Te Akau Trials' Report

Te Akau New Zealand trialled 13 horses at Cambridge on Tuesday 13 January. The rail was out 1 metre and the track was rated good (pics from Stacey Bridgman) -

Heat 3 2YO 650 metres ( head, 1/2 length 38.74)
2f Iffraaj - Naturo - Matt Cameron (below); broke a bit tardy and settled fifth in the running five lengths off the lead, came between horses on straightening to make up a couple of lengths with minimal urging and just miss third.

Heat 5 2YO 800 metres (1/2 head, head 46.71)
2g Captain Rio - Lady Classique - Matthew Cameron (below); showed gate speed to sit outside the leader in the running, cornered well and once balanced in the straight, kicked up to get his head in front for the win.

Heat 6 2YO 800 metres (1/2 length, 1 length 47.1)
Lady Pinot (2f Starspangledbanner - Madame Echezeaux) - Matthew Cameron; jumped well from the outside gate to settle midfield one off the rail in the running and coming widest on the turn she kept up a good gallop to hold her position to the line.

Heat 10 Maiden 800 metres (1 length, long head 47.54)
Irish Mystic (3f O'Reilly - Lodore Mystic) - Said Zainal (below); settled just behind midfield eight lengths off the leader, improved on the turn and came between horses in the straight to run on well for fifth over a distance well short of her best.

Heat 17 Open Hcp 950 metres ( 2 3/4 lengths, head 55.84)
Angelica Hall (4m Guillotine - Greta Hall) - Mark Du Plessis (below right); broke well and was eased back behind midfield, found a rails run out of the turn and displayed her turn of foot to make ground in the straight for third.

Spellbinder (4m O'Reilly - Scenic Sprint) - Matthew Cameron (below left tangerine); sat behind the leaders three wide in the running on a slow pace and ran strongly to the line to get up for second.

Heat 19 Maiden 950 metres (1/2 length, 1/2 length 56.32)
Atua (3g Murtajill - Silent Smytzer) - Matthew Cameron (below); jumped away from the gates well to lead, settled into a nice rhythm , cornered well and held the lead comfortably in the straight to win.

Heat 23 Open Hcp 1200 metres (1 length, 1/2 head 1:14.13)
Wolfwhistle (4h O'Reilly - Legs) - Matthew Cameron (below); settled back last in the running on a slow pace, circled the field and ran home in the straight to win under his own steam.

Heat 24 Maiden 1200 metres (4 lengths, 3 lengths 1:12.43)
Zarules (3g Zabeel - Gwen's Rules) - Matthew Cameron (below); broke well and was eased back from the wide barrier to settle behind midfield well off the pace. Once balanced in the straight he kicked well to make up lengths and finish third.

Heat 25 Maiden 1200 metres (1/2 length, neck )
Super Power (4m Alamosa - Key of Future) - Matthew Cameron (below); taken back from the wide gate she was very one-paced to the line.

Heat 26 Maiden 1400 metres (1/2 head, 1/2 head 1:26.8)
3g Saperavi - Eclectic Heights - Brendon Hutton (front blinkers); began well from the inside barrier, was on speed in the running and ran on well to finish second.

Bordeaux (3g High Chaparral - Our Echezeaux) - Mark Hills (below); settled back in the running off a slow tempo, did not find clear running to improve and held his position to the line.

Light Source (3f Iffraaj - Shadow Ray) - Matthew Cameron (second from left below); broke well and raced outside the leader, found fresh ground out wide in the straight and kept up a good gallop to the line for third.