New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 16/03/2024

New Zealand Tips for Saturday, March 16

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

TRENTHAM

BEST BET 🏆

Race 1:  No.1  ALTARI

The Walker & Bergerson-trained ALTARI was impressive on debut and looks set for back-to-back victories here today. Last start, the well-bred Savabeel colt stepped-out for the first time with Opie Bosson aboard and after drawing wide (gate 9 of 10), still finished too strong for them and took home the major prize. Travelling three-wide (the entire trip), he had too many guns for them in the end, crossing the line a length ahead of them, eased on the line. Ideally drawn in gate three today, he maps to settle near the speed but with cover this time. Bosson remains in charge today and the three-year-old looks the one to beat again.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.5  QALI AL FARRASHA

The Walker & Bergerson team saddle-up QALI AL FARRASHA here who is in red-hot form this time in and looks the one to beat in this year’s Oaks. Last start, the well-bred Almanzor filly came off a crushing win in a 1600m Maiden at Matamata, when she franked that effort by beating all but one home in the Group 3 Sunline Vase. Looking the winner at the 100m mark, she just peaked on her run and had to settle for second prize behind Positivity that day. The pair clash again here and ironically are both sired by the multi-Group 1 winning Almanzor. We expect Bosson to apply different tactics over the longer journey and in a bigger field here which just might get this filly to the line ahead of them.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.9  BEDTIME STORY

The Hastings-based BEDTIME STORY has a second-to-none resume, boasting five podium finishes from as many starts, which puts her right in the ball game here at odds today. Last start, the Well-bred Per Incanto filly (out of a Tavistock mare), rung-up win number three when she took out a Three-Year-Old Open event over 1300m at Otaki. She draws wide here in gate 12 and maps to settle near mid-field. Matthew Cameron has the reins for the first time. Already a winner here, she will need a touch of luck in running but if Cameron can find clean air on straightening, she will have every chance to run them down. Well worth an each-way ticket today.

TAURANGA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.6  BELLEZOR

The Paul Richards-trained BELLEZOR has hit the ground running this time in and third-up today, looks the testing material in this contest. Two starts back, the well-bred Almanzor mare had her first start for the Richards camp (after transferring across from the Lance Noble stable) and fresh after almost a year off the scene, won a 1400m Maiden by two lengths. Then last start, she looked a little unlucky when she stormed home to finish second in a BM65 over the same trip, after being held-up in the run home. She meets similar company here over the 1400m again and with regular rider, Matthew Cameron engaged at Trentham today, apprentice, Ace Lawson-Carroll has the reins. Drawn nicely in gate five here, she maps to settle mid-field with cover and after the claim, drops 3.5kgs from last to carry just 55.5kgs for this event, giving her a bold sight at the weights today. No hiccups here and she looks the one to beat.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.2  INSATIABLE 

The Walker & Bergerson team saddle-up four runners in this contest as we run with INSATIABLE to get the job done today. Last start, the All Too Hard gelding was first-up off a nine-week break when he finished strongly to grab third prize in a BM75 over 1200m at Te Rapa. Tailed off on settling, he spotted the leaders a dozen lengths, then stormed home to be beaten half a length on the line. Unbeaten in two second-up runs to date, he will only strip fitter today and a similar performance should see him fight out the finish again.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 8:  No.8  EYESONLYONME  

The Nigel Tiley-trained EYESONLYONME is second-up today and has enough brownie-points saved up to suggest she is a better than even chance of taking out this contest. Last start, the Irish-sired mare resumed off a 19-week spell where she did a mighty job to beat all but one home in a BM75 over the Ellerslie mile. Trapped three-deep (without cover) to the turn, things didn’t improve in the run home but she still took ground off the leader to finish less than half a length back on the line. Same trip, similar company, only here she draws a gate and jumps from barrier four today where she maps to settle better than mid-field, with cover this time. Already a winner when second-up, she will strip fitter form that first-up effort and should be there at the finish.