Te Akau Saturday Trackwork

Te Akau track work Saturday Dec. 21

Plough:

Te Akau has a strong hand in the feature races on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. All Decked Out (Darci Brahma), Aspen (Alamosa) and Chambord (Zabeel) contest the Great Northern Guineas (Gr. 2, 1600m) and the fillies Costa Viva (Encosta De Lago) and Flirty Gertey (Thorn Park) line up in the Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m).

Aspen (Hercock) and Costa Viva (Cameron) worked over 1400 metres, running the 1200m in 1:15.2 and final 600m in 34.7.

All Decked Out (Hercock) and Chambord (Cameron) went over the same trip, recording 1:15.2 for the 1200m and 35.1 for the last 600m.

From the 1200 metres, Flirty Gertey (Hercock - below left) and Sir Darci (Cameron - below right), scheduled to resume in the Benchmark 1400 metres on Dec. 28 at Ellerslie, clocked 1:18.7 and 35.8.

Following her win in the corresponding race on Melbourne Cup Day, Abidewithme (Hercock) races in the Benchmark 85 1400 metres on Boxing Day and working with Alchemy's Flight (Cameron), preparing to resume, the pair worked over 1200 metres in 1:16.7, last 600m in 35.6.

Speeding (Lang - below left) and Seline (Hercock - below right) worked over 1200 metres in 1:17.3, last 600m in 35.8. Runner-up on debut, Speeding (Volksraad) is eyeing a race on Dec. 27 at either Rotorua, or New Plymouth, and Seline (Pentire) is preparing to debut on the same day.

Also scheduled for Rotorua, Rapid Gain (Hewetson - below right) worked with Precious Time (Hercock - below left) over 1200 metres in 1:19.8, last 600m in 37.2.

Scheduled for the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) on Jan. 1 at Ellerslie, Osmunda (Lang) and Riverenza (Hercock - below) did easier work from the 1400 metres to cover 1200m in 1:23.7, last 600m in 39.9.

Three-quarter pace work:

Stanica Star (Lang), seeking back-to-back wins at New Plymouth, on Dec. 23, worked over 1200 metres. Bronte Lass (Cameron) covered 1000 metres in preparation for the Benchmark 85 1600 metres on Dec. 28 at Ellerslie. Pride And Passion (Hercock) went 800 metres ahead of her resuming run over 1200 metres on Monday at New Plymouth. Tiara (Hewetson) went 1200 metres, Merrily (Lang - pictured below) 800m, and the winner of three from three O'Darci (Lang) covered 1000 metres. O'Darci (Darci Brahma) could be seen early in the New Year, Jan. 5, at Otaki.

Photos - Stacey Bridgman

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