Te Akau Saturday Preview - NZ & Australia

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing at two venues on Saturday 13 May: New Plymouth and Doomben.

Rotorua: has been officially abandoned.
New Plymouth:

As on Friday 12 May the conditions were: showery and Heavy11, rail out 6 metres. No more rain forecast.

1.54 p.m. R5 10 Lady Pinot (4 m Starspangledbanner - Madame Echezeaux) - Masa Tanaka; resumed with a notable effort for a close fourth after tracking through near the rail in the Rating 65 1000 metres on 22 April at Trentham, ridden by Tanaka, and contests the $20,000 Rating 65 1200 metres. Well performed in a fresh state on both Slow9 and Heavy10 footing, she appears an each way chance if appreciative of the heavy going here on this course.

Doomben, Brisbane (pictured):

As on Friday 12 May the conditions were: fine and Soft7, rail true. No rain forecast.

4.46 p.m. (NZ time) R5 3 Hall of Fame (3 c Savabeel - Around the Clock) - Opie Bosson; has trained on well since finishing fifth when resuming in the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) a fortnight ago at Te Rapa, and from barrier four he contests the $100,000 Queensland Day Stakes (Listed, 1350m). Highest rated (92) in a field of fifteen, on the strength of his Group One victory in the Levin Classic (1600m), his impressive debut win over subsequent dual Group One winning stable-mate Gingernuts (Iffraaj) when encountering slow footing could prove a factor in handling the rain-affected track conditions. A quality galloper from the outset, he warrants plenty of respect. Fixed odds: $4.80.

5.26 p.m. (NZ time) R6 11 Zambezi Warrior (4 g Pentire - Zambezi) - Jeff Lloyd; galloped well in training on Tuesday with Lloyd in the saddle and drawn barrier five in the $125,000 Chairman's Handicap (Gr. 3, 2000m). Not far away when contesting both the City of Auckland Cup (Gr. 3, 2400m) and Wellington Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m), and placed in the Championship Stakes (Gr. 2, 2100m) as a three-year-old, he has shown versatility by winning on a range of track conditions, including slow, and carrying minimum weight (54kg) aids his prospects of a solid performances. Fixed odds: $17.00.

6.39 p.m. (NZ time) R8 14 Shocking Luck (3 g Shocking - Shamardal Luck) - Opie Bosson; was narrowly beaten when resuming on 1 May in the Class 3 Plate 1500 metres at Ispwish, Queensland, and contests the $125,000 Rough Habit Plate (Gr. 3, 2000m). Put aside with a Queensland Carnival campaign in mind after running a bottler for second in the Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m), he will appreciate stepping up in distance but does require luck from a wide draw. Fixed odds: $8.50.