Te Akau Trans Tasman Thursday Preview

Te Akau Racing has two horses entered on Thursday 10 September at Riccarton (poly-track), Christchurch, New Zealand and two horses entered at Seymour, Victoria.

Riccarton: 

Weather: fine, track: poly-track, rail: true. 

1:30 p.m. R2 4 Queen Of Naples (5 m Darci Brahma – Tiffany’s Time) – Hayley Hassman (a1); she was given time (49 days) to come through fighting hard for a close third in the Rating 75 1600 metres here (poly-track) on 23 July, and contests the $18,500 Rating 75 1600 metres. All three of her career wins have been on the poly-track at Riccarton, and she is ideally drawn (4) to be a serious a top three chance. Fixed odds: $2.05 & $1.10. 

4:20 p.m. R7 3 Zambrosia (4 m Zoustar – Positive Problems) – Hayley Hassman (a1); she received a lovely trip and strode clear to easily win the Maiden 1600 metres when resuming here (poly-track) on 26 August. Contesting the $18,500 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Rating 65 Fillies & Mares 1600 metres (eligible $26,000 bonuses), she faces a tougher assignment here as she steps up in grade, but with her dominant course/distance win last start under her belt, she can give this field a shake. Fixed odds: $2.60 & $1.30. 

Seymour:

Weather: fine, track: Soft7, rail: out 8 metres. No rain forecast.

5:00 p.m. (NZ) 3:00 p.m. (Vic) R4 7 Gold Chalice (3 c Snitzel – Harlow Gold) – Michael Dee; he unfortunately dipped at the start and also found the Heavy10 conditions too testing when resuming in the Maiden 3YO Colts & Geldings 1000 metres on 12 August at Bendigo, with Te Akau’s former apprentice Michael Dee also in the saddle on that occasion. So you can forgive that run, and since then he has finished third in a jump out on 24 August at Cranbourne. Contesting the A$42,500 Maiden 1200 metres, he won a jump out on a Soft7 track before running third on debut in June, and  he does possess the ability to deliver a top three result. NZ TAB fixed odds: $8.50 & $2.40.

5.30 p.m. (NZ) - 3:30 p.m. (Vic) R5 8 Lyrics ‘N’ Song (4 m Written Tycoon – Melody Belle) – Stephanie Hateley (a2); she raced below par fresh-up when failing to handle the Heavy8 footing in a Class 1 1325 metres on 14 August at Geelong, and since then finished a close fourth in a 800-metre jump out on 31 August at Cranbourne. Contesting the A$35,000 Benchmark 62 1200 metres, she has the plus of weight relief to 57.5kg, and brings a good record including a win and also a third placing in the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes over 1400m. The daughter of 14-time Group 1 Winner Melody Belle, she is looking to bounce back. TAB fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.55.    

Main picture - Queen of Naples winning on the Riccarton synthetic