Te Akau Pair Sneak into Karaka Million

Perennial Karaka Million 2YO overachiever Te Akau Racing has provided rival outfits with further headaches by bolstering their numbers for the $1 million Doubletree By Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) next week with a good result at Tauranga on Friday. Trainer Jamie Richards contested the Ray White Papamoa 2YO (1200m) with Millefiori and Sneaky Shark, and both have earned enough money to make it into the 14-horse field for next Saturday’s rich race, reports racingnews.co.nz. Millefiori was given a perfect trip by jockey Samantha Collet in the trail behind La Grande Rue before she was guided three-wide in the home straight and rallied late to win by a long neck over Mr Blue Sky, with a further half-length back to Drum Major in third, and Sneaky Shark running on late to finish fifth. With her $13,050 winning purse on Friday, Millefiori has jumped up to seventh position in the order of entry for the Karaka Million, while Sneaky Shark took his earnings to $5,450, bumping him up to twelfth position. Richards is confident of a bold showing from Millefiori next weekend if she comes through Friday’s run well. “As long as she is able to bounce through that run and doesn’t have any ill-effects, we are really looking forward to eight days’ time,” he said.

Millefiori (pic: Race Images)