Te Akau Trials' Report

Te Akau trialled horses on Tuesday September 9 at Cambridge.

The footing was rated Slow7, with the rail out three metres.

Heat 1 Open 1200 metres (short neck, 4 ½ lengths 1:13.1)
La Adelita (4 m High Chaparral - Romantic Liaisons) - Michael Coleman; found a nice spot fourth on the inner. She stood the two clear leaders six lengths passing the 600 metres and worked through the line nicely in fifth.

Heat 2 Open 1200 metres (¾ lengths, long neck 1:14.4)
Longbeach (4 g Fastnet Rock - Betwixt) - Danielle Johnson (below); received a nice trip in fourth on the inner and clear two off the fence on straightening he worked home nicely for third.

Bronte Lass (6 m Stravinsky - Little Dorrit) - Matt Cameron (below); was back in the field from a wide draw before finding a position fifth on the outer and she made good ground in the run home to finish in a photo for fourth.

Heat 3 Open 1200 metres (4 lengths, 4 ½ lengths 1:13.4)
Flirty Gertey (4 m Thorn Park - Granma Gertey) - Danielle Johnson (below); was trapped wide in the early stages before working forward into third, and had cover in fourth passing the 700 metres. She was urged to pick up nearing the bend and stayed on in the run home for fifth.

Quintette (4 m Alamosa - Everswindell) - Matt Cameron (below); jumped away well to settle one off in fifth and although unable to quicken up in the slow going she too worked through the line okay.

Heat 4 Open 950 metres (3 lengths, 3 ¾ lengths 56.2)
Costa Viva (4 m Encosta De Lago - Vivacious Spirit) - Matt Cameron (below); trailed a solid pace. She railed to the inside of Bounding on straightening and worked home strongly under her own steam for second.

Heat 5 Open 950 metres (1 ¼ lengths, ½ a length 57.8)
Dreamer (4 m More Than Ready - Make Me Strong) - Kelly Myers; began well to work across outside the leader at the 750 metres and while unable to quicken in the ground she was not far away at the line.

Heat 6 Open 950 metres (1 ¼ lengths, short neck 57.7)
Enhance (4 m Saperavi - Pinstinct) - Matt Cameron (below); was easy off the gate to settle last of nine and although remaining back in the field she closed the margin from ten lengths off the pace at the 600 metres.

Heat 7 Open 950 metres (neck, ½ head 58.9)
Equanimity (4 m More Than Ready - Insouciant) - Matt Cameron (below); steadied for cover in midfield, she ranged four wide on the bridle passing the 400 and kept up a solid gallop to cross the line in a photo finish for third.

Heat 8 Open 950 metres (½ a length, 1 length 58.5)
Tiara (4 m O'Reilly - Royal Lady) - Matt Cameron (below); punched through to third and was inclined to get her head up. After hanging wide rounding the home turn and proving awkward she continued to run home solidly for fourth.

Heat 9 2YO 650 metres (½ a length, 1 ½ lengths 39.5)
2 f Encosta De Lago - Love Diamonds - Matt Cameron (below); showed gate speed to lead a cluster of six horses. She cornered nicely and exhibited smooth acceleration, balance and a good action, to stride clear for a smart win.

Heat 10 2YO 650 metres (¾ lengths, 3 ¼ lengths 40.4)
Enshrine (2 f Minstrel Court - Pinstinct) - Matt Cameron (below); was posted wide in fourth before ranging in centre track to level rounding the bend and kept up a solid gallop for third in what was a tidy trial performance.

Heat 11 2YO 650 metres (1 length, 4 ¼ lengths 39.6)
Special Memories (2 f Fastnet Rock - Memories of You) - Matt Cameron (below); jumped away with the leaders before positioning just behind the pace at the 400 metres and showed good stretch working home in centre track to be in photo for third.

Heat 12 2YO 650 metres (1 ¾ lengths, neck 39.9)
Splurge (2 c Savabeel - Splashing Out) - Matt Cameron (below); jumped quickly to control things in front and drew clear effortlessly for a classy win.

Heat 13 2YO 650 metres (long head, 1 ¾ lengths 40.4) check
Unsurpassed (2 c Exceed and Excel - Alamantra) - Matt Cameron (below); squeezed as the gates opened, he recovered to lead on the inner and kept up a smart gallop to win with more in hand.

Heat 15 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (½ a length, ½ head 48.7)
3 g Saperavi - Paerangi - Matt Cameron; was urged forward to contest the pace off the rail. He kept going strongly in the worst of the ground on the inside and in tight quarters finished close up in sixth.

Heat 16 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (½ a length, ¾ lengths 47.5)
3 g Saperavi - Patient - Matt Cameron (below); put herself in the picture from the outset to position outside the leader and never flinched in her finishing burst to win well, exuding a nice action.

Heat 21 Maiden 3YO 800 metres (neck, 1 length 48.0)
3 g Minstrel Court - Aventura - Matt Cameron; settled sixth on the inner, five lengths from the pace at the 600 metres, and tracked home behind the leading division, without much room ahead, to finish close up in fifth.

Heat 29 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres (½ a length, 1 length 1:16.1)
Scandinavian (3 g Dylan Thomas - Blanche Amelia) - Danielle Johnson; began well to lead and after doing a good job in front he kept putting in competitively for a solid second.

3 f Mastercraftsman - Due Diligence - Matt Cameron; was away well from a handy gate to settle fourth on the inner, but travelled down in the worst of the going on the inside rounding the bend and was unable to pick up from there.

Heat 30 Maiden 3YO 1200 metres (long head, long head 1:15.9)
Imperium (3 g Encosta De Lago - Ethereal) - Matt Cameron; jumped away well before steadying to settle sixth on the inner. Intent on getting out to better going, he was eased off the rail from five lengths astern at the 600 metres, urged to circle wide, and he sustained a strong staying finish to claim victory on the line.

Zarules (3 g Zabeel - Gwen's Rules) - Danielle Johnson; was ridden patiently back in the field, settling eighth of nine, and stood the leader seven lengths at the 600 metres. On straightening, he worked home wide on the track without threatening the leading division.

Picture credit -Stacey Bridgman