Te Akau Trans Tasman Midweek Preview

Te Akau Racing has two horses entered on Wednesday 19 November at Timaru, New Zealand and one horse entered at Caulfield, Melbourne.

Timaru: 

Weather: fine, track: Soft6, rail: true. No rain forecast. 

3:17 p.m. R6 12 Options Open (3 f Darci Brahma – Optimiser) – Kate Hercock; she began well to race handily, was then squeezed out of a gap mid-straight, and finished strongly for a close third in the Maiden 1200 metres on 8 November at Riccarton. Contesting the $18,500 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1200 metres (eligible $26,000 bonuses), she finished well for fourth when resuming here in October and rates a top three chance from barrier six. Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.20.

4:29 p.m. R8 8 Corps D’Elite (4 m So You Think – Illuminati) – Leah Hemi; she finished seventh after being caught three-wide in the Pearl Series Rating 65 Fillies & Mares 1200 metres on 31 October at Ashburton, and contests the $18,500 Rating 65 1600 metres. Her dam Illuminati (Keeper) included a stakes’ win over 1400 metres among her 10 career wins from 1200m – 1560m - she’s ideally drawn (4) and should be suited to the step up in distance. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.95. 

Caulfield:

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

6.55 p.m. (NZ time) R7 5 Our Paramour (4 m Contributer – Victory Parade) – Luke Currie; she was strong through the line after circling from last when resuming in the Benchmark 66 1400 metres on 31 October at Cranbourne, and contests the A$50,000 Benchmark 66 1600 metres. She recorded a strong third in the Crown Oaks Preview 1800 metres before winning her Maiden over 2025 metres last season, and while she may require further to show her best, she looks more than capable of proving competitive from barrier six. NZ TAB fixed odds: $21.00 & $4.20.