Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has 12 horses entered on Saturday 29 March: 11 at Te Aroha and Trentham in New Zealand, and one at Flemington, Melbourne.

Te Aroha:

Weather: fine track: Soft5, rail: true. No rain forecast. 

12:40 p.m. R1 3 Class (3 g Embellish – Opulent) – Ace Lawson-Carroll (a1); he fought hard for a close third after dictating terms in the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m) on Champions’ Day at Ellerslie, and contests the $40,000 3YO 1400 metres. He delivered a similar effort prior in the Karapiro Classic (Special Conditions, 1600m) on 8 February at Te Rapa, and has been very competitive in good fields throughout season. He is well placed to record another top three finish.  Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.20.   

3:35 p.m. R6 6 Egyptian Queen (4 m Zoustar – Hieroglyphics) – Ace Lawson-Carroll (a1); she has been given time (28 days) since her notable effort for third in the Rating 75 1200 metres on 1 March at Matamata, and contests the $50,000 Open Handicap 1150 metres. She drops in weight from 57.5kg to 53kg for this assignment, was a close second at her only previous course attempt, and she is more than capable of finishing in a top three placing from the handy gate (2). Fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.05.

4:10 p.m. R7 4 Cognito (5 g So You Think – Lady Primrose) – Triston Moodley (a2); he made headway from last in the Rating 75 1600 metres on 1 March at Matamata, and contests the $50,000 Open Handicap 1600 metres. A former Group 2 winner of the Wellington Guineas over 1400 metres, he has also been stakes’ placed at 1600 metres. His campaign has been plagued with wide barriers and off tracks and with weight relief to 53kg, he finally ideally drawn (3) to prove competitive.  Fixed odds: $9.50 & $2.70. 

Trentham:

Weather: cloudy, track: Soft6, rail: true. No rain forecast.

3:28 p.m. R6 10 Shockabella (3 f Shocking – My Isabella) – Samantha Spratt; she crossed to lead and sustained a strong gallop to win the Maiden 1800 metres on 26 February at Taupo., and due to her somewhat wayward tendencies, has since trialled on 11 March at Ellerslie. She does step in class for the $150,000 Group 3 Higgins Concrete Manawatu Classic over 2100m, but the distance will suit her ideally.  She is new to the game and still learning, but if she holds it all together, she undoubtedly has the ability to make an impression from the ace draw. Fixed odds: $10.00 & $2.70.

4:02 p.m. R7 3 Midnight Blue (8 g So You Think – Midnight Special) – George Rooke; one of the stable’s senior statesmen, he is loving life since arriving in New Zealand, being trained out of the paddock. He produced a very good effort for fourth in the Group 3 Avondale Cup over 2400m, and finished seventh in strong field for the $1 million Group 1 Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) on Champions’ Day at Ellerslie. One of two stablemates contesting the $200,000 Group 2 City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m), faces a somewhat softer field, is racing in fine form, and shapes to prove competitive. Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.25.

4:02 p.m. R7 4 What You Wish For (4 g Embellish – Grand Wish) – Michael McNab; he quickened off an economical trip to win the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) on 15 February at Matamata, and finished well for fifth in the Group 2 Japan Trophy (1600m) on 15 March at Tauranga. He also takes his place in the Awapuni Gold Cup, looks suited to stepping up again in distance, and is ideally drawn (2) to rate a top three chance. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.15.

4:37 p.m. R8 2 To Bravery Born (2 c Snitzel – Milunka) – George Rooke; the first of a Te Akau quartet contesting the Group 1 feature, he finished third to subsequent Group 1 Sistema Stakes’ winning stable-mate Return To Conquer (Snitzel) in the Group 3 Matamata Slipper, both over 1200m, on 15 February, and has since had two exhibition gallops to prepare for this. Contesting the $550,000 Group 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), he is a dual winner, has been kept on the fresh side specifically for this, and is ideally drawn (5) to earn more black type. Fixed odds: $19.00 & $4.60.

4:37 p.m. R8 5 Hostility (2 c I Am Invincible – Shillelagh) – Craig Grylls; the second for the stable in the race, he looked good winning both his trials, before posting a strong performance for a close second on debut in the Maiden 2YO 1200 metres on 12 March at Matamata. While he dives in the deep end at just his second start, and is up in class for the Group 1, he has a class pedigree, is beautifully drawn (4), and possesses the ability to prove competitive. $8.50 & $2.60.

4:37 p.m. R8 6 La Dorada (2 f Super Seth – Gold Fever) – Michael McNab; the third of our four starters in the feature, she became the eighth $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO winner for Te Akau with an impressive performance on 25 January at Ellerslie, and followed suit in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes on 15 February at Matamata, the first filly to achieve this double, and also with McNab aboard. She too has had two preparatory exhibition gallops since, and will give a great sight in the Group 1 Sires’, for which she is currently favourite. Fixed odds: $2.40 & $1.30. 

4:37 p.m. R8 11 Born To Be Royal (2 f King’s Legacy – Fatal Rendezvous) – Wiremu Pinn; the last of our tangerine quartet, she finished strongly for third in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes won by stable-mate La Dorada (above), on 15 February at Matamata, has is another to have since had an exhibition gallop, to ready for the Manatwatu Sires’ Produce Stakes. Her racing style suggests the step up in distance should suit, but drawn the worst of the quartet, she requires luck from wide gate (12). Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.10. 

Te Akau has won the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr. 1, 1400m eight times – six of the previous seven editions – including last year with Move To Strike (I Am Invincible). ?

5:14 p.m. R9 8 Talisker (4 g Embellish – Glenkinchie) – Craig Grylls; he quickened to lead when winning the Open Handicap 1400 metres on 1 February at New Plymouth, and finished fourth after leading in the Open Handicap 1400 metres on 26 February at Taupo. Contesting the Listed $110,000 Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap over 1400m, he drops from 60kg to carry the minimum weight (53kg), is three times Group placed to 1600 metres, including here. Last season’s Champion South Island 3YO of the Year, he is a genuine performer, and has first four claims. Fixed odds: $5.50 & $2.05. 

Flemington:

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

5:05 p.m. (NZ time) R6 7 Sans Doute (5 m Not A Single Doubt – My Prerogative) – Michael Dee; found line from last when resuming in the Oakleigh Plate (Gr. 1, 1100m) on 22 February at Caulfield, and looked good winning jump out on 17 March at Cranbourne. Defending her title in the $175,000 ATA/Bob Hoysted Stakes (Listed, 1000m), with Dee aboard, which provided a winning quadruple on the straight course at Flemington, she acts fresh and presented with ideal opportunity to improve form. NZ TAB fixed odds: $13.00 & $3.70.