Te Akau Te Rapa Midweek Twilight Preview

Te Akau Racing has nine horses entered on Wednesday 19 January at Te Rapa (twilight meeting).

Weather: fine, track: Dead5, rail: out 10 metres. No rain forecast.

2:07 p.m. R1 1 Perfect Scenario  (4 g Iffraaj - Rosetti Bay) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); was notable in his last two starts at Awapuni, most recently an Open 1550 metres on Boxing Day, and is back in grade for the $12,000 Rating 74 1600 metres. Placed in the Waikato Guineas (Gr. 2, 2000m) here last season, he has weight relief to 59kg, and rates a top four chance from barrier six - one of four in the race for the stable.

2:07 p.m. R1 3 Shezathinka  (6 m So You Think - Headsup) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); produced a solid third when resuming in a Rating 74 1400 metres on 28 December at Rotorua, and also contests the $12,000 Rating 74 1600 metres. She is twice course/distance placed, has weight relief to 56.5kg, and hs first four claims from barrier five.

2:07 p.m. R1 7 Excitonic (5 g Savabeel - Bint Piavonic) - Matthew Cameron; made his run too wide from last in a Rating 74 1600 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha, and he too contests the $12,000 Rating 74 1600 metres. A winner here fresh-up over 1200 metres in October, he is ideally drawn (3), rates a top four chance.

2:07 p.m. R1 9 Campionessa  (4 m Contributer - Bella Carolina) - Kozzi Asano; tried valiantly off a wide gate (14) for fifth to subsequent Anniversary Handicap (Gr. 3, 1600m) winner Bankers Choice (Mongolian Khan) in the Stella Artois Championship Final (Special Conditions, 1500m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. She races well here and rates a top three prospect in the $12,000 Rating 74 1600 metres.

2:42 p.m. R2 15 Ange De Reve  (3 f Belardo - Awakening) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); remained on the bridle finishing strongly for second on 11 January at Cambridge (poly-track), and debuts in the $12,000 Maiden 1100 metres. Her dam won over 1000 metres, she enjoys weight relief to 53kg and is ideally drawn (3) for a strong debut showing.

2:42 p.m. R2 18 Luxembourg  (3 g Burgundy - Miss Daphne) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); did well for third while unable to fully stretch out among runners when trialling on 21 December at Ellerslie, and also makes his debut in the $12,000 Maiden 1100 metres. His dam left five individual winners, and he hails from the family of history making Guineas' filly Katie Lee (Pins). The second of a Te Akau duo contesting this event, he has weight relief to 55kg, and has drawn the ace.

3.52 p.m. R4 8 Polly Plum (3 f Xtravagant - Herstory) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); resumed running the fastest last 600m (35.1) with a dashing finish for third in a Maiden 1200 metres on 22 December at New Plymouth, and she contests the $12,000 Maiden 3YO 1300 metres. Drawn the ace, she enjoys weight relief to 53.5kg, and rates amongst the top three prospects.

5:02 p.m. R6 2 Devoted  (4 g Contributer - Mapmaker) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); got back off the outside gate (11), and saved ground when running home well for third in a Rating 65 1800 metres on 30 December at Taupo. Again unfortunately drawn the outside (10) in the $12,000 Rating 65 2100 metres, he has weight relief to 56kg, and should go well if appreciative of the extra distance.

6:44 p.m. R9 13 Invincibeel (3 f Savabeel - Matakana) - Craig Grylls; was easy from a wide draw (12) when making good ground for sixth in a Maiden 1400 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha, and she steps up in the $12,000 Maiden 1600 metres. She has again copped another wide gate (15), and much depends on the race tempo and a good dose of luck but she is capable of a solid performance.