Rockhampton Preview & Best Bets – 10/11/2023
New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 11/11/2023
New Zealand Tips for Saturday, November 11
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 5: No.14 IMWONDERFULTONIGHT ($3.20 with Bet Right)
The Samantha Mynott- trained IMWONDERFULTONIGHT is unbeaten in two starts since arriving to her new stables and looks well placed here to continue on her winning way. Last start, the I Am Invincible mare destroyed her rivals in a BM65 over 1100m at Te Rapa, putting 4.5 lengths on them over the line. This is her first crack at black type racing but she drops 4kgs today and has the services of Michael McNab for the contest. Ideally drawn in gate two here, she looks a real threat to victory.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6: No.11 KANA ($5.10 with BoomBet)
Peter Didham saddles-up KANA here who has found her mojo after three starts back and looks well placed in this line-up to challenge for the major prize. Last start the Tivaci mare was third-up when she hammered her opposition in a BM65 over 1200m at Trentham. Jonathan Parkes had her parked right behind the speed on settling and on straightening, he steered her through the gap (between the leaders) and she just exploded away, crossing the line six lengths ahead of them in the end. Although up in grade today, she drops 3kgs accordingly and has Parkes sticking with her. A repeat of that last-start performance will see her very hard to beat here.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7: No.10 NEST EGG ($5 with Bet Right)
The Stephen Marsh-trained NEST EGG is back to his best form after four starts in and is capable of figuring here today. Last start, the Reliable Man gelding came off a disappointing ninth at Te Rapa when he turned it all around and put a space on them in a BM84 over 2400m on the same track. Daring tactics from Warren Kennedy saw him make a mid-race move and join the leader near the 800m mark, and from there, he left the rest to fight over the minors as he strode away from the 400m to cross the line 3.5 lengths clear in the end. He drops further in weight here as Kennedy sticks with him for this assignment. At his peak today, he looks right in the mix here and should play a major role in the outcome.
TE RAPA
BEST BET 🏆
Race 7: No.10 KAKADU ($5 with bet365)
Team Foote saddle-up KAKADU here who is first-up today and unbeaten in two starts, looks in the firing line in this contest. Last start, the El Roca gelding ended his first campaign with a back-to-back win in a 1300m Maiden at Cambridge. From the outside gate (9), he settled mid-field to the turn, then as the widest runner, reeled them in and went on with it, putting more than three lengths on them over the line. This is a big step-up in grade today but drawn ideally in gate two, he maps to get the perfect sit as Courtney Barnes takes the reins. He has the upside and potential to give this a real shake today.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 5: No.1 KA YING LUCKY ($4.60 with Ladbrokes)
The Team Foote-trained KA YING LUCKY has hit the ground running since arriving in NZ, finding the podium in all four starts for the stable and first-up today, looks set to make an impression at his second start at the track. The Zoustar gelding arrived from Hong Kong after just one unplaced start at Sha Tin. Fresh off a 15-month absence, he hit the ground running, taking out a 970m Maiden Hcp at Cambridge. He has placed in all runs since then, the latest being a runner-up finish, here in a BM65 Hcp over 1200m on a heavy track. Lisa Allpress has her first ride on the five-year-old today and from gate two, maps to settle just behind the speed. Already a winner when first-up, he can give this a real shake today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 4: No.9 FANCY LIKE ($6 with Bet Right)
The Moroney & Gerard Team-trained FANCY LIKE is now four starts into her racing career and looks well placed here for back-to-back wins today. Last start, the Redwood mare (in a change of race tactics) jumped out in front and led from barrier box. Vinnie Colgan slowed them up mid-race, and in the run home, had plenty of gas left in the tank, holding them all at bay in the end. The four-year-old steps up in grade today but is ideally drawn in gate two and has Colgan as the pilot again. Similar tactics today could see the mare go back-to-back here.
