Te Akau Taupo Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the nine race programme on Friday 18 September at Taupo.

As on Thursday 17 September the conditions were: fine and Dead4, rail true.

12.10 p.m. R1 3 Babilloni (5 g Cecconi - Babillard) - Matt Cameron; resumes off 208 days from barrier five in the Rating 65 1300 metres. He had a quiet outing when giving Te Akau apprentice Jasmine Fawcett her first trial ride recently at Te Teko. The winner of two races on good footing, this looks ideal to commence and he should only improve heading into the summer months.

12.45 p.m. R2 9 Interstellar (3 f Shamoline Warrior - Amathea) - Matt Cameron; followed a smart trial win with a top debut performance for second in the Maiden 1200 metres at Ruakaka, with her nemesis Royal Raine (Thorn Park) contesting the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday at Riccarton. Although meeting a completely different field of opponents in the Maiden 1300 metres, barrier one is a handy advantage and she appears one of the top chances.

1.20 p.m. R3 7 Esprit De Corps (3 g Bel Esprit - Vercors) - Matt Cameron; sustained his run to win an 830-metre trial on 4 August at Te Teko, beating stable-mate Thetruthisoutthere (Starcraft) who debuted here with a second on 19 August. Drawn wide on debut in the Maiden 1000 metres, he will require luck to secure a decent passage. His dam, Vercors (Catbird), impressed winning the Wairarapa Breeders' Stakes (Listed, 1600m) on good ground, and improvement can be expected as he steps up in distance.

4.50 p.m. R9 4 Skyscraper (4 g Manhattan Rain - Grand Performance) - Cameron Lammas; tackles the Maiden 1800 metres 35 days after finding conditions too heavy when resuming in the Maiden 1400 metres at Avondale. He has found the line encouragingly in the past and seems capable of a bold run providing forecast rain does not impact too greatly.