Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has five horses entered on Saturday 10 May at Rotorua, New Zealand and one horse at Caulfield (Melbourne).    ?

Rotorua: 

Weather: raining, track: Heavy10, rail: true. 40mls rain forecast Friday, no rain Saturday. 

11:55 a.m. R1 4 The Sky Above (4 m American Pharoah – Blue Blue Sky) – Craig Grylls; she has been given time (48 days) since last racing when she circled from last for sixth in the Pearl Series Maiden Fillies & Mares 1400 metres on 23 March at Matamata, and contests the $20,000 Maiden 2YO & Up 1215 metres. She has placed seven times on soft and heavy ground, she has performed well previously when fresh but a lot really depends on how she will handle these very wet conditions. Fixed odds: $6.00 & $2.20.

1:00 p.m. R3 3 Puzzle Master (3 g Rubick – One Mansini) – Vinnie Colgan; he was easy from barrier one, settling back on the inner, and held that spot while running home nicely near markers in trial on 3 April at Ellerslie. Resuming in the $35,000 Rating 65 1215 metres, he has recorded a win and has twice been placed second from just four starts. He did place at his only previous course attempt, but much depends on him too being able to cope with the very wet track - one of two in the race for the stable. Fixed odds: $11.00 & $3.40. 

1:00 p.m. R3 16 Colonel Warden (3 g Russian Revolution – Moralto) – Craig Grylls; he finished not far away when resuming in the Rating 65 1200 metres on 19 April at Ellerslie, and likewise contests the $35,000 Rating 65 1215 metres. Stakes’ placed on debut as two-year-old, he recorded a second-up course/distance win here in December, but he too is somewhat of an unknown in terms of the prevailing track conditions. Fixed odds: $13.00 & $3.70.

2:05 p.m. R5 1 Fierce Flight (6 g Flying Artie – First Bloom) – Tayla Melvin (a4); he settled last, to be expected as a staying type over a sprint trip, and was some six lengths off the leaders at the 600m. He then covered extra ground circling widest rounding the home turn and ran home very well for third on Heavy10 footing in a trial on 29 April. He resumes in the $35,000 Rating 75 1560 metres and will appreciate the weight relief to 58.5kg with the stable apprentice engagement. A stakes’ winner, he has also been twice Group Three placed, among six wins to 2200 metres - he handles yielding ground but yet again, as with all our team, much depends on how he handles the very wet conditions underfoot. Fixed odds: $27.00 & $6.00.

4:32 p.m. R9 2 Sense of Timing (4 m Time Test – Pin Up Lae) – Hayley Hassman (a4); she finished back but not far away after racing near the pace in the Rating 65 1600 metres on 19 April at Ellerslie, and contests the $35,000 Rating 65 1400 metres. She finished well for second at her prior start in the Rating 65 1400 metres on 23 March at Matamata, is a course/distance winner, as well as a trial winner here on Heavy9 footing, and is aided by weight relief to 55.5kg. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $3.00. 

Caulfield:

Weather: fine, track: Good4, rail: out 4 metres. No rain forecast.

2.40 p.m. (NZ) ~ 4:40 p.m. R2 3 Savoir Faire (5 g Savabeel – Etiquette) – Luke Cartwright (a3); he chased well from back in the field for fourth in the Enchanted Adventure Handicap (2000m) on 19 April at Mornington, also with Cartwright aboard, and contests the A$130,000 Benchmark 84 2400 metres. A previous winner here over 2000 metres at the corresponding meeting last year, his has notched up four wins over 2000 metres, will benefit from weight relief to 56.5kg, and is ideally drawn (5) to race well. NZ TAB Fixed odds: $9.50 & $2.60.