Te Akau Timaru Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has four horses entered for the eleven race programme on Friday 7 October at Timaru.

As on Thursday 6 October the conditions were: fine and Dead6, rail true. 17mls rain forecast Thursday.

12.32 p.m. R2 5 Play for Time (3 f Foxwedge - Procrastinate) - Matt Cameron; drops back in class after finishing seventh to La Diosa (So You Think) in the $50,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) on September 17 at Riccarton, and drew barrier four in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres. After trialling nicely, including a close second to stable-mate O'Naturelle (O'Reilly) at Te Teko, she finished second on debut in the Maiden 1200 metres on Dead6 at Ashburton. She appeared to handle heavy ground pretty well when second in a trial at Te Teko, as a guide if the forecast rain does eventuate, and should give a good account in this field.

1.42 p.m. R4 7 Carmenize (4 m Any Suggestion - Zevita) - Matt Cameron; finished fifth after leading when resuming in the Maiden 1200 metres on Dead6 at Ashburton, and followed up with a solid effort for sixth in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres at Riccarton. Drawn barrier five in the Maiden 1200 metres, a track downgraded to the slow/heavy range should not hold too many concerns and a bold performance could result if the addition of blinkers and a nose band has the desired effect.

2.52 p.m. R6 2 Love Actually (4 m Swiss Ace - Just Platonic) - Matt Cameron; resumes off 106 days from barrier nine in the Rating 65 1200 metres, after winning a trial on slow ground at Rangiora. Lightly tried, with a win and place from only six starts, she would likely prefer footing to remain in the dead range but has the ability and pedigree to prove competitive in this field nonetheless.

5.49 p.m. R11 2 Highly Likely (6 g High Chaparral - Starrinka) - Matt Cameron; has been freshened since two hurdles starts and had the benefit of a recent trial at Rangiora. A four time winner, including three on slow and one on heavy, rain-affected going may benefit him more so than some of his six rivals in the Rating 75 2100 metres.