Te Akau Tauranga Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Friday 20 January at Tauranga.

As on Thursday 19 January the conditions were: overcast and Dead4, rail true. Showers forecast.

1.05 p.m. R2 5 Don'tblamethemusic (3 g Coats Choice - Blame the Music) - Opie Bosson; registered a strong debut win in the Maiden 1200 metres on 31 December at Stratford, having trialled very well prior. He faces a much stiffer assignment in the $20,000 Rating 65 1200 metres, and will require luck from barrier eight in a field of nine, but such was the manner of his win that he should prove competitive again.

2.50 p.m. R5 6 Vinevale (4 m Flying Spur - Eden Valley) - Danielle Johnson; won stylishly over 1500 metres at Te Rapa, before stepping up in distance for the first time with a game fifth in the $50,000 Dunstan Feeds Championship Qualifier 2100 metres on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. With blinkers off, she has drawn barrier ten in the $25,000 Rating 85 2100 metres. Against some talented and in form rivals, luck to secure a cosy trip appears paramount and she rates an each way chance if appreciative of the course at her first attempt.

3.25 p.m. R6 10 Gingernuts (3 g Iffraaj - Double Elle) - Matt Cameron; with his rivals was off the bit chasing a breakneck pace, before finishing fourth, when resuming off 226 days over 1200 metres on 31 December at Stratford. Up in trip in the $20,000 Rating 65 1400 metres, with blinkers and a tongue tie added to his gear, he will require luck from barrier twelve. His talent is undoubted, having finished second to recent Group One winning stable-mate Hall of Fame (Savabeel) on debut as a two-year-old before winning with his ears pricked second up.

4.34 p.m. R8 4 King Kane (3 g Showcasing - Vannista Belle) - Michael McNab; circled from last to finish second off 32 days in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 27 December at New Plymouth, and returns to the distance of his maiden win in the Rating 65 1600 metres. He had no favours when contesting the Wellington Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) between those two races, is being prepped towards three-year-old staying events and gets a chance to put his hand up from barrier one.