Gold Coast Preview & Best Bets - Saturday December 17
New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – Saturday December 17
New Zealand Tips 17/12/2022
Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at Te Rapa & Trentham Racecourses and gives his best bets.
TE RAPA
BEST BET 🏆
Race 2: No.3 WHITE NOISE ($2.80 with bet365)
The Andrew Forsman-trained WHITE NOISE returns from a short stint in Australia today and ticks all the boxes that suggest he will be a force in this contest. Last start, the El Roca gelding came off a minor placing in the Moe Cup when he finished just behind the first four in the Listed Melbourne Cup Day Plate over 1800m at Flemington. His return to NZ racing comes here at Te Rapa where his one from one, winning here four starts back in a BM75 Hcp. Kelsey Hannan steered him to victory that day and is back in the saddle for this assignment. The four-year-old has had six weeks off and should be well rested for this race. With a clear run to the line, he should be right in the thick of things today.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 5: No.12 POSER ($6.50 with Palmerbet)
Matamata galloper POSER is unbeaten this time in and down in the weights today, she looks every chance for the hat-trick here. Last start, the Ocean Park mare came off her Maiden win and franked that effort with an impressive effort at Arawa Park where she clobbered a BM65 field, putting 1.5 lengths on them in the 2200m contest. This is her biggest test as she steps up in grade today but drops 3.5kgs for the journey. Tegan Newman is two from two with her and remains in the saddle for this event. Coming in on the limit, she is sure to travel well and could give this a real shake today.
TRENTHAM
BEST BET 🏆
Race 7: No.8 DARCI LA BELLA ($2.80 with Palmerbet)
Trainer, Allan Sharrock, has DARCI LA BELLA firing on all cylinders this time in and in her current form, she looks the one to beat here today. Last start, the Darci Brahma mare came off a big win in the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders when she franked that effort by stepping up to Group 2 company and won by exactly the same margin (three lengths) in the Auckland T’bred Breeders Stks (1400m) at Pukekohe Park. That made it win number five from seven starts this preparation. All ten career wins have come on rain affected tracks and with a Soft 7 forecast for today, conditions will be ideal for her. Jonathan Riddell was aboard for that last-start win and sticks with the mare today. Drawn the middle of the field (gate 6), she maps to settle in the first half-dozen and should prove hard to beat.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 8: No.4 CHARMS STAR ($4.40 with bet365)
The Lisa Latta-trained CHARMS STAR has enjoyed a perfect preparation for the Cup and four starts into this campaign, she looks ready to rock today. After finishing third in the Listed Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) at Awapuni, the Per Incanto mare improved even further when fourth-up, she finished second behind the in-form La Flora Belle in the Listed Wanganui Cup over 2040m. Four starts in now and today she has the experienced Michael McNab in the saddle for his first ride on the five-year-old. She gets the gun-run from gate one today and maps to settle mid-field (with cover). She meets La Flora Belle better at the weights today (who draws wide in gate 11) and has the fresher legs as well. This looks ideal for her and she should be there at the finish.
