Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has 10 horses entered on Saturday 13 March: Ellerslie, and Moonee Valley (Melbourne).

Ellerslie:

Weather: fine, track: Dead6, rail: out 4 metres. No rain forecast.

12.40 p.m. R1 2 Savy Yong Blonk (5 m Savabeel - Ampin) - Danielle Johnson; freshened after winning the City of Auckland Cup (Gr. 3, 2400m) here on 1 January, closed very well under her own steam for third when trialling on 2 March at Rotorua, and set to defend her title in the $50,000 Royal Descent Stakes (1600m) after winning enormously last year. She rates a top three chance from barrier three. Fixed odds: $3.60 & $1.10.

2.25 p.m. R4 4 Summer Monsoon (6 g Stratum - Princess Narine) - Joe Kamaruddin (a3); ran good sectionals finishing fourth in the Rating 74 1300 metres on 27 February at Otaki, with Kamaruddin aboard, and contests the $50,000 Rating 74 1400 metres. Aided by weight relief to 58kg, but meets a stronger field and requires luck from the draw (13). Fixed odds: $18.00 & $5.00.

2.25 p.m. R4 6 Exaltation (4 m Not A Single Doubt - Meleka Belle) - Opie Bosson; brought about the 100^thwin this season for trainer Jamie Richards in the Rating 74 1400 metres on 28 January at Hastings, and notable finishing second on 21 February in the corresponding race on the same course.She has impressed winning three from eight and ideally drawn (4) to prove competitive. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.40.

3.35 p.m. R6 1 On the Bubbles (2 g Brazen Beau - More Bubbles) - Johnathan Parkes; became the fifth consecutive Karaka Million 2YO (Restricted Listed, 1200m) winner for Te Akau on 23 January at Ellerslie, and rounded off well for second to stable-mate and race rival Sword of State (Snitzel) in the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 27 February at Matamata. Impressive winning three from four, and very effective on the course, he rates a top three chance from barrier three in the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m). Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.25.

3.35 p.m. R6 2 Sword of State (2 c Snitzel - In the Vanguard) - Opie Bosson; emulated his debut winning margin (6 ½ lengths) when quickening clear in machine-like fashion to win the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 27 February at Matamata. Drawn barrier two in the $200,000 Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), he did well for third to stable-mate Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) when contesting a fast pace in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m) here on 1 January, and rates toughest to beat from barrier two. Fixed odds: $1.75 & $1.10.

Te Akau has won four of the previous five renditions of the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m), formerly known as the Diamond Stakes.

4.10 p.m. R7 6 Melody Belle (6 m Commands - Meleka Belle) - Troy Harris; proved too classy when resuming with victory in the Thorndon Mile (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 30 January at Trentham, and had nothing go her way in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) on 13 February at Te Rapa. She has since reeled in the leader with a strong gallop at the trials on 2 March at Rotorua, and contests the $200,000 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) - a race she won two years ago. She has won 13 Group Ones. Fixed odds: $2.50 & $1.20.

4.10 p.m. R7 7 Avantage (5 m Fastnet Rock - Asavant) - Opie Bosson; recorded her seventh Group One victory with an enormous gallop in the BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 13 February at Te Rapa, running a slick 1:20.8, and made it eight when defending her title in the Weight-For-Age Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 27 February at Otaki, clocking a smart 1:34.0. Winner of the Bonecrusher NZ Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) last year, when exploding to lead 200m out, she brings the right form to prove tough again. Fixed odds: $2.10 & $1.10.

4.45 p.m. R8 7 Remington (6 g Darci Brahma - Kudamm) -Joe Kamaruddin (a3); ran home strongly for fourth, on par with the fastest 600m sectional (33.5), when resuming in the Open 1200 metres on 31 January at Pukekohe, and finished off in a very competitive sectional (33.6) in the Open 1200 metres here on 20 February. With weight relief to 51kg, he is ideally drawn (1) to race well again in the $50,000 Open 1400 metres. Fixed odds: $10.00 & $3.30.

5.25 p.m. R9 3 In A Twinkling (5 g Fastnet Rock - Moment in Time) - Opie Bosson; had been terrific at his previous three starts and not far away after working on pace in the Avondale Cup (Gr. 2, 2400m) here on 20 February. He gets his chance over the definitive flat trip in the $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (Gr. 1, 3200m). Fixed odds: $16.00 & $4.80.

Moonee Valley:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: true. 10mls rain forecast race day.

6.40 p.m. (NZ time) R8 11 Probabeel (4 m Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Damian Lane; resumed with a brilliant victory in the Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and recorded her third Group One in Australia, with a gigantic effort in the Futurity Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m), on 20 February, both at Caulfield. Up a notch in the $5m All-Star Mile (1600m), she has drawn awkwardly (10) and would prefer track conditions to remain Good, but no doubting her class and currently racing at peak. NZ TAB fixed odds: $4.00 & $1.75.