Te Akau Te Rapa Friday Preview

Te Akau Racing has eight horses entered on Friday 1 October at Te Rapa.

Weather: overcast, track: Dead6, rail: out 9 metres. 6mls rain forecast Thursday, showers Friday.

1.15 p.m. R3 4 Medal  (3 g Savabeel - Gold Rocks) - Danielle Johnson; raced on speed when resuming with a notable effort for third here in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 4 September, and contests the $15,000 Maiden 3YO 1400 metres. He has ability to rate a top three chance.

1.50 p.m. R4 2 Palamos  (3 c Extreme Choice - Unrevealed) - Troy Harris; won both starts as a two-year-old, including a two lengths debut victory here over 1000 metres and was the early Karaka 2YO Million favourite before being briefly sidelined. Given a quiet trial on 28 September at Cambridge, he has drawn wide (12) in the $30,000 3YO 1200 metres and much depends how the race pans out.

1.50 p.m. R4 4 Millefiori  (3 f Iffraaj - Miss Bluebell) - Sam Weatherley; finished off the pace when resuming in the Northland Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) here on 4 September, which was won by stable-mate Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), and contests the $30,000 3YO 1200 metres. She won two of three starts as a two-year-old and is ideally drawn (3) to show improvement.

2.25 p.m. R5 11 Lisheen  (4 m Pins - Invermoray) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); overcame an awkward draw (10) on debut when winning the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres in March at Te Aroha. She stretched out well for second when trialling on 14 September at Cambridge (poly-track), and with weight relief to 55kg rates a top three chance from barrier four in the $30,000 Rating 65 1200 metres.

3.00 p.m. R6 7 Brando  (4 h Savabeel - Saoirse) - Craig Grylls; had more to offer when coasting home for fifth at the trials on 21 September at Cambridge (poly-track), and resumes in the $40,000 Open 1200 metres. A stakes' winner and Group 1 placed last season, he boasts a course/distance win at his only attempt and is ideally drawn (5) to rate a top three prospect - one of a Te Akau trio in the event.

3.00 p.m. R6 8 Festivity  (5 m I Am Invincible - Mabsam) - Kozzi Asano; fought hard for sixth after racing outside the leader, fresh-up in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) here on 4 September, and she contests the $40,000 Open 1200 metres. Winner of five from nine, she drops to the minimum weight (54kg) and can be in the mix with luck from barrier 12.

3.00 p.m. R6 9 Romantic Lady (5 m Power - Romantic Time) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); spelled in May after finishing third to stable-mate Top Brass (Epaulette) here in the Open 1200 metres. She kept up a strong gallop for second when trialling on 14 September at Cambridge (poly-track), has won four at 1200 metres, placed at all three course attempts, and should go well with weight relief to 52kg in the $40,000 Open 1200 metres.

4.10 p.m. R8 2 Savy Yong Blonk  (6 m Savabeel - Ampin) - Danielle Johnson; spelled after finishing third here in the Travis Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m), and resumed with a strong finish from last in the Tarzino Trophy (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 14 September at Hastings. She races well on the course and despite carrying 59kg rates a top three chance from barrier one in the $40,000 Open 1600 metres.