New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 06/01/2024

New Zealand Tips for Saturday, January 6

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

HASTINGS

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.10  EPARAIMA  ($3.60 with BlueBet)

Local galloper, EPARAIMA has been thereabouts in her four starts this time in and in the small field today, gets her chance to put win number two on her resume. Last start, the Per Incanto mare had no luck at all in the run home but still managed to arrive in time to grab third prize in a BM65, here over 1400m. She drew wide that day and settled back in the field (on the fence). No gaps came for her as she was left, held up and nowhere to go and eventually had to cross heels before she saw daylight. The run is best forgotten. Today, she gets the gun-run from gate one and should settle a little closer this time. Sam Weatherley was aboard last start and steers the ship again in this contest. She meets similar company here and given more luck in running today, she can give this a real shake.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 2:  No.7  BENEFACTOR  ($4.65 with BoomBet)

The Lisa Latta-trained BENEFACTOR is high-flying this time in and looks well placed here to make it a hat-trick of podium finishes today. Last start, the Contributer mare came off a second-up win at Wanganui when she beat all but one home at Trentham in a BM75 over the mile. Kate Hercock was aboard for both of those runs and sticks with the mare for this assignment. From gate two, she does no early work and maps to settle mid-field on the fence. Already a track and distance winner, a trouble-free run here should see her finishing strongly and challenging for another victory today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.1  DISS IS DRAMATIC  ($4.45 with BoomBet)

Another from the Lisa Latta stable is DISS IS DRAMATIC who is in great touch of late and dropping in grade here, looks a serious contender for the major prize. Shooting for the hat-trick last start, the Dissident mare was far from disgraced when finishing third in the Group 3 19th Coupland’s Bakeries Mile at Riccarton Park. Dropping back to the 1400m today, she is reunited with Kozzi Asano for this contest and in the small field, maps to settle just behind the speed. Now four starts into this campaign, she should be at her peak today and already a winner at the track, she looks in the mix here.

KUMARA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 4:  No.6  RUSSIAN ROSETTE  ($3.90 with Bet Right)

Team Pitman saddle-up RUSSIAN ROSETTE here who is backing-up after a mid-week victory to take on this contest. On Wednesday last, the Russian Revolution mare was third-up and proved too good when taking out a BM65 Hcp on a heavy track at Greymouth. Kavish Chowdhoory was abord for the first time and sticks with the mare for this assignment. She meets similar company today and fourth-up, she should be at her peak. Conditions (Heavy 10) are ideal for her and a similar effort here should see her staking strong claims for back-to-back victories today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.3  SMOOTH OPERATOR  ($3.90 with Bet Right)

The Stephanie Faulkner-trained SMOOTH OPERATOR is four starts into this preparation and with conditions to suit here, looks the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the Turn Me Loose gelding made it consecutive podium finishes when he finished third at his first shot at the 1800m trip at Kurow. The pace was a cracker that day as the gelding settled back in the field, spotting them 15 lengths at one stage. Kavish Chowdhoory wound him up before the turn and he responded, making up many lengths in the run home to arrive in time for the minor prize. Chowdhoory sticks with him today as the four-year-old makes his track debut. He has had one start on a heavy track which resulted in a win at Ascot Park. At his peak today and backing up after last Saturday’s effort, a trouble-free run today should see him there at the finish.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.14  TIMES UP  ($8.50 with Ladbrokes)

The Robbie Patterson-trained TIMES UP comes in nicely at the weights here and if he handle the class rise today, he should prove hard to hold out in today’s conditions. Last start, the Time Test gelding was fourth-up this time in when he clobbered a BM65 field over 1500m at Greymouth. On a Heavy 8, carrying 59kgs, Craig Grylls took him straight to the front from his wide gate (9), and by the home turn, he had the others all off the bit and struggling. He went on to win by two lengths on the line. Today, he clashes with his stablemate (Regal Dice) who Grylls also rode last start, but he sticks with Times Up today. The gelding has a solid wet-track record, including two wins in heavy going. Nine starts to date have produced two wins and four minor placings and four starts in, he should be at his peak for this assignment. The 5kg drop in weight today could make all the difference here.