Te Akau Trans-Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing 14 horses entered on Saturday 12 February: Te Rapa, Riccarton and Caulfield (Melbourne). 

Te Rapa:

Weather: overcast, track: Dead4, rail: out 4 metres. 20mls rain forecast Friday, 15mls Saturday.

1:05 p.m. R2 1 Burgundy Rose  (5 m Burgundy - Paraiba) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); ran an unofficial track record winning a Rating 74 1215 metres on 6 January at Rotorua, was freshened, and quickened easily to win a trial on 28 January at Ellerslie. Contesting the $40,000 Rating 74 1200 metres, she enjoys weight relief to 59kg and rates a top three chance however she does prefer decent footing. Fixed odds: $5.00 & $1.85.

1:05 p.m. R2 6 Lightning Field (5 g Deep Field - Claudine) - Joe Kamaruddin (a2); finished back yet still did well after blowing the start in a Rating 74 1400 metres on 14 January at Tauranga. Racing solidly prior, he has been given time (29 days) and he drops to 54.5kg with the apprentice claim in the $40,000 Rating 74 1200 metres. He has drawn the outside (9), but is capable of figuring in calculations if appreciative of the course at his first attempt. Fixed odds: $10.00 & $2.80.

1:40 p.m. R3 7 Maven Belle (2 f Burgundy - Doyenne) - Opie Bosson; looked good beating subsequent Wellesley Stakes (Listed, 1100m) winning stable-mate Hanalei (Darci Brahma) when debuting in a Maiden 2YO 1000 metres on 3 January at Te Aroha. Given time (40 days), she looks a top three prospect in the $80,000 Platinum Homes 2YO Classic (Gr. 3, 1200m). Fixed odds: $2.10 & $1.25.

2:14 p.m. R4 7 Ange De Reve  (3 f Belardo - Awakening) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); remained on the bridle finishing strongly for second on 11 January at Cambridge (poly-track), before proving too good when debuting here in a Maiden 1100 metres on 19 January. Up in grade for the $40,000 Special Conditions 1200 metres, she drops to 52.5kg, and has top three claims with any luck from her tricky barrier (12). Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.80.

2:48 p.m. R5 4 Zeitaku (3 c Savabeel - Miss Opulence) - Opie Bosson; capped good form coming from eighth with big finish to win a Maiden 1400 metres here on 25 October. Unpressured finishing third at the trials on 28 January at Ellerslie, he resumes in the $40,000 Rating 65 1300 metres. Although drawn very wide (15), he has shown enough to be a serious threat if he can navigate the draw and he has the rider to achieve that. Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.10.

3:25 p.m. R6 1 Belle En Rouge  (3 f Burgundy - Cavendish Belle) - Opie Bosson; produced a terrific third to stable-mate The Perfect Pink (Savabeel) in the NZ 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) - providing a Te Akau first four - on 13 November at Riccarton. She was freshened to win the Eulogy Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) on 11 December at Awapuni, and proved far too good winning the Eight Carat Classic (Gr. 2, 1600m) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. She had an exhibition gallop here on 2 February with stable-mate and race rival Self Obsession (below) and rates a top three proposition in the $110,000 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies' Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m). Fixed odds: $2.10 & $1.25.

3:25 p.m. R6 2 Self Obsession  (3 f Shocking - Mawaakib) - Michael McNab; sustained an increasingly strong gallop to easily win a Maiden 1600 metres on 10 December at Tauranga, before her Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) victory, at just her third start, on 1 January at Ellerslie. She had an exhibition gallop here on 2 February with stable-mate and race rival Belle En Rouge (above) and is also a top three chance in the $110,000 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (Gr. 2, 2000m). Fixed odds: $5.50 & $1.80.

4:35 p.m. R8 6 Image of You  (4 m Pins - Exactly Like You) - Opie Bosson; brought top form but was never in the Stella Artois Championship Final (Special Conditions, 1500m) from her wide draw (16) on Boxing Day at Ellerslie. Freshened, she was unpressured finishing second at the trials on 1 February at Cambridge (poly-track), and resumes in the $40,000 Rating 74 1400 metres. She possesses a very good course record, has continued to improve through her first campaign, and is capable of returning a dividend from the handy barrier two. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.80.

