Te Akau: Te Akau NZ Easter Saturday Preview
Date: 29 Mar 2013
Four Te Akau NZ runners in four black type races plus a smart 2YO at Ellerslie.
Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the ten-race premier programme at Awapuni, and one on the nine-race card at Ellerslie, Easter Saturday, March 30.
Awapuni:
As at 8:49am on Thursday March 28 the conditions were: cloudy and Dead4, rail in the true position.
2:26pm R5 5 Single Act (3 g Bachelor Duke - Consumer) - Matt Cameron; settled back in the field on a leisurely pace and did a top job widest on the track to close the margin to half a length when third on March 2 in the Lindsay Mile (3YO, 1600m) at Ellerslie. Now stepping up in class and distance in the Manawatu Classic (Gr. 3, 2000m), he is a brave horse, with a turn of foot, and brings the right form to threaten with a decent run from barrier eight.
3:46pm R7 8 Quintette (2 f Alamosa - Everswindell) - Matt Cameron; dictated the tempo from alongside the leader and quickened in smart fashion to win on March 2 over 1200 metres at Hastings, resuming from a 107-day break. Second in the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) on Nov. 17 at Riccarton, she tackles the best of her age in the Sire's Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m). For a three-year-old type, she has shown terrific attributes as a juvenile to warrant her place here and has the grit not to be overawed in an even line-up outside the favourite Recite.
4:26pm R8 1 Better than Ever (6 g Better than Ever - Songfest) - Hayden Tinsley: travelled firmly on the bridle, coming from off the pace for third to Ocean Park on March 9 in the weight-for-age NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie, following a third at his previous start in the Haunui Farm Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Otaki. He finished second here to Mufhasa over 1400 metres in his first NZ start and poses a head scratcher for trainer Jason Bridgman as to which race he may contest - one of two in the race for Te Akau.
4:26pm R8 2 Burgundy (4 h Redoute's Choice - Grand Echezeaux) - Matt Cameron; resumes from a 72-day break after a top performance for third in the Telegraph Handicap (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Trentham. Having recorded stakes success in four of his six wins, from eleven starts, he along with the stable-mate brings the best form to the Fairdale/Goodwood Studs Flying Handicap (Listed, 1400m). Beautifully drawn, he is a high-class horse with looks to match and at best with jar out of the ground he can force the issue with factors to suit.
5:06pm R9 1 Better than Ever (6 g Better than Ever - Songfest) - Hayden Tinsley: travelled firmly on the bridle, coming from off the pace for third to Ocean Park on March 9 in the weight-for-age NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) at Ellerslie, following a third at his previous start in the Haunui Farm Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Otaki. He finished second here to Mufhasa over 1400 metres in his first NZ start and poses a head scratcher for trainer Jason Bridgman as to which race he may contest. If not in the Fairdale/Goodwood, then here in the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr. 2, 2000m) where the former Singaporean champion can prove very competitive from barrier seven.
Ellerslie:
As at 8:49am on Thursday March 28 the conditions were: cloudy and Dead4, rail in the true position.
2:36pm R5 3 Ruthless Lady (2 f Keeper - Lady Dehere) - Michael Coleman; unwound a strong late bid to win on Feb. 27 over 1200 metres at Te Rapa, and given time since she now steps to 1300 metres. Her dam, Lady Dehere (Dehere), was second top filly on the 2001-02 NZ 2YO Free Handicaps, after winning four of her first seven starts including the Matamata Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) and the Mercedes Super Bonus Classique (Listed, 1200m). A lovely type of filly, destined to continue improving as a three-year-old, she has not put a foot wrong in her three starts and keeps finding the line.
BURGUNDY last Saturday Matamata trackwork
Credit - Jeff Dore - Picture credit - Stacey Akers