Te Akau Warrnambool Thursday Preview

Te Akau Racing has four horses entered on Thursday 26 March at Warrnambool (Victoria). 

Warrnambool:

Weather: showers, track: Soft5, rail: out 3 metres. 10mls rain forecast Thursday.

3.00 p.m. (NZ) - 1:00p.m. (Vic) R1 3 Fierce Flight (7 g Flying Artie – First Bloom) – Steven Pateman; he spelled after winning a Maiden Hurdle (3100m) last September at Te Aroha, trialled twice in January before transferring to the Te Akau stable in Melbourne, and has since won a jump out and had two hurdle trials. Resuming in the A$35,000 Open Hurdle (3200m), he has been a stakes’ winner and twice Group Three placed among six wins to 2200 metres in New Zealand, alongside a win and two seconds from four hurdle starts, and he looks set to race well first-up in small field. 

3.40 p.m. (NZ) - 1:40 p.m. (Vic) R2 6 Malborough Bay (6 g Darci Brahma – Spin ‘N Grin) – Dean Parker; he won two of of his previous three starts on flat before third when making jumps debut in Maiden Hurdle (3100m) last August at Te Aroha. He trialled twice in January, before transferring to the Te Akau stable in Melbourne, and has since finished third in a jump out and had two hurdle trials. Resuming in the $35,000 Maiden Hurdle (3200m), he has shown jumping ability and is expected to race well first-up. 

4:20 p.m. (NZ time) - 2:20 p.m. (Vic) R3 1 Leaderboard (11 g Street Cry – Flower Fairy) – Will Gordon; the fist of a stable duo in this race, he spelled after winning the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m) easily in August, also with Gordon aboard - with the same combination finishing second and first, respectively, in two recent steeplechase trials. Resuming in the $35,000 Open Steeplechase (3450m), a grand, outstanding jumper, with 12 wins in total to his credit, he has a good course/distance record, and rates a top three chance. 

4:20 p.m. (NZ) - 2:20 p.m. (Vic) R3 2 The Mighty Spar (8 g Savabeel – O’Dianne) – Steven Pateman; he raced well recently in three Cup races on the flat in preparation for his jumping campaign, had a steeplechase trial here on 19 March, and also contests the Open Steeplechase (3450m). He finished runner-up to Leaderboard (above) in the Grand National Steeplechase (4500m), beings an outstanding jumps record, and rates a top three chance. 

Main picture - The Mighty Spar winning