Ruakākā Tips & Preview | Saturday 11 July

Palombaggia (#9) is a 2yo Circus Maximus filly having her second career start here for Barbara Kennedy, and is a dual acceptor here and in Race 4 – and I’m keen to be with her wherever connections opt to line her up. She ran a very good race on debut at Ellerslie, where she raced a touch keenly after being bustled early but fought on well in the straight to finish a close-up 4th. She should be much better for the experience and looks very well placed down in the weights as a 2yo filly taking on the older horses. Wouldn’t need to improve much off that debut effort to be accounting for these. 

Cadaques (#1) is a 3yo Hello Youmzain gelding having his third start here for Tony Pike. He ran a much improved race last start at Te Aroha, where he made up good late ground from the back to finish 2nd. He should be better again heading here and looks suited getting back out over 1200m. He should be able to position much closer to the speed from the low draw under Sam McNab, which should see him afforded every chance to go one better. 

Khaleesi (#3) is a progressive 4yo Savabeel mare resuming here for Stephen Marsh, last seen finishing 5th as a short-priced favourite in the Karapiro Classic behind subsequent Gr.2 winner That’s Gold. She has trialled very boldly ahead of her resumption, finding the line strongly under her own steam. The small field suits and she shouldn’t be standing the leaders much of a start from her low draw. She has the turn of foot to be putting these away in a fresh state. 

Palombaggia (#9) is a 2yo Circus Maximus filly having her second career start here for Barbara Kennedy, and is a dual acceptor here and in Race 4 – and I’m keen to be with her wherever connections opt to line her up. She ran a very good race on debut at Ellerslie, where she raced a touch keenly after being bustled early but fought on well in the straight to finish a close-up 4th. She should be much better for the experience and looks to find a very winnable maiden 2yo field here. She should be able to position handy to the speed from the inside draw, which should see her given every chance to be winning this. 

Beat Of The Sun (#3) is a 3yo son of The Autumn Sun coming into this third-up for Donna Logan. He was last seen finishing an unlucky 10th at Ellerslie, where he was grinding home solidly from the back before running out of room late. He maps to land back off a genuine tempo here from his wide draw, where he’ll again be looking to blend into the race late in the piece. Has the ability to be winning a maiden of this strength. 

Bourbon Proof (#1) has changed stables since his last start, now trained locally by Michelle Bradley. George Rooke jumping aboard from a favourable draw looks ideal, and he maps to settle just off the likely leader Rua Rocks throughout, which should afford him an ideal run. A very capable horse on his day and could run a much improved race here on his new local track. 

Bosch (#5) has hardly set the world on fire in three runs back this campaign, yet to beat a horse home. Getting back on his home track may well be the key to a vastly improved showing, and I’m hoping he’ll be ridden more positively this time than he has of late, as he does much of his best racing when ridden up on the speed. He should be nearing peak fitness for this and looks suited down on the minimum, despite not being able to utilise Sam McNab’s claim. An improved showing is expected. 

Cheeky Devil (#6) is a 3yo Contributer filly who has been mixing her form this campaign. She comes here off one of her better efforts last start when working home well from the back into 5th at Ellerslie. From the low draw, she’s expected to settle back of midfield again in what looks as though it’ll be a genuinely run 1200m affair, and she looks well suited down in the weights carrying just 53.5kg after Joe Nishizuka’s claim. Should be thereabouts in what shapes as an even race to close the card.