Te Akau Te Aroha Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has five horses entered for the seven race programme on Thursday 12 March at Te Aroha.

As on Wednesday 11 March the conditions were: overcast and Dead4, rail out 5 metres.

1.58 p.m. R1 8 Frock (3 f Road to Rock - Mya) - Matt Cameron; stayed on in determined fashion for fourth over 1950 metres at Rotorua, and given time since she resumes off 50-days in the Maiden 2200 metres. She has a good head carriage, tries hard, and plenty of stoutness in her dam side pedigree to suggest that the trip should suit.

2.33 p.m. R2 10 Skyscraper (3 g Manhattan Rain - Grand Performance) - Lee Magorrian (a2); also resumes off 50-days, after doing a good job for third behind a tidy performer in Viviano (Keeper) over 1560 metres at Rotorua. With the same rider aboard, it is expected he would be ridden patiently from a wide draw and look to run home strongly before stepping over more distance next time out.

4.21 p.m. R5 12 Astrid (3 f Pins - Astralita) - Matt Cameron; another resuming from the Jan. 21 meeting at Rotorua, she takes her place from barrier four in the Maiden 1200 metres. Narrowly beaten on debut and caught off the track last time, she is a filly that finds the line and should receive all favours from a handy gate.

4.57 p.m. R6 2 Maestro (4 g Encosta De Lago - Miss Scarlatti) - Matt Cameron; followed a solid fifth in strong company at Ellerslie, getting clear late for a dominant win over 1400 metres on Jan. 16 at Matamata. Freshened since, he resumes from barrier two in the Rating 65 1200 metres. While he could find the sprint trip a touch sharp, he is a consistent performer that certainly puts in and a genuine tempo will help his cause.

5.33 p.m. R7 2 Vive La Difference (3 f Choisir - L'Artiste) - Matt Cameron; produced a game effort for fourth to Platinum Witness (California Dane) in the Desert Gold Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) on Jan. 24 at Trentham, but has struggled to find footing with a decent amount of give in recent times. In the interim, she finished second in a trial on Jan. 24 at Matamata. Pearl registered, she is up for an $11,500 bonus on top of the $12,000 stake in the NZB Pearl Series Rating 65 1600 metres for Fillies and Mares. Her record should make her very competitive in this field and the forecast for a bit of moisture late in the day could work in her favour.