Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has five horses entered on Saturday 30 March at Ellerslie (Auckland), and Flemington (Melbourne).

Ellerslie:

Weather: showers, track: Good4, rail: out 7 metres. Showers forecast.

12:25 p.m. R1 1 I Choose You (4 m I Am Invincible – Choose) – Opie Bosson; she stretched out well for a close third in a trial on 20 February at Tauranga, and resumed with a track record (1:01.6) victory in the Rating 75 1100 metres on 9 March at Trentham. Carrying top weight (61kg) in the $40,000 Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Rating 72 Fillies & Mares 1400 metres (eligible $28,000 bonuses), she placed here in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr. 2, 1200m), and rates a top three chance from barrier two. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.85.

1:00 p.m. R2 10 She Turns Heads (3 f Headwater – Convene) – Vinnie Colgan; she stayed strong for a fresh-up victory in the Maiden 1200 metres on 29 February at Matamata, and finished well for third in the 3YO 1200 metres on 16 March at Tauranga. Very consistent, she has given her ladies’ partnership plenty of fun but will require a lot of luck from her awkward draw (9) for this assignment. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $3.00.

2:52 p.m. R5 1 Puketiro (4 m Savabeel – Matakana) – Opie Bosson; she was widest turning for home and ran on strongly for in third in a trial on 14 March at Taupo. Resuming in the $40,000 Rating 75 1200 metres, she has been impressive winning four of seven starts, has the blinkers on, is perfectly drawn (3), and is a firm top three prospect rates if appreciative of the course at her first attempt. Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70.

3:28 p.m. R6 4 Fashion Shoot (6 m Savabeel – High Fashion) – Opie Bosson; she recorded a timely victory when sprinting home in the Open Handicap 1400 metres on 16 March at Tauranga, and contests the $400,000 NZEA New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 1, 1600m). Solid when resuming in the Westbury Classic (Gr. 2, 1400m) here in January, she had been impressive winning the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) during Cup Week (15 Nov.) at Riccarton, and while she meets a smart field, expect her to be competitive if she can overcome her tricky draw (9). Fixed odds: $16.00 & $4.00.

Te Akau won the NZ Breeders’ Stakes in 2021 with nine-time Group One winner Avantage (Fastnet Rock) and 2022 with 10-time Group One winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible).

Flemington:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: true. No rain forecast.
4:30 p.m. (NZ) ~ 2:30 p.m. (Vic) R5 9 Sans Doute (4 m Not A Single Doubt – My Prerogative) – Michael Dee; she racked up a hat-trick of wins on the course in the Resimax Group Plate (1100m) on 2 March, and contests the $175,000 ATA/Bob Hoysted Stakes (Listed, 1000m). She carries the minimum weight (54kg), is ideally drawn (3), brings the right form, has won six of 14, and is Group Three placed in New Zealand. NZ TAB fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.10.