Te Akau NZ North Island Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has nine horses entered on Saturday 24 September: Ruakaka, and Awapuni.

Ruakaka:

Weather: fine, track: Soft5, rail: out 10 metres. 4mls rain forecast Friday, showers Saturday.

12:53 p.m. R1 8 Viva Vienna (2 f All Too Hard - Anna of Austria) - Joe Kamaruddin; began well to co-lead on the outer, quickened to take the advantage at the 200m and kept up a strong gallop to win her solitary trial on 6 September at Tauranga, and debuts in the $15,000 Maiden 2YO 800 metres. Siring over 1100 winners, All Too Hard is a half-brother unbeaten (25) Black Caviar (Bel Esprit), his dam is by Champion Two-Year-Old Sire Snitzel, and her overall pedigree suggests speed influence - the first of a Te Akau juvenile duo in this. Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70.

12:53 p.m. R1 10 Believe In Magic (2 f Not A Single Doubt - Perform A Miracle) - Sam Weatherley; he steadied back from an outside gate, quickening very well for a close second in her solitary trial also on 6 September at Tauranga, and likewise debuts in the $15,000 Maiden 2YO 800 metres. Drawn to advantage in barrier one, she has a deep and rich pedigree, and is from the incomparable Eight Carat family. Fixed odds: $4.50 & $1.90.

2:38 p.m. R4 6 Belle En Rouge (4 m Burgundy - Cavendish Belle) - Joe Kamaruddin (a1); she scored a brilliant New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m) victory in March at Trentham, tying with Oaks' second placed stable-mate Self Obsession (Shocking) for the prestigious New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year - Te Akau's eighth Filly of the Year. She remained back when it was difficult to make ground fresh-up in the Open 1200 metres on 4 September at Te Rapa, and expect her to be closer from barrier three in the $40,000 Open 1400 metres. Fixed odds: $4.20 & $1.65.

3:16 p.m. R5 1 Mohawk Brave (4 g Extreme Choice - Ben's Duchess) - Niranjan Parmar (a3); he raced very well to win three of five last season and ended his campaign finishing fourth to stable-mate Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) - a Te Akau first four - in March at Trentham. He resumed with a notable fourth to stable-mate Perfect Scenario (Iffraaj) in the Rating 75 1300 metres on 24 August at Taupo. With weight relief to 56.5kg, he rates a top three chance in the $30,000 Rating 75 1200 metres - the first of four Te Akau starters in this. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.40.

3:16 p.m. R5 5 Shepherd's Delight (4 m Rip Van Winkle - Safari Sunset) - Opie Bosson; she finished second to stable-mate The Perfect Pink (Savabeel) in the 1000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) - also a Te Akau first four - and ended last season after fifth in the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes (Gr. 3, 1200m). She remained strong in a tight finish to grab third when trialling on 7 September at Matamata, and rates a top three fresh-up prospect in the $30,000 Rating 75 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $9.00 & $3.00.

3:16 p.m. R5 9 Zeitaku (4 g Savabeel - Miss Opulence) - Sam Weatherley; he was gelded after contesting the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m), won by stable-mate Imperatriz (I Am Invincible), and sprinted home for a fresh-up victory in the  Rating 65 1300 metres on 24 August at Taupo. Aided by barrier three, he is a winner to 1400 metres, and look for him to be finishing strongly in the $30,000 Rating 75 1200 metres. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.40.

3:16 p.m. R5 15 Image of You (5 m Pins - Exactly Like You) - Joe Kamaruddin (a1); she has a very good record, including a fresh-up victory over 1300 metres, when winning twice to 1600 metres last season and she resumes in the $30,000 Rating 75 1200 metres. Unfortunately she has drawn wide (12) but look for her finishing off solidly. Fixed odds: $26.00 & $6.00.

4:58 p.m. R8 3 Soprano Supreme (5 m Contributer - Falsetto) - Opie Bosson; she came of age winning three of her previous four starts before a terrific effort for second in the Gold Coast Cup (2400m), and got home well from last when resuming in the Rating 75 1400 metres on 27 August at Te Rapa. She made up plenty at her only course attempt, over 1600 metres in February, and rates a top three chance in the $30,000 Rating 75 1600 metres. Fixed odds: $3.80 & $1.70.

Awapuni:

Weather: showery, track: Heavy10, rail: true. 3mls rain forecast Friday, 25mls rain forecast Saturday.

4:04 p.m. R7 7 Aromatic (6 m Sacred Falls - Vickezzchardonnay) - Lisa Allpress; she ran home well from last in the Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m) on 23 July at New Plymouth, and posted a notable fifth in the Open 1500 metres on 4 September at Te Rapa. Runner-up in the Rangitikei Gold Cup (Listed, 1600m) in May at Trentham, she is very genuine, carries the minimum weight (53kg), but will be required to handle very testing conditions in the $85,000 Boehringer Ingleheim Metric Mile (Gr. 3, 1550m). Fixed odds: $7.00 & $2.50.