Te Akau Timaru Friday Preview

Te Akau Racing has five horses entered on Friday 8 October at Timaru.

Weather: cloudy, track: Dead5, rail: true. No rain forecast.

11.58 a.m. R2 13 Shepherd's Delight (3 f Rip Van Winkle - Safari Sunset) - Tegan Newman; finished sixth on debut in the Maiden 3YO 970 metres on 2 September at Cambridge (poly-track), and since won a trial under minimal urging on 21 September at Ashburton. Her four trials have produced two wins and two seconds, and she rates a top three chance from barrier one in the $12,000 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres.

1.07 p.m. R4 10 Synchronize (3 f Savabeel - Splits) - Samantha Wynne; was unbeaten in three trials before being untroubled to win the Maiden 2YO 1050 metres on 31 March at Matamata. Spending too much petrol when resuming in the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on 18 September at Riccarton, she drops in class for the $12,000 NZB Pearl Series Fillies & Mares 1200 metres (eligible $11,500 bonus) and is ideally drawn (3) to rate a top three prospect.

1.42 p.m. R5 3 Secret Amour (5 m Niagara - My Secret) - Rohan Mudhoo (a1); produced a notable fresh-up effort for third to subsequent winner Maximus Prime (Echoes of Heaven) in the Rating 74 1200 metres on 6 September at Ashburton, and contests the $12,000 Rating 74 1200 metres. She has a good record and has top three claims with the right trip from barrier nine.

1.42 p.m. R5 9 Fashion Shoot (4 m Savabeel - High Fashion) - Krishna Mudhoo; did everything right, running quick last 600m (33.9), when winning fresh-up in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 18 September at Riccarton. Stakes' quality as a three-year-old, she has drawn (10) widest in the $12,000 Rating 74 1200 metres but still rates a top three chance.

2.17 p.m. R6 3 Radegast (5 g Savabeel - Marveen) - Rohan Mudhoo; won and twice placed during the last campaign, he closed the margin solidly when trialling on 21 September at Ashburton, and resumes in the $12,000 Rating 65 1200 metres. Winner at 1400 metres, drawn wide (10), look for him finding the line.