Jason Teaz's tips for Alexandra Park
Form analyst Jason Teaz casts his eye over tonight's fields at Auckland (Friday).
Race 1
9 Governor's Bay
11 Little Miss Perfect
4 Bettor Listen
10 Jack Tar
GOVERNOR'S BAY hasn't raced for a year but in that time he has changed stables to Jim Cole and trialled eight times, all of those coming this year. The last two have been winning runs with Maurice McKendry on board. Latest was an easy win last Saturday running home in 27.7. The value bet.
LITTLE MISS PERFECT is also fresh not having raced since November. Second behind the in form Darling Me at last Saturday's workouts. A bad draw but each way.
BETTOR LISTEN resumed at the trials on Saturday and was disappointing, finishing last. Rarely runs a bad race so expect his best tonight in what is an even field.
JACK TAR was first up for six weeks on April 8 at Cambridge. Over-raced and stuck on well in 2:40. Draw means he won't be handy but he's not out of it.
THEE OLD BOMB set up that 2:40 time at Cambridge and stuck well for third. It appeared he had trained off prior so a return to form suggests he's back to his best.
SANTA MARIA is only a three year old filly but only being beaten a length and a half by The Honey Queen is good form.
Race 2
6 Queen Of Strathfield
11 Aldebaran Flame
3 Love And Faith
7 Constellation
QUEEN OF STRATHFIELD has now netted eight seconds in her career. Has the manners and there are no negatives, A must for trifectas at worst.
ALDEBARAN FLAME is a frustration. A very good mare in this grade but she continues to make a hash of the first turn. If she stays trotting she's huge each way.
LOVE AND FAITH and her driver Megan Teaz were nearly killed when the lights went out last Friday. They deserve a cheque tonight. Showed ability in the summer but needed more time. Won a workout impressively two weeks ago at Cambridge home in 60 and 29.
CONSTELLATION you can't leave out of your first fours.
TRIFOLIUM struggles the right handed way and barrier one is also a worry. The next best in the field.
Race 3
6 American Pride
7 Invictus
8 She Reigns
1 Monkey Selfie
AMERICAN PRIDE has been patiently handled. He does seem to trot all of the way in his races, first start at Alexandra Park. Being locally owned they'll be here to win.
INVICTUS isn't as potent off a handicap but it's not a big field. And he has a well documented outstanding 2200m record having won five from thirteen.
SHE REIGNS bounced back into winning form at Cambridge April 8. 25m over 2200m is a tough ask for her to win but she steps so quickly that the small field makes her a place chance.
MONKEY SELFIE smashed them March 12 in a weaker field. Over the 2200m she will look to run them into the deck and that's her main chance of winning.
KING'S LANDING still hasn't shown his best back in NZ yet. Looked ready on Saturday when winning a workout at Pukekohe, albeit behind the mobile. Trotted home in 57.7 and 27.9 in the wet beating Mexicana and Time Up The Hill.
Race 4
10 Leaf Stride
8 Five Wise Men
5 Regal Attire
1 I See Fire
LEAF STRIDE was so unlucky in the derby. His stablemate ruined his chance of winning by stopping badly but he found the line brilliantly. Sure to be well drilled right handed. Top pick.
FIVE WISE MEN has swept all before him. Won the derby in huge fashion by sitting parked for the last lap. Right handed is clearly the worry first time but he is unbeaten off the gate.
REGAL ATTIRE has been set for this series. Just one solitary run as a three year old which was against the older horses at Addington April 9. The winner of that, Milliondollarmonkey has won again since.
I SEE FIRE was the top northern two year old but went off the boil manners wise early this season. Has beaten up lower graded trotters the last two starts. From barrier one he will get a good trip and he has track experience on his side. The best of the locals.
TIME UP THE HILL has been busy. NZ Oaks, then the derby a week later, a trip north by road and a stiff workout last Saturday. Now this, it's been a heck of a month and given the trial last week, she may not be at her derby placing best.
SON OF PATRICK doesn't handle right handed. He's a five length at least better horse left so he may struggle here.
MUFASA METRO has the x factor. He is a free goer and is up to this standard.
Race 5
7 True Fantasy
6 A Better You
1 Cover Girl
3 Artisan
TRUE FANTASY took advantage of the inside barrier to lead and trail and zip up the passing lane to win at Addington April 3. Beat Suntan who has since won a fillies series heat here last Friday. Sure to be well drilled this direction.
Stablemate A BETTER YOU took advantage of barrier one defeating True Fantasy on debut. The tables may have only been turned due to this fillies bad draw last time. Has a big motor.
COVER GIRL concedes race day experience to some of there but has the track experience. Went a massive race on debut in the fillies heat last Friday and gets the plum barrier one.
ARTISAN had the early season points but a mixture of bad draws and a lack of gate speed has cost her. Showed signs last week she may be on the way back. The draw helps her tonight.
