Te Akau Trans Tasman Friday Preview

Te Akau Racing has three horses entered on Friday 31 October at Ashburton, New Zealand, and seven horses entered at Kilmore and Cranbourne, Victoria.?

Ashburton: 

Weather: fine, track: Soft7, rail: true. No rain forecast.

2:52 p.m. R6 5 Corps D’Elite (4 m So You Think – Illuminati) – Bruno Queiroz; she fought well after working forward to race outside the leader when resuming in the Rating 65 1200 metres here on 19 October, and contests the $18,500 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Rating 65 Fillies & Mares 1200 metres (eligible $26,000 bonuses). While she meets a solid field, she is a mare who has improved with age and does have the ability to prove competitive from barrier five. Fixed odds: $14.00 & $3.70.

4:41 p.m. R9 1 Cognoscenti (4 g Castelvecchio – Irish Goodbye) – Bruno Queiroz; he settled midfield on the outer, was pushed up rounding the home turn, and was then held together in the straight on Heavy9 going when trialling on 9 October at Waipa. Relocating to our South Island stable, he resumes in the $18,500 Rating 65 1400 metres - he won his Maiden over 1400 metres on Good4 footing, does have a solid race record, and is ideally drawn (5) to kick off his southern life with a competitive performance. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.95.

5:21 p.m. R10 8 Queen Of Naples (4 m Darci Brahma – Tiffany’s Time) – Bruno Queiroz; she made ground from back in the field after drawing wide (12) when resuming in the Rating 75 1200 metres on 9 October at Timaru, and contests the $18,500 Rating 75 1400 metres. A Te Akau homebred, syndicated amongst our owners, she has won two of five starts and has a gun draw (4) to strike in  an even field. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.75.     

Kilmore:

Weather: showers, track: Soft5, rail: out 3 metres 500m – 1400m, remainder out 5 metres. Showers forecast. 

4:30 p.m. (NZ) ~ 2:30 p.m. (Vic) R2 3 Donato (3 c Extreme Choice – Burgundy Belle) – Patrick Moloney; he won a jump out on 15 September at Cranbourne, and quickened near the rail after trailing for a close second on debut in the Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 30 September at Tatura, also with Moloney aboard. Contesting the A$32,000 Maiden 1112 metres, he is the first foal from Te Akau bred and trained Burgundy Belle (Burgundy), a Group One and stakes’ placed winner of four races to 1400 metres, and he looks a genuine a top three chance from barrier two. 

6:00 p.m. (NZ) ~ 4:00 p.m. (Vic) R5 9 Signoretti (3 g Hello Youmzain – I Am Grande) – Thomas Stockdale; he fought well for fifth after being caught three-wide when resuming in the Maiden 3YO 1100 metres on 4 October at Murtoa, and contests the A$32,000 Maiden 1462 metres. He delivered two seconds from three starts last season, uses himself well, and brings the right form to prove competitive from barrier six. ?

Cranbourne:

Weather: showers, track: Good4, rail: true. Showers forecast. 

7:45 p.m. (NZ) ~ 5:45 p.m. R1 8 Future Frankie (3 f Frankel – Mirai E) – Luke Cartwright (a1.5); she ran home strongly from last to finish third when debuting here in the Maiden 1600 metres on 10 October, and tried hard off an economical trip in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on 18 October at Caulfield. Back in class for the A$45,000 Maiden 2025 metres, she is bred to stay. Bred in the purple, she is by the highest rated sire in the world, Frankel (Galileo), out of a mare by Champion Sire Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), and she is more than capable of a top three result. NZ TAB fixed odds: $1.75 & $1.10.

8:45 p.m. (NZ) ~ 6:45 p.m. (Vic) R3 11 Seven Oceans (3 f Flying Artie – With Purpose) – Luke Cartwright (a1.5); she was caught without cover and worked forward having drawn wide (10) in the Maiden 3YO Fillies 1200 metres on 13 October at Kilmore. Contesting the A$45,000 Maiden 1000 metres, she receives opportunity to improve with a much better gate (3) coming her way this time to the races.  NZ TAB fixed odds: $10.00 & $2.50.

9:15 p.m. (NZ) ~ 7:15 p.m. (Vic) R4 9 Lyrics ‘n’ Song (3 f Written Tycoon – Melody Belle) – Michael Dee; she recorded a very good effort for a close second, after leading when debuting in the Maiden 3YO Fillies 1200 metres on 3 October at Moonee Valley, likewise with Dee aboard. Lining up in the A$45,000 3YO 1200 metres, this special filly looked good running home from last to finish fifth in a quiet jump out here on 20 October. We say ‘special’ as she is the first foal out of Te Akau bought and trained dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle (Commands), holder of the NZ record 14 Group One wins, and her daughter has the talent to break maiden ranks at very short notice. TAB fixed odds: $2.00 & $1.20.

9:45 p.m. (NZ) ~ 7:45 p.m. (Vic) R5 2 Jealous (5 m Nicconi – Jujube) – Luke Cartwright (a1); she settled back and ran home well for fourth in the Pinker Pinker Plate (2025m) here on 10 October, again with Cartwright aboard, and drops in class for the A$40,000 Benchmark 62 2025 metres. Her three career wins have been up to 1800 metres, sand she’s another drawn (3) to make an impact in her assignment. NZ TAB fixed odds: $3.10 & $1.50. 

10:45 p.m. (NZ) ~ 8:45 p.m. (Vic) R7 9 Esternay (4 m All Too Hard – Sezanne) – Luke Cartwright (a1); she ran home solidly from back in the field for third in a jump out here on 13 October, and resumes in the A$40,000 Benchmark 66 1400 metres. She impressed winning consecutively last season over 1400m, at Cranbourne and Flemington, and this race gives her the opportunity to recapture that form as she jumps from a handy gate (5). NZ TAB fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.70.  

Photo credit - Corps D'Elite