Te Akau Trans Tasman Midweek Preview

Te Akau Racing has three horses entered on Wednesday 3 June at Cambridge (poly-track), New Zealand, and one horse entered at Sandown, Melbourne.

Cambridge: 

Weather: showery, track: poly-track, rail: true. 

2:06 p.m. R4 3 Colonel Warden (4 g Russian Revolution – Moralto) – Hayley Hassman (a2); he kept finding after being caught three-wide in the Rating 65 1300 metres here on 20 May, won by stable-mate Shiatsu, and contests the $17,000 Rating 80 1300 metres. He has notched up two wins, a third, and a fourth placing on synthetic surfaces, drops considerably in weight to 53kg, and rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $4.80 & $1.70. 

3:19 R6 1 Brazen Affair (4 m Brazen Beau – Southern Romance) – Opie Bosson; she found the line after getting back from an outside draw (8) in the Rating 76 970 metres here on 20 May, and contests the $17,000 Rating 72 970 metres. She ended her previous campaign with three wins and three seconds from six starts here on poly-track at Cambridge, and she looks a genuine top three contender from barrier four. Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.45.

3:54 p.m. R7 5 Naughty Grannie (3 f Embellish – Tad Infinitum) – Hayley Hassman (a2); she recorded the 130th win this season for leading trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson when winning the Maiden 2000 metres here by nearly four lengths on 20 May, also with Hayley in the saddle. Stepping up in the $17,000 Rating 78 2000 metres, she does meet a stronger field, but the weight relief to 53kg is a plus, she showed a liking for poly-track last time, and she is ideally drawn (2). Fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.30. 

Sandown:

Weather: showers, track: Heavy8, rail: out 3 metres. 3mls rain forecast Tuesday and showers Wednesday. 

3.00 p.m. (NZ) - 1:00 p.m. (Vic) R2 7 Meness (2 c Ghaiyyath – Snitzel’s Moon) – Craig Williams; he did well after the missing start when debuting in the 2YO 1400 metres on 16 May at Flemington, and has since done everything right for a close third in jump out on 26 May at Pakenham (poly-track). Prior to racing, he remained resolute after leading to win a trial on 23 April at Caulfield. By four-time Group One winner and 2020 World Champion Ghaiyyath (Dubawi), he hails from a solid stakes’ winning family, and appears capable of racing well. The market agrees, with him being the current favourite with the world class rider engaged. NZ TAB fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.75. 

Main picture - Brazen Affair winning at Cambridge