Te Akau Wairoa Thursday Preview

Te Akau New Zealand has nine horses racing on Thursday 20 February at Wairoa.

Weather: overcast, track: Dead4, rail: true. No rain forecast.

1.10 p.m. R1 4 Willpower  (4 g Power - The Lady) - Danielle Johnson; disadvantaged from the outside gate when fifth in the Rating 72 1200 metres on 6 February at Tauranga, in a small but competitive field, and contests the $12,000 Rating 72 1300 metres. He appears ideally placed to threaten following a fresh-up win and beaten at a nose at his two prior starts.

1.45 p.m. R2 3 Baby Shark  (3 g Rip Van Winkle - Bak Da Chief) - Danielle Johnson; missed the start when debuting in the $10,000 Maiden 1200 metres on 29 January at Hastings, and contests the corresponding event. A brother to stable-mate and cracking racehorse Te Akau Shark, he is bred to go further but ideally drawn (3) to show improvement.

1.45 p.m. R2 5 Irish Heart (4 m O'Reilly - Rehab) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); resumed with a notable effort for second in the Maiden 1200 metres on 9 January at Wanganui, before finishing fourth in the same race as Baby Shark (above) at Hastings. Consistent, she is ideally drawn (2) with weight relief to 53.5kgs.

2.20 p.m. R3 8 Enduring Love  (4 m Camelot - Holy Moly) - Samantha Collett; registered a richly deserved victory on Sunday in the Maiden 1200 metres at Gisborne, and backs up in the $10,000 Rating 65 1200 metres. Drawn out a touch (8), she has tactical pace and capable of another bold showing first time up in grade. 

2.55 p.m. R4 8 Laureate  (3 g Snitzel - Floria) - Samantha Collett;ran the equal fastest last 600m (33.9) for sixth in the Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 19 January at Te Rapa, but seemingly not the same horse in the Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 2 February at Matamata. Proving a head-scratcher, he requires luck from barrier 11 in the $10,000 Maiden 1400 metres.

2.55 p.m. R4 12 Vicenza (3 f Sacred Falls - Tonic) - Ryan Elliot; was good through the line in the same closing 600m (35.4) as first and second in the Maiden 3YO 1400 metres on 2 February at Matamata. She rates an each way chance from barrier one in the $10,000 Maiden 1400 metres.

3.29 p.m. R5 5 Red Jakkal (4 g Jakkalberry - Red Alert) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); is third-up in the $10,000 Rating 65 1200 metres after two runs below his best. Drawn the outside barrier (11) offers few favours, but assisted by weight relief to 55kgs and can show improvement with luck.  

4.04 p.m. R6 3 Mongolianconqueror  (5 g Ocean Park - Queen Rania) - Danielle Johnson; wound up for fourth in the New Plymouth Cup (Open, 1800m) before a good effort for third in the Open 2100 metres on 12 January at Ellerslie, and not far away in a strong field for the Rating 82 2200 metres on 24 January at Te Aroha. He rates a top three chance from barrier one in the $15,000 Open 1900 metres. 

5.14 p.m. R8 3 Beau Geste (5 g Pour Moi - Villa Wanda) - Chelsea Burdan (a3); fought solidly for fourth after leading on Sunday in the Rating 65 1600 metres at Gisborne, and steps up in the $10,000 Rating 65 1900 metres. Three runs on the course have produced second, third, fourth, and drawn barrier two, with weight relief to 56kgs, he rates an each way chance. 

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