New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 18/05/2024

New Zealand Tips for Saturday, May 18

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

TE  RAPA

BEST BET 🏆

Race 1:  No.2  IMA BRAZEN ONE

The Mike Breslin-trained IMA BRAZEN ONE is third-up today and looks every chance of going back-to-back in this contest. Last start, the Brazen Beau filly was second-up when she clobbered them in a Three-Year-Old Open over 1100m at Otaki. After a moderate start, Craig Grylls allowed her to roll-up and take the lead and that was all she wrote. On straightening, she found another gear and left the rest to fight out the minors as she crossed the line more than three lengths ahead of them, with plenty to spare. She looks a very promising filly and with Grylls steering the ship again, she should prove very hard to beat today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 3:  No.5  PART TIME LOVER 

Cody Cole saddles-up PART TIME LOVER here who is yet to miss a top-two finish in three starts and looks well placed here for back-to-back victories today. Last start, the Swiss Ace mare resumed after almost six-months off the scene where she took no prisoners, breaking through for her Maiden win over 1200m at Woodville. She drew wide in gate nine (of 12) that day and with Craig Grylls in charge, settled in the one, one with cover. In the run home, it was one-way traffic as she showed a clean pair of heels and soon after entered another post code, going on to win by three lengths, eased over the line. She draws a gate today and jumps from barrier two with Craig Grylls sticking with her for this assignment. Second-up and even fitter, she looks the goods today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.3  TURN THE ACE 

The Andrew Forsman-trained TURN THE ACE is second-up today and ticks all the boxes that suggest he will take beating in this contest. Last start, the Turn Me Loose gelding resumed off a lengthy six-month absence when she clobbered them in a 1200m Open Hcp on this track. An out and out track specialist, Michael McNab took him to the lead soon after the jump and allowed to dictate terms, he set an even pace and simply had too much ammunition left at the end, cruising to a 3.5 length victory in the end. Opie Bosson takes the reins today (after steering him to victory at his one and only previous ride), and already a three-time winner when second-up, he looks a genuine contender again today.

TRENTHAM

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7:  No.4  ISLINGTON LASS 

In great touch this time in, the Allan Sharrock-trained ISLINGTON LASS is out to make it five-straight top-two finishes here and the stats suggest it’s a real possibility. Last start, the Proisir mare came off a first-up win at Otaki when she drew a horror gate and still beat all but one home in the Listed TAB ANZAC Mile at Otaki. Drawn in gate 15, she settled mid-field and trapped wide to the turn. Straightening even wider, she did a mighty job to finish within half a length of victory, with the winner (Mr Mojo Risin’) getting all the breaks nearer the fence (after box-seating to the turn). McNab has scored three wins and two runner-up trophies with the mare from his six previous rides and not surprisingly sticks with her for this assignment. Already a winner when third-up and a winner at the track and distance, she looks a real threat to this field today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.4  PHATS

Chrissy Bambry saddles-up PHATS here who has been high-flying since resuming and looks well placed here to give this contest a real shake at odds today. Two starts back, the Embellish gelding scored a monstrous maiden win at Waverley, where she carried 68.5kgs and won by 6.5 lengths. Then last start, she found just one a little better on the day, finishing second in a harder BM65 over the mile on a Heavy 8 at Wanganui. Matthew Cameron returns for his second ride on the three-year-old who is clearly in career-best form. At his peak today and drawn nicely in gate four, he looks every chance of victory here at solid each-way odds.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 5:  No.4  OPAWA JACK 

Another from the Chrissy Bambry stable is OPAWA JACK who is third-up today and looks primed for back-to-back victories in this contest. Last start, the War Decree gelding showed plenty of improvement when he took out a BM65 over 1400m on the synthetic track at Awapuni. He has every excuse not to figure in the finish as the topweight (59.5kgs) drew the outside gate (10) and was three-wide to the turn before scouting even wider. He still had something left and finished best in the run to the line. Matthew Cameron is the new pilot today and even fitter after two runs back, the four-year-old looks a real chance at victory here and well worth an each-way ticket.