Te Akau Taupo Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has seven horses entered for the eight-race programme on Wednesday Aug. 20 at Taupo.

As on Tuesday Aug. 19 the conditions were: overcast and Dead6, rail true.

12.35 p.m. R2 7 Bon Marche (3 g Nom Du Jeu - Las Vegas Lass) - Kelly Myers; made a great fist of his only two-year-old start. With gate speed to race in fourth, he held his action in testing ground to run home strongly for third over 1000 metres at Te Aroha. A naturally athletic type, he resumes from a spell in the Maiden 1200 metres. He appears capable of utilizing barrier two and from his efforts thus far, both at the trials and races, can produce a bold performance - one of two in the race for Te Akau.

12.35 p.m. R2 10 Opulent (3 f Keeper - Silk Slipper) - Matt Cameron; trialled up very well with a first and second, respectively, as a two-year-old and carried on in similar vein when cruising into contention and working home stylishly for third over 800 metres on Aug. 5 at Te Teko. A classy looking filly, she now makes her debut from barrier nine over 1200 metres. With the pedigree to get over more ground in time, she boasts the right attributes to give a forward showing.

1.10 p.m. R3 1 All Decked Out (4 h Darci Brahma - Diamond Deck) - Matt Cameron; was scratched on Saturday in search of better going and takes his place here in the Benchmark 65 1300 metres, with blinkers on for the assignment. Prior to, he worked home amongst runners when resuming off 212-days in the Benchmark 65 1200 metres on July 26 at Ruakaka. Twice stakes placed last season, including a nose defeat in the Hawkes Bay Guineas (Gr. 2, 1400m), he is looking to get over more ground but brings improvement from his fresh up outing.

1.45 p.m. R4 8 Madame Jamai (3 f Minstrel Court - Palais Jamai) - Matt Cameron; resumes off 98-days in the Maiden 1000 metres, having last raced on the same day as her stable-mate, Bon Marche, above. In the second of the two-year-old races over 1000 metres, she displayed plenty of courage off a wide gate when finishing third. She has trained very well since resuming in mid-June and appears nicely placed in barrier three to prove competitive in this line up.

2.20 p.m. R5 6 Darci's Dream (3 f Darci Brahma - Sweet Dreams Baby) - Matt Cameron; trialled up very nicely to resume off 130-days when quickening for a dominant win over 1040 metres on Aug. 5 at Te Teko. She brings good experience as a race winner during her two-year-old campaign and although meeting a strong field of three-year-old fillies over 1100 metres she has both the strength and ability to measure up.

3.30 p.m. R7 9 Jewels Gift (4 m Stravinsky - Jesmonds Gift) - Matt Cameron; travelled in hand throughout in a very nice trial performance for third on Aug. 5 at Te Teko, and resumes off 63-days in the Maiden 1300 metres. Showing to act in a fresh state when finishing second to Telepathic (Mossman) at the start of her last campaign, she should receive every chance in running from barrier five.

4.05 p.m. R8 4 Fast Fiction (5 g Fastnet Rock - Paperback) - Shaun McKay (a4); fought hard off the front for a close second on July 17 in the Benchmark 65 1200 metres on slow ground at Hastings. Freshened since, he drops back in distance to contest the Benchmark 65 1000 metres and has the services of promising young rider Shaun McKay, taking four kilos off the carded weight to carry 53kgs. A smart beginner, he should be able to position in or near the lead from barrier four and looks to convert on his two seconds this time in.

Jason's bet of the day: Jewels Gift