Te Akau Super Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing 16 horses entered on Saturday 26 February: Matamata, Otaki and Caulfield (Melbourne). 

Matamata:

Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: out 3 metres from 800m to 300m, remainder out 6 metres. No rain forecast.

12:30 p.m. R1 4 Fashion Shoot (4 m Savabeel - High Fashion) - Michael McNab; finished strongly for third in a Rating 65 1400 metres on 15 January at Wingatui, was freshened, and rounded off strongly for fourth when trialling on 14 February at Te Rapa. Resuming in the $30,000 Rating 65 1600 metres, she is capable and consistent, acts well fresh and has first four claims from barrier four - one of two in the event for the stable. Fixed odds: $7.50 & $2.70.

12:30 p.m. R1 7 Felicienne (4 m Savabeel - Flavigny) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); won her Maiden by over three lengths in December at Matamata, and was strong late when finishing second in a Rating 65 1400 metres on 14 January at Tauranga. Given time (29 days), she was held together when trialling on 1 February at Cambridge (poly-track), and was notable finishing third in a Special Conditions 1600 metres on 12 February at Te Rapa. Unfortunately drawn wide (12) in the $30,000 Rating 65 1600 metres, she does however have weight relief to 55kg, she rates a top three prospect. Fixed odds: $3.30 & $1.60.

1:40 p.m. R3 11 Highborn (4 m Savabeel - Tempo Manor) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); led home a Te Akau first four in a Maiden 1200 metres on 12 January at Matamata, and posted a good effort for second in a Rating 65 1200 metres on 11 February at Awapuni. Contesting the $30,000 Rating 65 1200 metres, she enjoys weight relief to 54.5kg, but does require luck from her difficult draw (15). Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.50.

3:24 p.m. R6 5 Imperatriz (3 f I Am Invincible - Berimbau) - Michael McNab; finished a close fourth to stable-mate The Perfect Pink (Savabeel) in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 13 November at Riccarton - a Te Akau first four. She resumed running the fastest last 600m (33.6) on the day for second to stable-mate Sword of State (Snitzel) in the Almanzor Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Karaka Million night (22 Jan.) at Ellerslie.  The Soliloquy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) winner here in October at her only course attempt, she was good late into second at the trials on 14 February at Te Rapa, and rates top three chance in $40,000 Lisa Chittick Plate (1400m), an NZB Insurance Pearl series' race (eligible). Fixed odds: $2.30 & $1.15.

4:00 p.m. R7 2 Maven Belle (2 f Burgundy - Doyenne) - Ryan Elliot; looked good beating subsequent Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m) winning stable-mate Hanalei, below, when debuting in a Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha, and made it two from two in 2YO Classic (Gr. 3, 1200m) on Legends Day (12 Feb.) at Te Rapa. She can deliver a podium finish in the $110,000 J Swap Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) - a race with three stable representatives. Fixed odds: $3.30 & $1.30.

4:00 p.m. R7 3 Hanalei (2 f Darci Brahma - Lucrative) - Michael McNab; had strong trial form before running the fastest last 600m (32.5) for second to stable-mate Maven Belle, above, when debuting in a Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha, and flattened out impressively when winning the Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 15 January at Trentham. She also rates a top three chance in the $110,000 J Swap Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m). Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.30.

4:00 p.m. R7 4 13 I Choose You (2 f I Am Invincible - Choose) - Matthew Cameron; found another gear for a strong trial win, before taking charge to beat stable-mate and subsequent winner Grace ‘N' Grey (Spirit of Boom) when debuting in a Maiden 2YO 1100 metres on 27 November at Te Aroha. She did well for third off a wide trip in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 1 January at Ellerslie, then won stylishly when trialling on 14 February at Te Rapa, and likewise rates a top three prospect in the $110,000 J Swap Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m). Fixed odds: $2.70 & $1.25.

Victory in Matamata Breeders Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) would be the seventh for Te Akau.

