Te Akau Te Aroha Monday Preview
3 January, 2022
Te Akau Racing has 12 horses entered on 3 January, Racing Thames at Te Aroha.
Weather: fine, track: Dead5, rail: true. No rain forecast.
12:35 p.m. R1 3 Boomer (3 g Iffraaj - Kate Cross) - Opie Bosson; was not pressured finishing second at the trials on 21 December at Ellerslie, and debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres. Half-brother to Group 1 winning mare Consensus (Postponed), a multiple Group winner, he should race well from barrier seven with the top rider engaged.
2:20 p.m. R4 1 Kabugee (2 g Satono Aladdin - Kabuki) - Opie Bosson; powered up on the bridle for a smart win when trialling on 21 December at Ellerslie, following an impressive first trial on 4 November at Matamata. Debuting in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres, he appears hard to beat from barrier one - the first of three stable runners in this juvenile event.
2:20 p.m. R4 7 Skew Wiff (2 f Savabeel - Starvoia) - Craig Grylls; quickened widest to contest a photo-finish for first at the trials on 21 December at Ellerslie, and also debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. First foal from impressive stakes' winning sprinter Starvoia (Starcraft), she rates a top three prospect from barrier five.
2:20 p.m. R4 8 Bolshoi Star (2 f Russian Revolution - Astara) - Michael McNab; responded well in a photo-finish for second at the trials on 13 December at Rotorua, and she too debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. From the first crop of dual Group 1 Australian sprint winner Russian Revolution (Snitzel), out of the dual stakes' winner Astara (Dalghar), she requires a decent trip from her awkward draw (7).
2:55 p.m. R5 5 Hanalei (2 f Darci Brahma - Lucrative) - Michael McNab; dashed through late to beat Skew Wiff (above) at the trials on 21 December at Ellerslie, after finishing second to Kabugee (above) in her first trial on 4 November at Matamata. Debuting in the second $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres, she is year younger, three-quarter sister to recent stable winner Cote de Beaune (Burgundy) and has drawn barrier one - in a race featuring four stable starters.
2:55 p.m. R5 6 Safura (2 f Almanzor - Corsage) - Opie Bosson; finished strongly to win at the trials on 13 December at Rotorua, and like her stablemate above, debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. From first crop of Almanzor (Wootton Bassett), she is a half-sister to stable-mate Aotea Lad (Savabeel) who was a Group 2 winner on debut, and she is expected to go well.
2:55 p.m. R5 8 Breathtaking (2 f Holy Roman Emperor - Breath) - Sam Weatherley; let down with a strong gallop for third when trialling on 21 December at Ellerslie, and like the two fillies above, she too debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. Third in all three trials to date, she should prove competitive from barrier five.
2:55 p.m. R5 9 Maven Belle (2 f Burgundy - Doyenne) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); stuck to her task bravely for third to stable-mates Hanalei and Skew Wiff, above, at the trials on 21 December at Ellerslie. Like the three fillies mentioned above, she will debut in the $12,000 Maiden 2YO 1000 metres. By five-time stakes' winner Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), from stakes' placed winner of six to 2000 metres, Doyenne (Kilimanjaro), she is from the family of Group 1 Railway runner Levante. Bred for further, she is capable of a cheeky run from the handy barrier three.
4:40 p.m. R8 6 Excitonic (5 g Savabeel - Bint Piavonic) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); recorded two fourths since delivering fresh-up over 1200 metres in October at Te Rapa, with Parmar aboard, and contests the $20,000 Rating 74 1600 metres. With weight relief down to 54kg, he has drawn barrier six, and should race well if appreciative of the course at his first attempt.
5:15 p.m. R9 7 La Flora Belle (4 m Iffraaj - Tsarina Belle) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); produced a notable effort for third in a Maiden 1600 metres here on 17 October and was freshened following a second placing in a Maiden 2000 metres on 29 October at Hawera. She sustained a strong gallop to win at the trials on 21 December at Ellerslie, and resumes in the $12,000 Maiden 1400 metres. She enjoys weight relief to 53.5kg but requires luck from her tough draw (13) - one of two in the event for the stable.
5:15 p.m. R9 12 Invincibeel (3 f Savabeel - Matakana) - Opie Bosson; ran on well for fourth when debuting in a Maiden 1300 metres on 3 November at Cambridge (poly-track), and has been given time (40 days) since a Maiden 1400 metres on 24 November at Tauranga. She too requires luck from her difficult barrier (14) in the $12,000 Maiden 1400 metres.
5:50 p.m. R10 4 Badgeringdawitness (4 g Reliable Man - Ebony and Ivory) - Opie Bosson; circled and made ground without threatening when resuming in a Maiden 1200 metres on 8 December at Hastings, and contests the $12,000 Maiden 1400 metres. His dam Ebony and Ivory (Zabeel) impressed winning over a mile and has now left five individual winners of 14 races, seen at their best around 2000 metres. He has first four claims from barrier seven.
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