m. R1 6 Illicit Miss (4 m Hinchinbrook - Unlawful) - Craig Grylls; she was doing her best work through line from last in the Rating 87 1600 metres on 13 January at Tauranga, and contests the $120,000 Rating 87 2200 metres. A winner three starts ago over 2500 metres, with Grylls aboard, she rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $16.00 & $3.80.

4:48 p.m. R2 1 Imperatriz (4 m I Am Invincible - Berimbau) - Opie Bosson; she found plenty when running the fastest last 600m (33.1) on the day to win the Sistema Railway (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 1 January at Te Rapa. A Champion Three-Year-Old, triple Group One winner, with 10 wins from 15 starts, she rates top three in the $180,000 Westbury Classic (Gr. 2, 1400m). Fixed odds: $1.40 & $1.10.

5:28 p.m. R3 2 Maven Belle (3 f Burgundy - Doyenne) - Opie Bosson; she was Champion Two-Year-Old last season and resumed with an emphatic victory in the 3YO 1200 metres here on 8 January, running the fastest last 600m (32.7) on the day. Despite drawing wide (11), she rates a top three prospect in the $130,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m). Fixed odds: $2.20 & $1.30.

5:28 p.m. R3 5 Bello Mio (3 g Deep Field - Bella Francesca) - Joe Kamaruddin (a); he made it two in a row when taking out the Rating 65 1050 metres on 11 January at Matamata, running the fastest last 600m (36.8) on the day, and steps up in the $130,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m). He as won on soft and heavy ground, but brings the right form to measure up. Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.00.

5:28 p.m. R3 10 I Choose You (3 f I Am Invincible - Choose) - Warren Kennedy; she resumed on Heavy10 footing with a notable fourth to stable-mate Bello Mio (above) in the Rating 65 1050 metres on 11 January at Matamata, and also contests the $130,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m). She is better suited on good ground and is up to her rivals with a decent trip from her unfortunate wide draw (10). Fixed odds: $31.00 & $5.50.

5:28 p.m. R3 11 Grace ‘N' Grey (3 f Spirit of Boom - Gracious Grey) - Craig Grylls; she was headed near the line by stable-mate Bello Mio (above) in the Rating 65 1050 metres on 11 January at Matamata, and contests the $130,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m). She has registered a win and three seconds from four starts and rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $16.00 & $3.80.

5:28 p.m. R3 12 Sans Doute (3 f Not A Single Doubt - My Prerogative) - Michael McNab; she gave her rivals a start and a beating in the Maiden 1215 metres on 28 December at Rotorua, and steps up in the $130,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m). Well performed, and a Group Three runner-up, she requires luck from her wide draw (12). Fixed odds: $12.00 & $3.20.

6:08 p.m. R4 1 Trobriand (2 c Kermadec - Arboreal) - Opie Bosson; he remained unbeaten in three starts when holding comfortably in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Te Rapa, and contests the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Nicely drawn (6), he is professional, has an exemplary record, and rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $3.00 & $1.40.

6:08 p.m. R4 2 Tokyo Tycoon (2 g Satono Aladdin - All About The Coin) - Craig Zackey; also unbeaten in two starts, he drew clear for a course/distance victory in the 2YO 1100 metres on Boxing Day, and also contests the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). His wide draw (13) makes it tough, but he is a good athlete and rates a top three chance with luck from that gate. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $2.30.

6:08 p.m. R4 4 Talisker (2 g Embellish - Glenkinchie) - Sam Weatherley; he finished powerfully from the rear for second to stable-mate Trobriand (above) in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Te Rapa. An athletic juvenile, he appears capable of another bold showing with a decent trip from barrier seven in the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Fixed odds: $7.50 & $2.70.

6:08 p.m. R4 5 Balance Of Power (2 c Almanzor - Respin) - Warren Kennedy; he resumed with a notable fifth to stable-mate Trobriand (above) in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Te Rapa. He also finished runner-up to race rival Ethereal Star (Snitzel) in the Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m) here in November, but certainly requires luck from the outside gate (14) in the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) - remembering On The Bubbles and Probabeel both won fro the same barrier. Fixed odds: $31.00 & $6.50.

