Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has eight horses entered on Saturday 19 September at Ellerslie, New Zealand, and one entered at both Caulfield and Echuca, Victoria.

Ellerslie: 

Weather: showers, track: Soft6, rail: out 3 metres. Showers forecast.

11:40 a.m. R1 11 Li’l Miss Perfect (3 f Turn Me Loose – Bellissimama) – Hayley Hassman (a1); she began well, strode around to take the lead, had a handy advantage turning for home and was not under any pressure when keeping up a strong gallop to win a trial on 8 September at Rotorua. Debuting in the $30,000 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres, she has looked good through her trials’ stage, and certainly looked ready when winning recently. She hails from the terrific Soliloquy family, and is ideally drawn (2) to race well first-up. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $3.00.

1:27 p.m. R4 2 System Of Play (3 c Ole Kirk – Statuesquely) – Michael McNab; he spelled following his impressive debut win over 1200 metres in April at Te Rapa, also with Michael aboard, and this time in, found the line solidly for third in a trial on 25 August at Waipa. He was scratched from Hastings last weekend due to the heavy track and today resumes in the $55,000 3YO 1400 metres,. He is a smart individual, albeit one of the least experienced in this line-up, but he warrants favouritism from barrier three. Fixed odds: $2.20 & $1.20.

2:04 p.m. R5 5 Towering Vision (4 g Circus Maximus – Qiji Vision) – Michael McNab; he yielded over the concluding stages to finish sixth following an economical trip in the Rating 75 1600 metres here on 5 September, also with Michael in the saddle, and contests the $55,000 Rating 75 1600 metres. A stakes’ winning two-year-old, in fact the first ever for his sire, he is a previous course/distance winner who has also been stakes’ placed, and has drawn a nice gate (2) to show improvement as top three chance. Fixed odds: $3.30 & $1.45. 

2:48 p.m. R6 1 Day One (4 g Wootton Bassett – Eleonora) – Opie Bosson; he began well from barrier one, was steadied to trail, given a squeeze nearing the home turn and ran on solidly for third in a trial on 25 August at Waipa, with Opie in the saddle on that occasion too. Resuming in the $55,000 Rating 65 1300 metres after a long time out, he displayed quality when winning here over 1600 metres, has been good in all three career starts, and is certainly a top three chance from barrier one. Fixed odds: $4.40 & $1.75.

3:22 p.m. R7 1 Egyptian Queen (6 m Zoustar – Hieroglyphics) – Sam McNab (a2); she began well to lead, was steadied to settle three back on the inner, popped away from the rail  at the 300m and ran home strongly for third in a trial on 16 August at Te Rapa. One of two stable starters in the $55,000 Rating 75 1200 metres, she has the plus of weight relief to 58kg, has shown the ability to act well when fresh, likes course/distance, and has drawn perfectly to prove competitive (3). Fixed odds: $13.00 & $3.60.

3:22 p.m. R3 3 When Stars Align (5 g Zoustar – Shenandoah) – Opie Bosson; the second in the event for the team, he worked forward to lead off the rail, enjoyed a narrow advantage at the 200m, and sustained a good run before peaking late for fifth in a trial on 13 September at Te Rapa. He too comes in to the Rating 75 1200 metre fresh up, having been a dual fresh-up winner, and from the gate (5) should be right in the thick of the business in what has ended up an even field. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.45.

3:57 p.m. R8 7 Top Shelf (5 m Savabeel – Saoirse) – Michael McNab; she steadied back to last, stayed near the rail coming in to the home straight, ran on solidly, and was good through the line in a Group & Listed trial on 16 August at Taupo, also with Michael aboard. Resuming in the $65,000 Open Handicap 1400 metres, she ended her previous campaign with a close second here in the Group 3 Easter Handicap (1600m), is a course winner over 1600 metres, and is more than capable of a bold first-up performance if Michael can secure a decent trip from barrier eight. Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70.

4:32 p.m. R9 12 Luvabeel (5 m Savabeel – O’Lovely) – Michael McNab; she settled three back on the outer, was six lengths off the leaders at the 600m, travelled widest into the home straight and closed off solidly for fourth in a trial on 8 September at Rotorua. The ‘pin up girl’ in the announcement of Sir David’s King’s Honours photos, she resumes today in the $55,000 Rating 65 1500 metres. She concluded her previous campaign with a strong win in Pearl Series Maiden 1600 metres, was a close second when resuming here over 1400 metres two starts ago, and shapes to race well with luck from  her wide draw (12). Fixed odds: $3.50 & $1.70.

Caulfield:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: out 7 metres. No rain forecast. 

3:50 p.m. (NZ) - 1:50 p.m. (Vic) R4 8 Tolaga Bay (3 f Alabama Express – Camila Lucinda) – Michael Dee; she quickened to seize a winning advantage from outside the leader when resuming in the Benchmark 64 1300 metres on 2 September at Sandown, also with the former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee aboard, and contests the A$300,000 Group 2 Manhari Thousand Guineas’ Prelude (1400m). Unbeaten in two starts, her sire Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) won Group 1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) here, this is a step up in class but she brings the right form, however she needs a whole lot to go her way from the wide draw (11) she’s copped. NZ TAB fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.75.

Echuca:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: out 3 metres 1000m – 400m, remainder true. No rain forecast. 

4:06 p.m. (NZ) - 2:06 p.m. (Vic) R3 4 Precambrian (4 g So You Think – Splendido) – Celine Gaudray; he found the line solidly for fourth and fifth, respectively, in his last two starts over 1600 metres on the poly-track at Pakenham, and contests the A$32,000 Maiden 2112 metres. He finished strongly for fourth over 1887 metres when given two starts in his first campaign, encouraging record, he is another who has been dealt a difficult draw (11) so will need a good dose of luck.

Main picture - Luvabeel winning