New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 10/02/2024

New Zealand Tips for Saturday, February 10

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

RICCARTON 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 8:  No.2  MYSTIC PARK 

Team Pitman saddle-up MYSTIC PARK here who is flying high this preparation and boasting a strong track record, looks the one to beat in this event. Last start, the Ocean Park gelding arrived just a little too late when finishing second, here in a BM75 over 1200m. He finished strongly that day but timed his run a stride or two short of what was needed to take out the major prize. He has proven to be a very consistent galloper, finishing top-three in six of his seven career starts to date. Tina Comignaghi was aboard for his past two runs and remains the pilot for today’s assignment. The step-up in distance looks ideal here and at his peak today, he should prove a hard nut to crack.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.7  FIFITA

In top-shelf form this time in, FIFITA ticks enough boxes here to be considered one of the main chances in this contest. Last start, the Telperion gelding brought up career win number four when he arrived in time to take out a BM75 over 1200m at Wingatui. Tina Comignaghi has been aboard for all four starts this preparation and is yet to miss a podium finish with the five-year-old. He is up in grade here but does drop 4.5kgs for the event. Good early gate speed has the gelding settling in the first half-dozen and a trouble-free run from there should see him fighting out the finish today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.2  IN VEGAS  

In career-best form of late, IN VEGAS drops in grade today and looks well placed for another top-three finish here. Last start, the Telperion mare scored her third-straight podium finish when she collected third prize in a BM84, here over 2000m. She sat third most of the way and showed plenty of fight in the run home. Akshay Balloo steered the ship that day and today has his seventh ride on the five-year-old. Ideally drawn in gate five, he maps to settle in first half-dozen again and with a pace set to suit, he can be there when it counts again.

TE  RAPA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 9:  No.4  FINANCIER  

Hoping to end the day on a high here, the Stephen Marsh-trained FINANCIER has returned in blistering form and looks well placed here for back-to-back victories today. Last start, the Tavistock gelding was second-up when he clobbered them in a BM75 over 1400m at Matamata. Sam Weatherley had him box-seating on settling and just played it by the numbers from there. Taking over soon after straightening, he gapped them in an instant and went on to win by more than two lengths over the line. He meets similar company over the same trip today and should have no trouble carrying the extra 2kgs here. From gate two, Weatherley will have him box-seating (all going well at barrier rise), and from there, he looks the goods today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.11  RUSSIAN SATIRE

Andrew Forsman saddles-up RUSSIAN SATIRE here who is three starts into this campaign and looks ready to produce her best today. Last start, the Russian Revolution mare kept her improvement pattern going by beating all but one home in a BM75 over 1500m at Ellerslie. She jumped last that day and spent a few dollars early making up the lost ground and did well to grab second prize in the event. Michael McNab has been with the mare for her past two runs and sticks with her for this assignment. Forsman sees staying potential in her as he steps her up to the 2100m today. Three runs back, she should be nearing her peak now and already a winner at the track, she go one better today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 3:  No.4  KINGFISHER  

The O’Sullivan & Scott-trained KINGFISHER is third-up today and should be ready to put his his best foot forward in this contest. Last start, the Savabeel gelding settled back in the field and was doing his best work late when he finished fourth in a BM75 over 1200m at Tauranga. Billy Jacobson has been aboard for both runs since his return from a seven-month absence and he remains the pilot for this event. He is a two-time winner at the trip and is already a winner when third-up. Fitter for those two runs back, he gets the gun-run from gate one today and expect to see further improvement from him here.