Te Akau Trans Tasman Friday Preview

Te Akau Racing has eight horses entered on Friday 23 January at Matamata, New Zealand, and two horses entered at Pakenham, Victoria

Matamata:  

Weather: showery, track: Heavy9, rail: out 5 metres. 3mls rain forecast Thursday and 5mls Friday. 

12:10 p.m. R2 2 Cool In Command (2 g Cool Aza Beel – Mountford) – Opie Bosson; he sustained a strong gallop to score nicely in a trial on 16 December at Avondale, with Bosson aboard, but he wasn’t able to handle the deteriorating Heavy10 footing when debuting in the Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha. Contesting the $25,000 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden 2YO 1100 metres, he is by Te Akau bought and trained Champion Two-Year-Old Cool Aza Beel (Savabeel), out of a mare by Australian Champion Sire I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), and is from the family of Te Akau dual Horse of the Year Melody Belle. While he has drawn handily (4), he will need to be able to handle the track conditions. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.25. 

12:43 p.m. R3 11 Born To Be Royal (3 f King’s Legacy – Fatal Rendezvous) – Craig Grylls; she received an economical trip and ran on strongly for third in the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on 1 January at Ellerslie. One of two stablemates contesting the $25,000 Maiden 2000 metres, she drops in class, and while the track conditions are not ideal, she has shown she can cope with yielding ground in trials and races, and warrants favouritism. Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.35. 

12:43 p.m. R3 14 Summer In London (3 f Savabeel – Summer School) – Hayley Hassman (a3); she held her ground finishing fifth after a nice trip when debuting in the Maiden 3YO 1800 metres on 27 December at New Plymouth, and likewise contests the Maiden 2000 metres. She has the plus of weight relief to 52kg, and her dam won over 2460 metres in UK, but much depends on her also handling the prevailing conditions. Fixed odds: $12.00 & $3.10.

1:56 p.m. R5 9 Arctic Jewel (3 f Frosted – Miss Gem) – Craig Grylls; she worked outside the leader and was claimed late in the piece, finishing a close fourth, in the Maiden Fillies & Mares 1200 metres here on 19 December, also with Grylls aboard. Contesting the $25,000 Maiden 1200 metres, she has placed with good efforts in her first two starts, and brings the right form to rate a top three chance. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.95.

2:33 p.m. R6 10 Uptown (3 f Savabeel – Urban) – Vinnie Colgan; she received an economical trip on the inner and kept finding the line strongly in the straight for fourth when debuting in the Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 2 January at Tauranga. Contesting the $25,000 Maiden 1600 metres, she has been solid through the trials’ stage, is by 10-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), and this race provides a good opportunity for her to improve further if she can handle the going. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.70.

3:05 p.m. R7 2 Cease And Desist (3 g Zoustar – No Evidence Needed) – Opie Bosson; he sustained a strong finish after racing handily in the Maiden 1400 metres on 2 January at Tauranga, also with Bosson aboard, and contests the $25,000 Maiden 1600 metres. Again there will be a question mark over how he manages the track conditions, as for most of our team - however if he can get through it, he is more than capable of a top three finish. Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.30.

3:40 p.m. R8 11 One True King (3 g King’s Legacy – Chicharita) – Opie Bosson; he jumped and positioned handily from barrier one but was unable to quicken over a sprint trip in a trial on 13 January at Tauranga, with Bosson aboard on that occasion too. Resuming in the $25,000 3YO 1600 metres, he followed his debut third with resounding Maiden win over 1400 metres in October at Riccarton, he won trial on heavy ground as two-year-old, and he is capable of a solid showing with  any luck from his wide draw (12) - the first of a stable duo lining up in the race. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.40.

3:40 p.m. R8 12 Crown Princess (4 m Embellish – Princess Davone) – Hayley Hassman (a3); she got back last, was seven lengths off the leaders at the 600m, and finished off belatedly when resuming in the Rating 65 1400 metres here on 19 December. Contesting the $25,000 Rating 65 1600 metres, she ended last season with solid fifth in Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), and did well in all three starts including impressive Maiden win over 1560 metres. Seriously injured when being transported to the races last season, she has been carefully nursed back to health and we feel very privileged to see her back on the track. She has the benefit of weight relief to 53.5kg, and this is a good opportunity to bounce back with a good performance that we know she is capable of, if she copes with the going. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.40.  

Pakenham:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: out 2 metres. No rain forecast. 

9:45 p.m. (NZ) - 7:45 p.m. (Vic) R4 8 Kiwi Raider (3 f Per Incanto – Anaween) – Ethan Brown; she was steadied for cover from his outside gate and ran home stylishly for second in a jump out on 12 January at Cranbourne. Resuming in the A$60,000 Benchmark 64 3YO 1000 metres, she displayed ability from the outset, and finished third on debut before a second start win over 1000 metres in September at Moe, both with Brown aboard. Ideally drawn (2), she brings right form to have top four claims first-up. NZ TAB fixed odds: $9.50 & $2.60.

11:45 p.m. (NZ) - 9:45 p.m. (Vic) R8 2 Stage ‘n’ Screen (4 m Ace High – Inthespotlight) – Jackson Radley (a3); she capped good form when stretching out with a well-timed run to claim victory in the Benchmark 66 1400 metres on 26 December at Sandown, and contests the A$60,000 Benchmark 70 1400 metres. Her three wins have been up to 1400 metres, and she’s recorded a first and third placings from two course attempts. A mare who continues to mature beautifully, she enjoys weight relief to 59kg, has proven to be competitive in strong fields, and is ideally drawn (3) to rate a top three chance. NZ TAB fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.60.