Canberra Preview & Best Bets – 15/09/2023
New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 16/09/2023
New Zealand Tips for Saturday, September 16
Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at New Plymouth & Riccarton Racecourses and gives his best bets.
NEW PLYMOUTH
BEST BET 🏆
Race 8: No.5 IDEAL ($3.25 with BoomBet)
Allan Sharrock saddles-up IDEAL here who is second-up and looks well placed to salute in this contest. Last start, the Savabeel mare was fresh off a 10-week break when she finished mid-field in a BM75 Hcp over 1400m at Te Rapa with Craig Grylls aboard. Just prior to that, Grylls rode her to victory in a BM75 over 1500m at the same track. Today she steps up to the mile where she is already a winner and has Grylls sticking with her again. From gate five, she maps to settle mid-field with cover and should be showing us her best in the run home today.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 2: No.3 ENCHANTED ELLE ($5.60 with BoomBet)
The Shaun Phelan-trained ENCHANTED ELLE has been mixing her form this campaign but looks well placed in this contest to bring up her seventh career win today. Last start, the Jakkalberry mare came off a win in a BM88 over 2200m when she stepped back in distance and finished last (of six) over 1600m at Hawera. The track was a Good 4 that day and the mare is yet to make the podium after three starts on dry tracks. The Soft 9 surface today looks ideal for her as she welcomes back Toni Davies who steered her to victory at Awapuni four starts back. The 4kg claim sees the six-year-old carrying 4kgs under the limit here and with all six career wins coming on wet tracks, the scene looks set here for a return to the podium today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 5: No.4 LADIES MAN ($7.50 with Ladbrokes)
The Allan Sharrock-trained LADIES MAN is second-up today and his resume suggests he is a genuine chance of taking this out. Last start, the Zed gelding was fresh off a lengthy 23-week absence when he did well to finish third in an unsuitable 1200m contest, here on a Heavy 10. He draws wide today but has Michael McNab in the saddle for the first time and has won here previously. His second-up record shines with two win from three previous second-up appearances. Plenty of boxes ticked here which puts him in the ball park at odds today.
RICCARTON
BEST BET 🏆
Race 8: No.2 VIVA VIENNA ($1.90 with Ladbrokes)
The very promising VIVA VIENNA faces her biggest test to date here but has the runs on the board to suggest she is the one to beat in this contest. Last start, the All Too Hard filly came off a 17-week spell and on fresh legs, did enough to get the job done when she won a three-year-old contest, here over 1000m. Full of confidence, Sam Weatherley took the filly straight to the lead and ridden patiently, asked her for an effort in the run home and she delivered, holding off Illicit Dreams to the line. Fitter for that run, the filly gets the gun-run from gate one today and looks certain to lead them again from that alley. Weatherley sticks with her and enjoying all the spoils here, she should prove very hard to run down again.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 4: No.3 PRINCE ALBY ($3.85 with BoomBet)
The Kelvin Tyler-trained PRINCE ALBY is third-up today and back to his best form, looks right in this contest. Last start, the Sacred Falls gelding was second-up and improved enough to beat home Open class company, here over 1800m. With Krishna Mudhoo on board, he ploughed through the Heavy 10 conditions and came from last (scouting the outside fence) to arrive in time and claim the winner’s cheque. Mudhoo sticks with him today and boasting two wins on top of the ground, the Good 3 conditions today look ideal for him. He is still expected to slot in behind them at barrier rise but already a winner when third-up, he should be at his peak now and looks the testing material today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7: No.5 AMBERECHO ($4.65 with BoomBet)
Team Parsons saddle-up AMBERECHO here who has found the podium in all six starts here and second-up today, looks set to keep that trend going. Last start, the Echoes Of Heaven mare was fresh off a lengthy 21-week spell when she beat all but one home in Open company, here over 1000m. Her resume glows, showing a win and five minor placings here and is a two-time winner when second-up. Kylie Williams returns for the ride today after steering the mare to three wins and two minor placings from her eight rides on the five-year-old. Five of her six victories have come over the 1200m trip and three of those on dry tracks which suggests she just might take some beating today.
