Te Akau Trans Tasman New Year's Day Preview

Te Akau Racing has seven horses entered on Thursday 1 January at Ellerslie in New Zealand; three horses entered at Mornington, and one at Kyneton/Hanging Rock in Victoria.

Ellerslie:  

Weather: overcast, track: Soft5, rail: out 3 metres. 9mls rain forecast 31st December and 3mls on 1st January.

1:10 p.m. R2 13 Drops Of God (3 f Hello Youmzain – Distinctive Lass) – Opie Bosson; she shot away to score by five and a half lengths when easing down on debut in the Maiden 1150 metres on 7 December at Te Aroha, and contests the $80,000 Rating 65 1200 metres. She hails from an illustrious family including Te Akau purchased and trained Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner Kahma Lass (Darci Brahma), and she has drawn nicely (4) to make an impact on this field, despite being one of the most ‘inexperienced’.  Fixed odds: $3.50 & $1.60.

1:45 p.m. R3 3 Kinnaird (2 c Home Affairs – Orinda) – Opie Bosson; the first of two state starters in the juvenile feature, won five times previously by the stable, including the star mare Imperatriz, he recorded a debut victory in the 2YO 1100 metres on 30 November at Otaki, and contests the $225,000 Group 2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes over 1200m. He is from a terrific family, is of good size and strength, with natural precocity, and is more than capable of a top three finish, as he eyes a start in this month’s Karaka Millions 2YO. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.70.

1:45 p.m. R3 7 Sword Of Stars (2 f Sword Of State – Angelica Hall) – Craig Grylls; she finished second when debuting in the 2YO 1100 metres here on 25 October and was second again in the 2YO 1100 metres on 13 December at Te Rapa, both with Grylls aboard. She too takes her place in the Group 2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes, the blinkers are on, and she rates a genuine top three chance from barrier one. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $1.95.

Te Akau has won the Eclipse Stakes five times, most recently in 2024 with Bellatrix Star (Star Witness).

3:30 p.m. R6 1 Towering Vision (3 g Circus Maximus – Qiji Vision) – Opie Bosson; he settled off the pace, was three back on the outer at the 600m, pushed widest into the straight, and ran on down the outside in a Group & Listed trial on 19 December at Matamata. Contesting the $80,000 3YO 1600 metres, he did well for fourth in the Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m) here on 29 November, and was a juvenile stakes’ winner (the first for his sire). The blinkers have been applied and despite his tricky gate (8), he will be sure to be running on strongly at the business end of the proceedings. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $1.95. 

4:05 p.m. R7 2 Origin Of Love (3 f Snitzel – Re Edit) – Craig Grylls; she finished second after racing outside the leader (winner) in the Group 3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) on 20 December at Trentham, and  is one of two Te Akau fillies contesting the $270,000 Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes over 2000m. She won the Group 3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) earlier in the season, and fought well for fifth in the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas. Being out of a Camelot mare, she appears suited to the step up in distance and she is perfectly drawn (3) to deliver a top three result. Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.10. 

4:05 p.m. R7 7 Born To Be Royal (3 f King’s Legacy – Fatal Rendezvous) – Opie Bosson; the second stable representative in the fillies’ feature, she closed strongly out of midfield for second in the Maiden 3YO 1600 metres on 19 December at Matamata, and also contests the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes. Stakes’ placed against the best of her age last season, she’s put up two good performances this time in, and is ideally drawn (5) to prove competitive, if she appreciates the extra distance - she certainly deserves her opportunity. Fixed odds: $16.00 & $4.20. 

Te Akau has won the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes, formerly the Royal Stakes, three times - most recently in 2022 with Self Obsession (Shocking).

5:51 p.m. R10 3 Espionage (4 h Zoustar – In Times Of War) – Opie Bosson; an interesting starter for the stable today, he began well to sit off the leader in second, was handy at the 300m, and ran on well without being pressured for a close third in a Group & Listed trial on 19 December at Matamata. He is having his first start for the stable in the $90,000 Open Handicap 1200 metres, and is a lightly raced dual winner from eight starts in Australia: Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) and Group 3 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m). He has shown the ability to perform well when fresh but has  copped a challenging gate (13) - which they say is ‘lucky for some’ we guess! Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.80. 

Mornington:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: true. No rain forecast. 

3:45 p.m. (NZ) - 1:45 p.m. (Vic) R2 13 Sheanadh (3 f Night Of Thunder – Disbelieve) – Michael Dee; she steadied off the pace and ran home solidly for third in a jump out on 22 December at Cranbourne. Debuting in the A$42,500 Maiden Fillies & Mares 1200 metres, she is by Group 1 2000 Guineas’ (1600m) winner and Champion Sire in Britain and Ireland in Night Of Thunder (Dubawi), and has drawn (4) well to receive an economical trip in the hands of the former Te Akau NZ stable apprentice. NZ TAB fixed odds: $17.00 & $4.40. 

4:20 p.m. (NZ) - 2:20 p.m. (Vic) R3 2 Drefonna (3 f Drefong – Donna Blini) – Jamie Melham; she began smartly to lead and stretched out nicely to win a jump out on 22 December at Cranbourne, also with Melham aboard. Debuting in the A$42,500 Maiden 3YO Fillies 1000 metres, she boasts a blue-blood pedigree being by triple Grade One winning US sprinter Drefong (Gio Point), a Champion Japanese Freshman Sire - also being closely related to Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown winner and Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna, she has the natural precocity to race well first-up. NZ TAB fixed odds: $3.60 & $1.45. 

5:00 p.m. (NZ) - 3:00 p.m. (Vic) R4 6 Astari (3 g Starspangledbanner – Belzella) – Michael Dee; he was shuffled back after leading early when finishing sixth in the Benchmark 64 3YO 1200 metres on 10 December at Sandown, and contests the A$32,000 Benchmark 62 1000 metres. He won fresh-up over 1100 metres, and has the right draw (4) to bounce back to the winning form we saw three starts ago. NZ TAB fixed odds: $13.00 & $3.10. ?

Kyneton & Hanging Rock:

Weather: overcast, track: Good4, rail: true. No rain forecast. 

5:24 p.m. R4 8 (NZ) - 3:24 p.m. (Vic) Play It Cool (3 g Cool Aza Beel – Love) – Paul Gatt; he was under pressure rounding the home turn on Heavy10 footing in the Maiden 2100 metres on 7 December at Stony Creek, and contests the A$20,000 Maiden 1800 metres. He ran home well for fourth on debut over 1590 metres, but requires luck from wide draw (12) in a race where he needs to show improvement. 

Main picture - Origin of Love winning at Riccarton