Te Akau Trans-Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has nine horses entered on Saturday 25 November: Pukekohe, Wanganui, and Tatura (Victoria).

Pukekohe:

Weather: showery, track: Soft5, rail: out 3 metres. Showers forecast.

12:20 p.m. R2 1 Bello Mio (4 g Deep Field – Bella Francesca) – Niranjan Parmar (a1); he tracked up widest into the traight and sprinted very well to grab the win when trialling on 31 October at Te Rapa. Resuming in the $75,000 Rating 65 1200 metres, he drops in class, is a winner on soft and heavy going, and races well fresh. While he strikes a strong field, he is capable of a bold effort if he emulates his trial performance. Fixed odds: $15.00 & $4.50.

1:35 p.m. R4 4 Bellatrix Star (2 f Star Witness – Alana’s Party) – Matt Cameron; she finished third to race rival Velocious (Written Tycoon) after facing the breeze when resuming in the 2YO 1000 metres on 11 November at Te Rapa, and contests the $110,000 Counties Challenge Stakes (Listed, 1100m). She justified favouritism when winning the first two-year-old race of the season in September at Wanganui, has done nothing wrong this prep., and rates a top three chance. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $1.75.

2:14 p.m. R5 5 Romancing The Moon (4 m El Roca – Underthemoonlight) – Kozzi Asano; she recorded a bold front running fresh-up win over 1100 metres in September at Taupo, and has been given time (42 days) since finishing fifth in the Spring Sprint (Gr. 3, 1400m) on 14 October at Hastings. She ended a terrific three-year-old season with victory over stable-mate and subsequent Group One winner Skew Wiff (Savabeel) in the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m), when ridden by Asano, carries the minimum weight (53kg), and rates top three in a small but talented field. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $1.90.

3:53 p.m. R8 2 Aromatic (7 m Sacred Falls – Vickezzchardonnay) – Opie Bosson; she raced very well for second to race rival Aquacade (Dundeel) in the Balmerino Stakes (Gr. 3, 2050m) here on Melbourne Cup Day (7 Nov.) and contests the $170,000 Counties Cup (Gr. 3, 2100m). Defending her title from last year, when beating stable-mate Self Obsession (Shocking), she is ideally drawn (3) to feature in the finish. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.60.

4:28 p.m. R9 1 Campionessa (6 m Contributer – Bella Carolina) – Matt Cameron; she was good through the line in a trial on 13 November at Waipa, and resumes in the $225,000 Dunstan Horse Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m). Impeccable last season, winning three times including the Rich Hill Mile (Gr. 2, 1600m) and finishing second in both the Herbie Dyke Stakes (Gr. 1, 2000m) and New Zealand Stakes (Gr. 1, 2050m), she is destined for further but has the ability to act well fresh. Fixed odds: $12.00 & $3.80.

4:28 p.m. R9 6 Wolverine (4 m Tivaci – Knew It) – Opie Bosson; she finished powerfully to grab a win when trialling on 31 October at Te Rapa, and resumed with fourth in the Legacy Lodge Sprint (Listed, 1200m) on 11 November at the same venue. She has the opportunity to improve further, but requires luck from her outside gate (12) in the $225,000 Dunstan Horse Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m). Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.10.


Wanganui:

Weather: overcast, track: Soft6, rail: out 5 metres from 400m to winning post, remainder out 4 metres. 3mls rain forecast Friday and 2mls Saturday.

1:20 p.m. R2 2 Valentine (3 g Turn Me Loose – Fastnet Rose) – Johnathan Parkes; he pulled clear for a stylish victory in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 20 September at Matamata, and has been given time (41 days) since finishing fourth in the 3YO 1215 metres on 15 October at Rotorua. He is ideally drawn (3) to present as a top three chance in the $40,000 3YO 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $3.20 & $1.25.

2:35 p.m. R4 12 Polly Plum (5 m Xtravagant – Herstory) – Jess Allen (a3); she began smartly to sit outside the leader and kept up a strong gallop to win a trial on 13 November at Waipa, and resumes in the $40,000 Rating 75 1200 metres. She ended her previous campaign with consecutive wins on Heavy10 over 1400 metres, enjoys weight relief to 51.5kg, and is ideally positioned from her handy barrier (3) to produce a solid effort first up. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.40.


Tatura:

Weather: showers, track: Soft5, rail: true. 11mls rain forecast Friday and 2mls Saturday.

7:16 p.m. (NZ time) R8 2 Grace ‘N’ Grey (4 m Spirit of Boom – Gracious Grey) – Luke Cartwright (a3); she made up a Te Akau trifecta behind stakes’ winners Romancing The Moon (El Roca) and Cognito (So You Think) in the Rating 75 1100 metres on 15 September at Taupo, and was never off bridle running home nicely in a trial on 10 October at Matamata. Contesting the $27,000 Benchmark 64 1000 metres, the apprentice engagement brings weight relief to 57.5kg. Very consistent as a rule, she has the opportunity to make a good first impression but will need a big does of luck from her wide gate (11).