4:35 p.m. R8 15 Campionessa (4 m Contributer - Bella Carolina) - Matthew Cameron; easily won a Rating 74 1600 metres on 19 January at Te Rapa, and she furthered her smart record when winning a Rating 74 1600 metres on 30 January at Ellerslie. She then trialled on 14 February at Te Rapa and finished fifth without being extended. She has a good course record and rates a top three chance stepping up in the $60,000 Matamata Vets Kaimai Stakes (Listed, 2000m). Fixed odds: $3.60 & $1.65.

5:12 p.m. R9 1 Leaderboard (7 g Street Cry - Flower Fairy) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); was back and wide throughout in the Taranaki Cup (Gr. 3, 2000m) on 11 February at Awapuni, and drops in grade for the $30,000 Rating 74 2000 metres. Drawn the ace, he has a good course record with weight to 59.5kg.  He produced a very good third in the New Zealand Cup (Gr. 3, 3200m) on 13 November at Riccarton, and is looking to recapture that form, in a race featuring a Te Akau trained duo. Fixed odds: $10.00 & $3.00.

5:12 p.m. R9 4 Exaltation (5 m Not A Single Doubt - Meleka Belle) - Michael McNab; closed late in a Rating 74 1600 metres on 23 December at Matamata, before winning a corresponding event on 5 January at Otaki. She was solid without threatening (seventh) in a Rating 74 2100 metres on Wellington Cup Day (29 Jan.) at Trentham, and can finish in the top three despite her tricky draw (10) in the $30,000 Rating 74 2000 metres. Fixed odds: $15.00 & $3.80.

Otaki:

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

1:22 p.m. R3 2 Top Brass (6 g Epaulette - Highlight) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); freshened since racing in an Open 1200 metres on Boxing Day at Awapuni, he quickened easily on the bridle to win at the trials on 14 February at Te Rapa, and resumes in the $40,000 Open 1200 metres. He has weight relief to 56kg, possesses tough qualities and will make his presence felt in a race with two stable representatives. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.75.

1:22 p.m. R3 6 Burgundy Rose (5 m Burgundy - Paraiba) - Kozzi Asano; ran an unofficial track record winning a Rating 74 1215 metres on 6 January at Rotorua, was freshened and then quickened easily to win a trial on 28 January at Ellerslie. Following that, she tied up late on slow ground for seventh in a Rating 74 1200 metres on 12 February at Te Rapa, won by stable-mate Lightning Field (Deep Field). She can bounce back in the $40,000 Open 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.30.

3:43 p.m. R7 4 Brando (4 g Savabeel - Saoirse) - Kozzi Asano; enhanced his fresh-up record when impressively winning an Open 1400 metres on 30 January at Ellerslie, and steps up in the $220,000 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m). A stakes' winner and Group 1 placed at three, he rates a top three proposition from the handy barrier two. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.70.

3:43 p.m. R7 5 Markus Aurelius (5 g Ghibellines - Evancho) - Lisa Allpress; ran well from back in the field when resuming in a slick (1:08.8) in the Concorde Handicap (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 22 January at Ellerslie, and did well from last to finish fourth in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 12 February at Te Rapa. The Coupland's Bakeries' Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) winner during Cup Week at Riccarton, he can feature in the finish in the $220,000 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m). Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.70.

3:43 p.m. R7 9 Amarelinha (4 m Savabeel - Hopscotch) - Johnathan Parkes; reigning New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, she resumed with a notable fourth in the Westbury Classic (Gr. 2, 1400m) on Karaka Million night (22 Jan.) at Ellerslie. She quickened without urging to win stylishly at the trials on 14 February at Te Rapa, and also rates a top three chance in the $220,000 El Cheapo Cars WFA Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m). Fixed odds: $3.00 & $1.35.

Caulfield:

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

3:15 p.m. (NZ time) R2 3 Kahma Lass (4 m Darci Brahma - Distinctive Lass) - Brett Prebble; resumed with a good fifth to stable-mate Probabeel (Savabeel) in the Bellmaine Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) here a fortnight ago, and contests the $200,000 Catanach's Jewellers Mannerism Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m). New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner, she was a course/distance winner of the Weekend Hustler Stakes (Listed, 1400m) last October, has a good second-up record and has drawn the ace. NZ TAB fixed odds: $11.00 & $2.40.