New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – Saturday November 5

New Zealand Tips 05/11/2022

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

RICCARTON PARK

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.2  BURGUNDY ROSE  ($3.50 with bet365)

The Mark Walker-trained BURGUNDY ROSE has returned in great touch and looks set to test this field. Last start, the Burgundy mare found one better when she finished second, here in Open company over 1200m. The wide gate (11 of 14) did her no favours that day as she used up a lot of fuel early to cross and settle on the pace. Gate six looks more appealing here where she maps to settle in the first half dozen without too much trouble. Aussie rider Josh Parr has crossed the Tasman and is aboard for this assignment. Fitter for two runs back, she should prove hard to hold out.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.7  OVER TO YOU  ($4.40 with bet365)

The Jamie Bullard-trained OVER TO YOU is unbeaten this preparation and looks set to continue on her winning way here. Last start, the Star Witness mare brought up the hat-trick when she proved too good for them in a BM75, here over 1200m. That made it three from three at Riccarton, (with her first two wins here on the synthetic track). Kylie Williams hasn’t tased defeat on the mare as yet and is in thew saddle again for the assignment. She meets similar company here and from gate five, maps to settle in the first half-dozen again. She won by more than a length last start so the extra 1.5kgs shouldn’t disadvantage her too much here. She is a genuine player in this contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.4  COGNITO  ($6.50 with Palmerbet) 

Mark Walker saddles-up COGNITO here and yet to miss a top-two finish in four career starts, he looks a serious player in this company. Last start, the So You Think gelding faced his first black-type assignment where he beat all but one home in the Group 3 War Decree Stakes, here over 1600m. Beaten just over a length on the line, it served as a good trial for this Group 1 challenge. Jason Laking has kept the job having also steered him to victory two starts back in the Guineas trial. Well drawn in gate six, he maps to settle mid-field with cover and with a trouble-free run here, he looks a prime contender for the big prize.

TE RAPA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.5  TEVERE  ($7.50 with bet365)

The Matamata galloper TEVERE is unbeaten in four starts here over the 1200m trip and first-up in six-months, looks the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the Contributor mare ended her last campaign with a win, here over the 1200m journey. She was then put-out and has since trialled twice, placing in both gallops. Carrying just 53kgs here, she draws favourably in gate three where she maps to settle better than mid-field with cover. Already a winner when first-up, she looks well placed here and as a track specialist, she should take beating.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.6  QUICK PREVIEW  ($7.50 with Palmerbet)

Kylie Grass saddles-up QUICK PREVIEW here who is second-up and did enough last start to suggest he is a serious player in this event. Fresh off a lengthy seven-month break, the Foxwedge gelding proved to good for them in a BM65, here over 1400m. Carrying 59.5kgs, he drew the car park in gate 16 (of 16) where Sam Spratt had to use him up early to cross and settle outside the leader. The seven-year-old settled down to a two-horse battle all the way to the line where he eventually prevailed at big odds ($27). He is up in grade here but drops 2kgs in weight and with Spratt sticking with him (after 13 previous rides and two wins), he looks a big chance to frank that last-start win.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 3:  No.7  CLEESE  ($9 with Palmerbet)

The John Bell-trained CLEESE has hit a purple patch of form, winning two of his past three starts, and looks well placed here to continue his run good fortune. Last start, the American-bred gelding proved too good for a BM83 field, here over 2400m. Fighting out the finish with Starrybeel, the pair of them put 4.5 lengths on the rest of the field that day. Warren Kennedy retains the ride for this contest where he jumps from gate six and maps to settle mid-field again, with cover. In his current form, he looks to play a major role here and looks a sound each-way investment here.