Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has 5 horses entered on Saturday 9 October: Matamata, Hawera, Randwick and Caulfield.

Hawera:

Weather: showery, track: Slow9, rail: true. 3mls rain forecast Saturday.

4.10 p.m. R7 4 Festivity (5 m I Am Invincible - Mabsam) - Jonathan Riddell; fought hard for sixth after racing outside leader, fresh-up in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr. 2, 1200m) on 4 September at Te Rapa, and kept finding off a wide trip last Saturday in the Open 1200 metres at Hastings. Winner of five from 1000 to 1200 metres, she will be required to handle step in distance and track conditions in the $80,000 Wyndspelle @ Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m). Fixed odds: $5.00 & $2.00.

Randwick:

Weather: overcast, track: Good4, rail: out 5 metres 1600m - winning post, remainder out 4 metres. No rain forecast.

4.55 p.m. (NZ time) R5 1 Sword of State (3 c Snitzel - In the Vanguard) - Tim Clark; blew his rivals away on debut and ended his two-year-old campaign racing clear to win the Sistema Stakes (Gr. 1, 1200m) in March at Ellerslie. Under top weight (60kg), he peaked late after being caught very wide when resuming in the Heritage Stakes (Listed, 1100m) on 25 September at Rosehill. Better suited at set weights in the $300,000 Roman Consul Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), he receives a chance to improve from barrier three. NZ TAB Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.60.

5.30 p.m. (NZ time) R6 1 Amarelinha (4 m Savabeel - Hopscotch) - James McDonald; New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, winner of five from seven, she followed two Group 2 wins and a Group 3 win with victory in the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) and ended her campaign finishing fourth here in the Australian Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m). She made ground from last when resuming here in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (Gr. 3, 1400m) on 18 September, given soft footing. She is better suited on good ground in the $160,000 Bentley Angst Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m), but requires luck from outside gate (13) under the top weight (59kg). NZ TAB fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70. No rain forecast.

Caulfield:

Weather: overcast, track: Good4, rail: true.

2.50 p.m. (NZ time) R2 6 Kahma Lass (4 m Darci Brahma - Distinctive Lass) - Brett Prebble; unleashed a big finish to convincingly win the New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) last November at Riccarton, and resumed here on 18 September in the How Now Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200 metres), where, carrying equal top weight (59kg), she was caught wide and peaked on her run. With 54kg in the $175,000 Weekend Hustler Stakes (Listed, 1400m), she can improve with luck from barrier nine. NZ TAB fixed odds: $9.00 & $2.70.

5.10 p.m. (NZ time) R6 5 Probabeel (5 m Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Brett Prebble; resumed with victory in the W.W. Cockram Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 28 August and was a close fifth in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m) on 18 September, both at Caulfield. She produced a great run for second to Zaaki in the Underwood Stakes (Gr. 1, 1800m) a fortnight ago at Sandown and steps up in the $1m Neds Might And Power (Gr. 1, 2000m). A triple Group 1 winner in Australia, unbeaten in three starts at Caulfield, she is once again second elect behind Zaaki and has drawn barrier one. NZ TAB fixed odds: $6.00 & $1.20.