New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – Saturday November 19

New Zealand Tips 19/11/2022

Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at Pukekohe and Awapuni Racecourse and gives his best bets.

PUKEKOHE

BEST BET 🏆

Race 8:  No.2  BONNY LASS  ($3.50 with bet365)

The Matamata mare, BONNY LASS has been rapidly climbing the ladder of success and looks ideally placed here for back-to back victories today. Last start, the New Zealand-bred mare was fresh off a lengthy six-month break when she beat home a 13-strong field in the Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Arawa Park. That was ride number eight for Craig Grylls who has steered the mare to four of her six career wins and is on board again today. Already a winner when second-up, she just needs an ounce of luck from the outside gate to cross and settle somewhere with cover and she will again prove hard to hold out today.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6:  No.13  AMAZING GRACE  ($6 with bet365)

The Andrew Forsman-trained AMAZING GRACE has learnt quickly from just four race starts and today she shoots for the hat-trick. Last start, the Tavistock mare made it back-to-back wins as she came off her maiden victory and franked that effort by taking out a harder BM65, here over the mile trip. She arrived late on the scene but Craig Grylls got her over the line in time. With just three runs under her belt, she settled worse than mid-field and travelled three-deep to the turn where she had to fan even wider. She hit the line hard and looked to have plenty in reserve as she grabbed victory on the line. Grylls sticks with her here as she steps-up in grade again but drops 2.5kgs for the contest. She looks a promising type and must be respected in this contest.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.3  MALT TIME  ($8 with TAB)

The Clotworthy team saddle-up MALT TIME here who is flying high at the moment and looks in-line for the hat-trick today. Last start, the Adelaide mare came off a second-up win when she franked that victory by taking out the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint over 1200m at Te Rapa. With Masahiro Hashizume in the saddle, she clocked that trip in a slick 1:09.7 coming from back in the field to grab victory on the line. The extra distance today will suit even better as she had plenty left in the tank last start after crossing the line. One at odds today, she is a track winner and looks a genuine each-way chance here.

AWAPUNI

BEST BET 🏆

Race 3:  No.2  ROCKET SCIENCE  ($3.60 with bet365)

The Bryce Revell-trained ROCKET SCIENCE will relish the downgrade to the track today and second-up, will prove hard to beat here. Last start, the Keano gelding was fresh off a 15-week spell when he did well to grab third prize in a BM75, here over the 1200m trip. Beaten less than two lengths that day, the five-year-old tended to shift in down the straight while the rider (Madan Singh) lost his whip which didn’t help proceedings. Lisa Allpress has the job today and from gate four, maps to settle in the first half-dozen with cover. Placed twice in two previous second-up starts, the gelding brings a glowing resume with him into this contest, boasting nine podium finishes from his 10 career starts to date and looks the testing material here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 4:  No.3  CONOR O’CEIRIN  ($4 with bet365)

The Robbie Patterson-trained CONOR O’CEIRIN has found the podium in three of his four starts this preparation and looks all set here for another top-three finish. Last start, the six-year-old came off a BM75 victory at Waverley when he took on BM88 company at Trentham over 1200m and wasn’t disgraced when he took home third prize that day. Settling a clear last, he saved his best for the run home when he stuck to the fence and took plenty of ground off them, beaten less than a length on the line and turned plenty of heads in that effort. Rock-hard fit today after four starts this time in, Lisa Allpress has the reins and ideally drawn in gate two, the galloper will eat-up the extra 200m today and should prove hard to hold out here.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 9:  No.1  BEAN A PLEASURE  ($8 with Palmerbet)

Gary Vile saddles-up topweight BEAN A PLEASURE here and after three starts this time in, he looks a solid winning chance at odds today. Last start, the Spill The Beans gelding improved enough from his first two starts this preparation where he defied the odds to still take home first prize in a BM60 over 1400m at Woodville. Carrying 60kgs, he jumped from gate 10 (of 14) and travelled three-deep to the turn. His race looked over but Mereana Hudson kept finding more from him and with a second-wind, he showed a good turn-of-foot over the last 100m to get there on the line. Darryl Bradley has ridden him once previously for a win and returns for today’s assignment. Drawn better today in gate seven, he maps to settle better than mid-field (with cover) and after three runs back he should be at his peak for this contest. On his last-start effort, he looks well worth an each-way ticket here.