Te Akau Super Saturday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has fourteen horses racing on Saturday 21 September: Hastings, Riccarton, and Royal Randwick (Sydney).

Hastings:

Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: true. No rain forecast.

12.55 p.m. R2 4 In A Twinkling (4 g Fastnet Rock - Moment in Time) - Opie Bosson; was caught wide when resuming in the Rating 82 1400 metres on 31 August at Ruakaka, and steps up to a more suitable distance in the $40,000 Open 2000 metres. A winner that finished second in the Zacinto Stakes (Listed, 1600m), Avondale Guineas (Gr. 2, 2100m), and fourth in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m), he was beaten a nostril in the NZ Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) before a fifth in both the Tulloch Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) at Rosehill, and ATC Derby (Gr. 1, 2400m) at Randwick. He has the quality to prove competitive from barrier one, although not ideally off at the weights (57kgs). Fixed odds: $3.60 & $1.45.

2.45 p.m. R5 10 Ripley  (6 g Rip Van Winkle - Visique) - Opie Bosson; is having his first start for the stable in the $30,000 Rating 65 1400 metres, having won in November 2017 over 1600 metres from only four starts. Awkwardly drawn (11) and likely to derive improvement for the run. Fixed odds: $17.00 & $4.50.

4.30 p.m. R8 9 Melody Belle (5 m Commands - Meleka Belle) - Opie Bosson; the reigning Horse of the Year, winner of seven Group Ones, left no doubts when sprinting home to defend her Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m) here on 31 August and a skinny odds favourite to emulate in the $200,000 Windsor Park Plate (Gr. 1, 1600m). Dealt a friendlier gate (6) after overcoming barrier 15 in the Tarzino, the current Queen of the Turf should take some beating. Fixed odds: $1.65 & $1.15.

Riccarton:

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

12.02 p.m. R1 13Lethal (3 c Savabeel - Katie Lee) - Michael McNab; finished off the pace when resuming on slow footing in the Maiden 3YO 1250 metres on 30 August at Ashburton, and has blinkers on in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres. Better footing should help the cause and his dam, Katie Lee (Pins), was the first horse in history to win both the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on this course. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.00.

12.35 p.m. R2 1 Golden Age  (4 g Savabeel - La Belle Epoque) - Michael McNab; was unlucky not to win during his first campaign, with two seconds, a third, and two fourths, from six starts up to 2100 metres. Good through the line when trialling at Te Rapa, and Avondale, he worked home from last to finish second in a trial on 9 September at Ashburton, and resumes in the $10,000 Maiden 1600 metres. He brings good form and perfectly drawn in barrier one. Fixed odds: $2.90 & $1.50.

1.45 p.m. R4 4 Publicist  (4 g Redoute's Choice - Valadon) - Michael McNab; remained rearward when resuming in the Rating 65 1250 metres on 30 August at Ashburton, and steps up in the $22,500 Rating 65 1600 metres. He won his Maiden over 1600 metres, has the addition of side winkers, and ideally drawn (2) to produce an improved performance. Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.90.

2.23 p.m. R5 2 Fabulous Flight (5 g I Am Invincible - Court Flying) - Jason Laking; finished fifth when resuming in the Rating 72 1400 metres on 30 August at Ashburton, and steps up in the $25,000 Rating 72 2000 metres. He ended his previous campaign in April after finishing second Rating 82 2200 metres at Te Rapa, and can show up despite carrying 60kgs. Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.95.

2.23 p.m. R5 9 Bojangles  (6 g Roc de Cambes - Stever House) - Michael McNab; capped solid form with an emphatic victory in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 30 August at Ashburton, and steps up in the $25,000 Rating 72 2000 metres. He placed in July over 2100 metres at Te Rapa, and his recent win had enough conviction to warrant respect again. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.00.

4.14 p.m. R8 4 Folk Dress (3 f Pierro - Gypsy Chimes) - Michael McNab; recorded back-to-back wins before being narrowly beaten (fourth) in a very good field for the Waikato Equine Vet Centre 2YO Stakes (Listed, 1100m) in May at Te Rapa. Her trials were good in the North, before winning a further trial on 9 September at Ashburton, and she has the class to prove competitive fresh-up in the $50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200 metres). Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70.

4.14 p.m. R8 13 Xplosion (3 f Showcasing - Xpress) - Jason Laking; fought hard for third after working to lead when resuming in the Maiden 3YO 1250 metres on 30 August at Ashburton. She faces a much stiffer assignment in the $50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200 metres) and requires luck from an awkward draw (11). Fixed odds: $31.00 & $6.00.

4.49 p.m. R9 2 Summer Monsoon  (5 g Stratum - Princess Narine) - Michael McNab; produced a notable performance for fifth in the Rating 65 1300 metres on 21 August at Taupo, and contests the $22,500 Rating 65 1200 metres. Although drawn wide (19), he could prove competitive with the right trip.

5.24 p.m. R10 12 Miss Scandinavia (5 m Smart Missile - Miss Helsinki) - Michael McNab; tried hard but found Heavy10 footing beyond her when resuming here in the Rating 72 1200 metres on 7 September. A consistent mare, she shapes to prove more competitive from barrier two on better footing in the $25,000 Rating 72 1400 metres. Fixed odds: $9.50 & $3.10.

Randwick:

Weather: showery, track: Heavy9, rail: true. No rain forecast.

4.05 p.m. (NZ time) R4 3 Probabeel (3 f Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Kerrin McEvoy; the $1m Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner kept finding the line when resuming here with a meritorious fourth to Libertini (I Am Invincible) in the Darley Furious Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and steps up in the $200,000 Darley Tea Rose Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) - third leg of the Princess Series. She got home stylishly for a close fifth here in the $1m Inglis Sires' (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 6 April, has no shortage of class, but has to appreciate track conditions to prove competitive in a race where Libertini ($1.85) again holds sway. Fixed odds: $15.00 & $3.50 NZ TAB.

4.40 p.m. (NZ time) R5 3 Avantage (4 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - James McDonald; was courageous off a tough trip when finishing second fresh-up in the Open 1200 metres on 31 August at Ruakaka, and contests the $160,000 Bill Ritchie Cup (Gr. 3, 1400m). She won the Birthday Card Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Heavy8 in April at Rosehill, and the former Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner boasts a very competitive instinct. Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.15 NZ TAB.

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