Te Akau Te Rapa Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has two horses racing on Saturday 18 August at Te Rapa.

As on Friday 17 August the conditions were: overcast and Slow9, rail true. Showers forecast Friday, no rain Saturday.

3.05 p.m. R5 7 Gris Dame (4 m Reliable Man - Double Babu) - Shafiq Rusof; quickened widest into the straight and sustained her run for second when trialling here on 17 July and resumes in the $25,000 Rating 72 1400 metres. A winner and stakes' placed in the Cambridge Stud Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m) during her first campaign, she is a striking grey mare and has the ability to prove competitive if appreciative of the course at her first race day attempt. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.50.

3.40 p.m. R6 13 Melody Belle (4 m Commands - Meleka Belle) - Shafiq Rusof; settled in the trail and gained an advantage on the bridle to win a trial narrowly but well here on 17 July and resumes in the weight-for-age $100,000 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m). Champion Two-Year-Old, she was an easy winner of the Mongolian Khan Trophy (Gr. 3, 1200m) in January at Ellerslie, before two starts in Sydney, and looks in lovely order to commence. Ideally drawn in barrier four, she has the right form and talent to prove competitive if appreciative of the course at her first race day attempt. Fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.80.