Te Akau Trans Tasman Saturday Preview

Te Akau Racing has two horses entered on Saturday 15 August at Ruakaka, New Zealand, and one horse entered at Flemington, Melbourne.

Ruakaka: 

Weather: cloudy, track: Soft6, rail: true. Showers forecast. 

3:42 p.m. R6 1 Kinnaird (3 g Home Affairs – Orinda) – Craig Grylls; he ran home strongly to win a trial in July in Avondale, and finished close up when unable to quicken on Heavy10 footing in a trial on 4 August at Te Rapa. Resuming in the $100,000 Group 3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), a debut and also Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) winner last season, he performs well when fresh, has been gelded, and is presented with the opportunity to commence his new season with a bold showing in what has shaped up as a very good field. Fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.05. 

3:42 p.m. R6 2 Honour Roll (3 g Savabeel – Honor) – unfixed; he led before knocking up on Heavy10  ground to finish fourth in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) on 10 July at Otaki, and potentially  also contests the Group 3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes.  He raced clear for a fresh-up win over 1200 metres on Soft7 going in May at Matamata, and if he doesn’t take his place here due to track conditions, he may race on Sunday at Taupo. Fixed odds: $13.00 & $3.20.  

Caulfield:

Weather: overcast, track: Soft7, rail: true. No rain forecast. 

5:25 p.m. (NZ time) R6 1 Lara Antipova (3 f Russian Revolution – Artistic Lass) – Michael Dee; she won the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) in March at Ellerslie in impressive fashion, also with the former Te Akau apprentice Michael Dee in the saddle. She transferred to the Te Akau stable in Melbourne for her new season, and looked good winning a jump out on 3 August at Cranbourne. Resuming in the A$200,000 Group 3 3YO Fillies Quayclean Quezette Stakes (1100m), she showed class by winning all four starts last season, and rates a top three chance in a field with plenty of class and depth. NZ TAB fixed odds: $6.50 & $2.45. 

Main picture - Kinnaird winning the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes