Te Akau Taranaki Midweek Preview

Te Akau Racing has four horses entered on 27 December at New Plymouth.   

Weather: overcast, track: Heavy8, rail: out 11 metres. Showers forecast. 

1:22 p.m. R2 1 Quintefeuille (2 g Xtravagant – Quintette) – Craig Grylls; he stuck to task for a close second in a trial on 5 December at Waipa, with Grylls aboard, while subsequent debut winning stable-mate When Stars Align (Zoustar) finished third. Debuting in the $18,500 Maiden 2YO 1100 metres, this Te Akau homebred is by dual Group One winner Xtravagant (Pentire), out of the stakes' placed Quintette (Alamosa), and he is ideally drawn (4) to race well. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.70.

1:22 p.m. R2 4 Damask Rose (2 f Savabeel – Sombreuil) – Michael McNab; she wound up nicely in the straight for third in her sole trial on 5 December at Waipa, and debuts in the $18,500 Maiden 2YO 1100 metres. From a good family, this filly's grand-dam Te Akau Rose (Thorn Park) won the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), and she too is perfectly drawn (2) to make an impact at her first start. Fixed odds: $4.00 & $1.60.

2:32 p.m. R4 2 Cu Chulainn (3 g Burgundy – Niamh Elizabeth) – Jonathan Riddell; he was not asked for much off a wide trip when trialling on 12 December at Ellerslie, and resumes in the $18,500 Rating 65 1100 metres. A debut winner, he was third in the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1200m), and receives a good opportunity to recapture his prior form from there handy barrier four. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.55.   

4:19 p.m. R7 6 Treaty of Paris (4 g Tavistock – Echezeaux) – Kozzi Asano; he resumed with a strong finish for fifth in the Rating 75 1600 metres on 16 December at Te Rapa, and contests the $18,500 Rating 75 1800 metres. He won his Maiden over 2000 metres and is positioned to race well if appreciative of the conditions. Fixed odds: $8.00 & $2.40.