Canberra Preview July 21 - Friday Best Bets & Tips
New Zealand Preview July 22 – Saturday Best Bets & Tips
New Zealand Tips 22/07/2023
Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at New Plymouth and Tauranga Racecourses and gives his best bets.
NEW PLYMOUTH
BEST BET 🏆
Race 8: No.2 FLOWER OF WANAKA ($2.75 with BoomBet)
The Chrissy Bambry-trained FLOWER OF WANAKA has hit the ground running this time in and looks a genuine chance of going back-to-back today. Last start, the Burgundy mare resumed after spending six months in the paddock and made her return a memorable one, putting almost two lengths on them in the Listed Taranga Classic (1400m) at Hastings. She drops in grade today and has Lily Sutherland remaining aboard for this assignment. After the claim, she carries less weight here and maps to settle just behind the speed. Fitter for that first-up win, she should take beating here.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 5: No.13 WESSEX ($5 with Ladbrokes)
The Andrew Forsman trained WESSEX is third-up today and with runs on the board this preparation, she looks right in the mix here. Two starts back, the Turn Me Loose filly was fresh off a four-month break when she came out and clobbered them in the Group 3 Rotorua Itm Stakes over 1400m at Arawa Park. Then last start, she wasn’t disgraced when finishing fourth (of 12) in the Listed Taranga Classic. She drew the outside gate that day and went too fast too early and had nothing left over the final 200m. As luck would have it, she has the outside gate again but with Michael McNab aboard, the early tactics could be different today. Third-up, she should be nearing her peak and is a genuine chance to take the cup home.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 3: No.2 STALLONE ($5.50 with Bet Right)
Anna Clement saddles-up two runners here as we run with STALLONE who looks the most likely to take out this contest. Last start, the Savabeel gelding came off a big win in BM75 company at Awapuni when he travelled wide all the way at Trentham and was never in the contest, finishing unplaced in the 1400m event. Michael McNab returns for today’s assignment who has steered the four-year-old to three top-two finishes from his three rides to date. All three career wins have come on wet tracks so conditions here today (Heavy 10) look ideal. Unbeaten in two starts at New Plymouth, he looks poised to bounce back today.
TAURANGA
BEST BET 🏆
Race 3: No.2 DAWN PARADE ($3.40 with Bet Right)
The Tony Pike-trained DAWN PARADE is second-up today and ticks all the boxes for a big performance here. Last start, the Dawn Approach gelding resumed from an 18-week break when he clobbered an Open company field over 1200m at Te Rapa. In heavy conditions that day, he settled mid-field but unhappy with the pace, Kozzi Asano pushed him to the lead mid-race and he proved too strong in the run home, putting 2.5 lengths on them across the line. He is up in weight today but should strip even fitter for that first-up win. He is a three-time winner in heavy going so conditions today are ideal. He looks the goods in the small field.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 7: No.2 OUR TRISTABELLE ($4.50 with Neds)
The Team Williams-trained OUR TRISTABELLE is back in the headlines after three starts this time in and looks a genuine chance for back-to-back wins today. Last start, the Tavistock mare remained unbeaten when third-up by taking out a BM75 over 1560m at Arawa Park. She relished the (heavy) conditions that day and fought off the challenge from Above The Clouds as the pair of them put more than four lengths on the rest of the field. The four-year-old grey has webbed feet when it comes to wet tracks, with all four of her career wins coming in the conditions. She is a winner at the track and distance ticking more boxes for her chances today.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 5: No.8 ELECTRIC TIME ($13 with Ladbrokes)
The locally-trained ELECTRIC TIME has found her mojo this time in and looks a good chance of bringing up the hat-trick today at good odds. Last start, the Telperion mare crushed her rivals in a BM65 Hcp over 1400m at Te Rapa. She settled mid-field and then took control on straightening where she left them all to fight out the minors as she crossed the line more than five lengths ahead of them. Ngakau Hailey steered her to victory that day and has the reins again here. She is stepping up in grade but carries 2kgs less after the claim and is ideally drawn in gate three for the event. Now a two-time winner in heavy going, she will relish the conditions today and is well worth an each-way ticket here.
