Te Akau Saturday Trans Tasman Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Saturday 29 February: Ellerslie, and Royal Randwick (Sydney).

Ellerslie:

Weather: fine, track: Dead5, rail: true. No rain forecast.

3.55 p.m. R7 6 Star of Bombay  (3 f Atlante - Astardia) - Ryan Elliot; following consecutive impressive wins with third here to Derby favourite Dragon Leap (Pierro) in the Auckland Guineas (Gr. 2, 1600m) on 1 January. Freshened, she rounded off ominously without urging for fourth when trialling on 11 February at Te Teko, and rates a top three chance from barrier four in an even field for the $60,000 Mufhasa Fasttrack Stakes (Listed, 1300m). Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.55.

5.40 p.m. R10 2 Shezathinka  (4 m So You Think - Headsup) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); continued good form with a head margin defeat here a fortnight ago in the Rating 72 1600 metres, and contests the $50,000 Rating 72 1600 metres. Assisted by weight relief to 55.5kgs, she rates an each way chance again with the right trip from barrier seven. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $2.80. 

Randwick:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: true. No rain forecast.

5.50 p.m. (NZ time) R6 5 Probabeel (3 f Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Opie Bosson; made history on 25 January at Ellerslie, becoming the first to win the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (Restricted Listed, 1600m) a year after winning the $1m Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m). Contesting the $500,000 Heineken 3 Surround Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), she was terrific here during the Princess Series, earlier this season, finishing fourth in the Furious Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), second in the Tea Rose Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m), and second in the Flight Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m). Drawn barrier five, she has all the credentials to rate a major contender: Fixed odds: $4.60 & $1.85.

6.30 p.m. (NZ time) R7 3 Te Akau Shark  (5 g Rip Van Winkle - Bak Da Chief) - Opie Bosson; ran a cracking race for second in the Epsom Handicap (Gr. 1, 1600m) here at Randwick, before a terrific third in the $5m Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley, and resumed with a scintillating victory in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 8 February at Te Rapa. Drawn wide (13) determines getting back in the $600,000 TAB Chipping Norton Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m), his pattern of racing anyway, and likely to start race favourite. Fixed odds: $2.50 & $1.30. 

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