DANCE TIL DAWN hasn't won yet but you can't fault her three efforts to date. Group one placed second time out and had to work just too hard last week. Could lead easily tonight.
MIKI MONTANA has made errors twice late in her races. Her form is way better than what it says. A chance to blow them out.
From three back on the markers CHANTILLY can get some of it. Campaigned well in Christchurch and narrowly missed placing both nights.
Race 6
1 Majestic Man
5 Sundees Son'
6 Bolt For Brilliance
2 Oscar Bonavena
MAJESTIC MAN became a three time group one winner on his Australian sojourn. Barrier one is gold for him with his gate speed, couple that with the distance and he has bolted to the top of my selections.
SUNDEES SON is a champion trotter and he is arguably even better right handed. Maybe a length or two below his best this year but he will be there when the whips are cracking.
BOLT FOR BRILLIANCE stole the trotters classic at Addington March 26 by walking and sprinting home in 55. He has the speed of an open class pacer so will fear none of these. The older boys may still have his measure this year. Being back home is worth a length.
OSCAR BONAVENA doesn't seem 100% right now. If he was he would be fighting this race out but he appears still a little off his best. Did pull a flat tyre which explains his big defeat in the trotting champs.
Race 7
5 Copy That
6 Amazing Dream
3 Christianshavtime
4 Kango
COPY THAT keeps fronting up. The Waikato flying mile, a Founders Cup and a City of Auckland FFA hat trick wrapped up his summer. He looked under done at the workouts April 10 but looked back to his best April 17 flogging his rivals on a wet Pukekohe track clocking 55.2 and 26.8 late on in a romp. Ready.
AMAZING DREAM is a champion mare who is no match for Self Assured when he's at his best. She is an Auckland cup winner here beating an unlucky Copy That. It was his last defeat. You can't leave her out.
CHRISTIANSHAVTIME is at his peak. The mile is not his go but the harder they go the better he can fly late. A much improved animal who can upset these.
KANGO got savaged April 9. He and South Coast Arden blew each other to bits in 2:37. He's a quality horse up to this level and being drawn inside the leading hopes means he can find the markers.
STEEL THE SHOW is North Island owned, not far away against the big bangers of late. Fourth in the superstars last time and will appreciate barrier one first time out at Alexandra park.
Race 8
4 The Honey Queen
6 Steel The Show
2 Darling Me
8 Havtime
THE HONEY QUEEN won't have it all her own way tonight against the older more hardy horses but she keeps winning and her times are sensational. Draws well too. This race has the potential for her to slip on a banana skin but she's class.
STEEL THE SHOW is an interesting dual acceptor. A big winning chance in this but barrier one in the Taylor Mile makes that tempting too. A major winning chance in this.
DARLING ME is a serial bridesmaid but the last two weeks at the Pukekohe trials she has found her teeth. Ruthlessly running past Copy That one week then, ran away from a nice lineup of intermediate pacers last Saturday. Clocking 56.3 and 27.4 in that win. Drawn to be in the right spot. A multiple time group one placegetter.
HAVTIME has been a casualty of the pref draw system lately drawing the outside. Barrier eight is no speed bump if she is used early. Regardless, probably can't win but remains a place chance.
Race 9
2 Hesashorething
4 Louie The Punter
3 Four Kisses
7 Art Nouveau
HESASHORETHING has a useful draw tonight. He's not a fan of grit in his face so expect him to try and lead throughout. He's the best horse in the field.
LOUIE THE PUNTER was unlucky to lose at Cambridge after being softened up early. He is 100% fit given his workout on Saturday at Pukekohe when he served it up to the leader from the 800 mark and only Sugar Apple who had the trail could get past him late. That was in 2:02 and ran home in 57.8 and 28.3. Due.
FOUR KISSES was desperately unlucky when minding her own business before getting knocked over back in the field. Still learning the game but well in this.
ART NOUVEAU will look to roll forward with his massive gate speed. Commander Cathy who beat him April 9 then came out and won again last week. Form stacks up.
Race 10
7 Springbank Mason
2 Liaison
5 Kelvinz Luck
6 Majestic Harry
SPRINGBANK MASON must be here because he goes well right handed. He is a win or bust type tho and 20m behind over 2200m isn't easy for any horse first up at Alexandra park. The small field offsets that.
LIAISON is in great form. He will relish the start over his main rivals and it took a smart three year old in I See Fire to beat him out last Friday. Two of his wins have come over the 2200m journey.
KELVINZ LUCK was first up for four months last Thursday at Cambridge. Still slightly under par in a field he should have beaten. Go back to his pre xmas form and he rates highly in this.
MAJESTIC HARRY had no chance with the 20m handicap he was lopped with April 9. His sectionals were still good and the smaller field and a drop in grade brings him into contention tonight.
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