5:15 p.m. R9 4 Markus Aurelius (5 g Ghibellines - Evancho) - Sam Weatherley; capped good form winning the Coupland's Bakeries Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) during Cup Week at Riccarton, lifted for a close second at trials on 12 January at Matamata, and ran well from back in the field when resuming in a slick (1:08.8) in the Concorde Handicap (Gr. 3, 1200m) on 22 January at Ellerslie. A smart course/distance winner at his only attempt, he faces a stern task in the $220,000 BCD Group Sprint (Gr. 1, 1400m) but is capable of proving competitive. Fixed odds: $21.00 & $3.30.

5:15 p.m. R9 6 Entriviere (5 m Tavistock - Marcey's Belt) - Opie Bosson; took exemplary form in to Sistema Railway (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 1 January at Ellerslie, and found another gear to explode clear and win. While not the same when fifth in the Telegraph (Gr. 1, 1200m) on 15 January at Trentham, she jogged up for second when trialing here on 2 February and is ideally drawn (3) to threaten. Fixed odds: $2.00 & $1.10.

5:55 p.m. R10 13 Felicienne  (4 m Savabeel - Flavigny) - Opie Bosson; won her Maiden by over three lengths in December at Matamata, and was a strong late finishing second in a Rating 65 1400 metres on 14 January at Tauranga. Given time (29 days), she was held together trialling on 1 February at Cambridge (poly-track), and contests then$40,000 Special Conditions 1600 metres. A genuine performer, she has placed at her only course attempt and rates in the top three but will need luck from her wide gate (14). Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.90.

Riccarton:

Weather: overcast, track: Slow8, rail: out 8 metres to 1000m and 11 metres to winning post. 20mls rain forecast Saturday.

4:18 p.m. R8 7 Zouluminous  (5 m Zoustar - Luminous Harmony) - Rohan Mudhoo; built nicely to win a Rating 74 1800 metres during Cup Week at Riccarton, was freshened, then trialled, and resumed in a Rating 74 1400 metres on 30 December at Kurow, finishing just off them. She capitalised on a good trip with a strong victory in a Rating 74 1600 metres on 15 January at Wingatui. Given time (28 days), she quickened easily for a stylish win at the trials on 1 February at Ashburton, and steps up in the $40,000 Banks Peninsula Cup (Open, 1800m). She has a good course record, comes in with the minimum weight (54kg), and can prove competitive if she copes with the conditions. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $2.20.

Caulfield:

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

7:40 p.m. (NZ time) R8 1 Probabeel  (5 m Savabeel - Far Fetched) - Brett Prebble; resumed with victory in the W.W. Cockram Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m) and won the Might And Power (Gr. 1, 2000m) here defeating Zaaki before ending her last campaign in the Cox Plate (Gr. 1, 2040m). The winner of four Group 1 races in Australia, and reigning NZ Horse of the Year, she showed class winning a trial on 12 January at Matamata, and resumes in the $200,000 Lamaro's Hotel Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). She was brilliant winning the corresponding event fresh-up last year, and she deservedly rates a top three prospect - in a race featuring two stablemates in the Brendan Lindsay MNZM and Jo Lindsay colours. NZ TAB fixed odds: $1.85 & $1.10.

7:40 p.m. (NZ time) R8 4 Kahma Lass  (4 m Darci Brahma - Distinctive Lass) - Michael Dee; won the 2020 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Riccarton, and produced a terrific winning feat in the Weekend Hustler Stakes (Listed, 1400m) on 9 October at Caulfield. Spelled after racing on 30 October at Flemington, she finished boldly when trialling on 12 January at Matamata, and also resumes in the $200,000 Lamaro's Hotel Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). A classy mare, she has first four claims. NZ TAB fixed odds: $14.00 & $3.00.