Te Akau Te Rapa Saturday Preview
7 February, 2020
Te Akau New Zealand has two horses racing on Saturday 8 February at Te Rapa.
Weather: fine, track: Dead4, rail: out 3 metres. Showers forecast Saturday.
4.28 p.m. R8 1 Te Akau Shark (5 g Rip Van Winkle - Bak
Da Chief) - Opie Bosson; ran a cracking race for second in the Epsom Handicap
(Gr. 1, 1600m) at Randwick, before a terrific third in the $5m Cox Plate (Gr.
1, 2040m) at Moonee Valley, during his spring campaign in Australia. He tracked
through under a hold into second when trialling on 14 January at Matamata,
worked super during an exhibition gallop on Karaka Million (Jan. 25) night at
Ellerslie, and resumes in the $200,000 BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m). He
impressed winning here on debut, ran the fastest 600m on the day when closing
hard for second fresh-up in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 17 August at
Te Rapa, and looks tough to beat from barrier four. Fixed odds: $1.65 &
$1.05.
4.28 p.m. R8 6 Avantage (4 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Troy Harris; returned to form with a big finish for second under 58.5kgs in the Hallmark Stud Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie, and produced both class and courage to win the Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 18 January at Trentham. A Champion Two-Year-Old and million dollar earner, including victory in the Karaka Million (Restricted Listed, 1200m) and Sires' Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), she seems to handle weight-for-age conditions and a worthy second favourite in the $200,000 BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m). Fixed odds: $2.80 & $1.15.
Te Akau won the race last year with reigning Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands), providing trainer Jamie Richards with his 50th stakes winner, and previously with stallions Xtravagant (Pentire) and Darci Brahma (Danehill).
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