6:08 p.m. R4 9 Believe In Magic (2 f Not A Single Doubt - Perform A Miracle) - Vinnie Colgan; he was a course/distance second to race rival Dapper (Shooting To Win) on 8 January, having been defiant winning the 2YO 1100 metres on 3 November at Woodville, and raced very well for second in the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr. 2, 1100m) on 3 December at Trentham. She has a good record, but requires the right trip from the awkward barrier nine in the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Fixed odds: $31.00 & $6.50.

6:08 p.m. R4 10 Rhetorical (2 f Snitzel - Xpression) - Samantha Spratt; she finished a close third for a Te Akau trifecta in the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) during Cup Week at Riccarton, and resumed with a sixth to stable-mate Tokyo Tycoon (above) here on Boxing Day. A dual winner, she would have improved for the run but requires everything to go her way from barrier eight in the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Fixed odds: $51.00 & $9.00.

6:08 p.m. R4 14 She Turns Heads (2 f Headwater - Convene) - Jake Bayliss; she has finished runner-up in all three starts, including behind stable-mates Trobriand and Tokyo Tycoon, mentioned above, and most recently to subsequent Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m) winner Codigo (Ardrossan) on 3 January at Matamata. She is ideally drawn (2) to race well again in the $1 million Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Fixed odds: $26.00 & $6.00.

Te Akau is seeking seven consecutive wins in the Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m), following Melody Belle (Commands), Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Probabeel (Savabeel), Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel), On the Bubbles (Brazen Beau), and Dynastic (Almanzor).

 

6:48 p.m. R5 11 Synchronize (4 m Savabeel - Splits) - Craig Zackey; she engulfed her opponents in a few strides with fresh-up win in the Hallmark Stud Handicap (Listed, 1200m) here on Boxing Day, and contests the $130,000 Brighthill Farm Yearlings Concorde Handicap (Gr. 3, 1200m). Likely to find her feet from barrier 11, she nonetheless looks atop three prospect if able to emulate her resuming run. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.00.

6:48 p.m. R5 13 Fashion Shoot (5 m Savabeel - High Fashion) - Michael McNab; she resumed with an unlucky fifth to stable-mate Synchronize (above) in the Hallmark Stud Handicap (Listed, 1200m) here on Boxing Day, and likewise contests the $130,000 Brighthill Farm Yearlings Concorde Handicap (Gr. 3, 1200m). Racing very well, she can feature in the finish from barrier five. Fixed odds: $10.00 & $3.30.

7:28 p.m. R6 1 Wild Night (3 g Vanbrugh - Supreme) - Opie Bosson; he is five from six and continuing to raise the bar with classy victory in the Uncle Remus Stakes (Listed, 1400m) here Boxing Day at Pukekohe, and contests the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m). Considered somewhat of a match race between him and Legarto (Proisir), he will receive every chance from barrier two. Fixed odds: $2.80 & $1.30.

7:28 p.m. R6 4 Dynastic (3 g Almanzor - Meir) - Craig Grylls; he resumed with a good third in the Auckland Guineas (Gr. 2, 1600m) on 1 January at Te Rapa, and also contests the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m). He is attempting to emulate Probabeel (mentioned above) by recording a Karaka Million 2YO and Karaka Million 3YO Classic double and is ideally drawn to race well from barrier three. Fixed odds: $31.00 & $5.50.

Trentham:

Weather: fine, track: Soft6, rail: out 5 metres from 1700m - 700m and 6 metres from 600m to winning post. No rain forecast.

 

2:10 p.m. R4 2 Burgundy Rose (6 m Burgundy - Paraiba) - Kelsey Hannan (a2); she ended her previous campaign with game fifth off wide trip in the Stewards' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) during Cup Week at Riccarton, and resumes without a trial in the $40,000 Open Handicap 1000 metres. A previous course/distance winner, she acts well fresh and has weight relief to 56.5kg. Fixed odds: $3.00 & $1.30.

2:43 p.m. R5 7 Pisco Sour (4 m I Am Invincible - Refreshing) - Kelsey Hannan (a2); raced well for second in the Rating 75 1100 metres on 26 November at Te Rapa, and got home well for fourth in the Rating 75 1200 metres on Boxing Day at Pukekohe. Drawn barrier one in the $30,000 Rating 75 1200 metres, she rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $3.30 & $1.40.

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