New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 02/12/2023

New Zealand Tips for Saturday, December 02

Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at Te Rapa & Wanganui Racecourses and gives his best bets.

TE RAPA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.3  PETRUCCI  ($3.65 with BoomBet)

Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson saddle-up the top-three gallopers here and we are running with PETRUCCI to get the job done today. Last start, the I Am Invincible mare came off a first-up win at Matamata when she took on Open company and finished just behind the placegetters over 1200m at Pukekohe. She draws nicely here in gate five where she maps to settle mid-field with cover. Joe Doyle is in the saddle for the first time today and fitter for two runs back, the four-year-old can give this contest a real shake.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.5  TESTIFY ME  ($6.50 with Bet Right)

The Janelle Millar-trained TESTIFY ME is third-up today and looks every chance of back-to-back victories in this contest. Last start, the Atlante gelding stripped fitter for a first-up fourth at Trentham when he gave them a galloping lesson in a BM75, here over the 1600m trip, which is becoming his ‘pet’ distance of late. From gate 11 (of 16), he settled back in the field that day and then finished over the top of them, winning by 1.5 lengths on the line. Drawn better here in gate six, he maps to follow his ‘regular’ racing pattern and settle mid-field again with Ash Goindasamy as the new rider. Already a winner when third-up and a two-time winner at the track and distance, he will take beating here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.1  JUST AS SHARP  ($9.10 with BoomBet)

Team Rogerson saddle-up JUST AS SHARP here who is second-up and has already stamped himself a major player for back-to-back victories today. Last start, the Swiss Ace colt made his return to racing a spectacular one where he clobbered a BM65 field over 1400m at Arawa Park. After 15 weeks in the paddock, he put his fresh legs to work and after enjoying the run of the race, pulled out and passed the two in front with ease. Ryan Elliot then set sail for home, and after one quick look, saw he was two lengths in front and cruising. From the 200m mark, he eased the three-year-old up who crossed the line three lengths clear. That was nothing more than a morning gallop. Bailey Rogerson rode him to his maiden win on debut and is the pilot for this contest. This is his toughest assignment to date but a repeat of that first-up effort surely puts him in the ball game here. An each-way ticket is strongly recommended.

WANGANUI

BEST BET 🏆

Race 8:  No.4  MARY LOUISE  ($3.70 with Neds)

Robbie Patterson saddles-up boom mare MARY LOUISE here who looks back to her best after a five-month break and third-up today will take a ton of beating. Last start, the daughter of The Bold One came off a shocker at Te Rapa, (where first-up, she finished 15 lengths last), but turned that all around as she arrived in time to beat home Open company opposition over the mile trip at Trentham. Matthew Cameron has the honour of steering the five-year-old around Wanganui for the first time and with five of her six career wins coming on wet tracks, the Soft 6 conditions here can only work in her favour today. Rock-hard fit after two runs back, a trouble-free run here should see her claim another victory.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.6  EGYPTIAN QUEEN  ($6 with Bet Right) 

The Walker & Bergerson-trained EGYPTIAN QUEEN is in top-shelf form this time in and looks set for another bold performance in this contest. Last start, the Zoustar filly was second-up and made a loud statement by destroying her maiden rivals over 1200m at Taupo. Allowed to lead on settling, Michael McNab had a tarzan’s grip on the filly to the turn, and on straightening, had slipped away to a two-length lead. Cruising to the line, McNab put the whip away as she strolled past the post, a winner by four lengths in the end. This is a big step-up in grade but there are no black-type winners here and even fitter off that big last-start win, she looks a serious threat to the first prize for this event.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 3:  No.10  THE ODYSSEY  ($8 with Bet Right)

Team Foote saddle-up The Odyssey here who is flying under the radar lately and shoots for the hat-trick today. Last start, the Zacinto gelding was third-up and showed plenty of determination when taking out a BM65 Hcp over 1400m at Te Rapa. Courtney Barnes had him hard at work on the turn and in the run home, he responded well to her riding and despite wanting to look around, he really knuckled down to the task over the final 100m and finished too strong for them in the end. He drew wide that day (barrier 8 of 10) and will have to deal with that again here as he jumps from gate 11 (of 14). He steps-up in grade today but has the runs on the board and after three runs back, he should be at his peak today. Certainly well worth an each-way ticket here.