Te Akau Te Aroha Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses racing on Tuesday 14 November at Te Aroha.

As on Monday 13 November the conditions were: cloudy and Good3, rail out 3 metres. 1ml rain forecast Monday, 7mls race day.

1.10 p.m. R2 13 Gris Dame (3 f Reliable Man - Double Babu) - Michael McNab; clocked a similar last 600m (34.7) to those finishing ahead of her when running home from last in a stronger field on debut in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres at Tauranga. Ideally drawn in barrier four, she will appreciate both stepping up distance for the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1400 metres and the lengthy straight. A staying filly in the making, she is a half-sister to dual Group One winner MacO'reilly (O'Reilly) and a granddaughter of 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner and Filly of the Year Plume (Crested Wave).

1.45 p.m. R3 4 Motivation (3 g Mastercraftsman - Tenacity) - Opie Bosson; has looked good at the trials, with a second and first respectively, and ready to debut in the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1400 metres. Interestingly, the horse he finished second to at Te Teko, The Great Southern (Jimmy Choux) was a stylish debut winner here over 1200 metres in October, before finishing second in a stronger field at Tauranga, so there is form around him. His dam, Tenacity (Zabeel), won five races to 1400 metres and a half-sister to Wellington Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) winner Graphic (Volkraad). Drawn barrier four, there is plenty to like.

1.45 p.m. R3 13 Gipsyrocker (3 f Fastnet Rock - Gipsy Countess) - Cameron Lammas; debuting in the $10,000 Maiden 3YO 1400 metres, she kept up a strong gallop off a wide run for second when trialling over 1150 metres on 19 October at Waipa. Drawn wide (18), her dam won over 2400 metres in the UK, and she fits the mould of a staying filly that will continue to improve over ground.

2.50 p.m. R5 2 Devil May Care (4 g Lonhro - Devil's Song) - Opie Bosson; has been given time since a solid debut effort for second here to The Great Southern (Jimmy Choux), mentioned above, in the Maiden 1200 metres on 18 October, and from barrier three he contests the corresponding race. In training for Sir Peter Vela, from the family of New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) winner Vapour Trail (Jetball) and Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m) winner Encosta Diablo (Encosta De Lago), he appears a good each way chance again.