New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – Saturday September 24

New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – 20/04/2024

 

New Zealand Tips 24/09/2022

Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for Saturday’s horse racing at Awapuni and Ruakaka Racecourses and gives his best bets.

 

AWAPUNI

 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 5:  No.1  BUTLER  ($2.10 with Ladbrokes)

The Allan Sharrock-trained BUTLER is third-up here and looks well placed to keep his unbeaten track record intact. Last start, the Showcasing gelding went to the gates at Te Rapa as our Best Bet on the program and unfortunately, found one just a little better when finishing second in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m). He looked a real treat that day but found Imperatriz too good on the day, finishing five lengths behind the talented galloper. There’s no Imperatriz here and he drops back to Open class company which should prove an easier task to handle. Two from two at the track and distance and all five career wins have come on wet tracks. He looks the goods in this contest.

 

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.9  CORK  ($5 with Neds)

The Matamata-based CORK bounced back nicely at Hastings and looks well placed here to go even one better in this contest. Last start, the Complacent mare was coming off a poor showing at Te Rapa (where she finished 12th of 16) when she beat all but one home in Open company over the mile at Hastings. From 11 career starts to date, she has managed three wins and as many runner-up finishes with all six podium finishes coming on heavy tracks so conditions here look ideal for her. She has drawn wide here but maps to settle near mid-field with cover. A trouble-free run here should see her fight out the finish in this company.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 8:  No.5  SIDEBAR  ($13 with Unibet

New Plymouth galloper SIDEBAR is second-up today and ticks all the boxes to suggest she is a real chance here at (currently) double-figure odds. Last start, the Reliable Man mare had her first races-start in more than a year and finishing mid-field in the BM75 Hcp over the mile, clearly showed she was in need of that hit-out. Her only visit here saw her victorious and Hazel Schofer is two from two in the saddle as well. Already a two-time winner when second-up, she looks a genuine each-way ticket here.

 

 

RUAKAKA

 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.4  CHEVRON  ($2.80 with Unibet)

The Chris Gibbs-trained CHEVRON has put together five-straight podium finishes and looks well placed here to go on with it. Last start, the El Roca gelding beat all but one home in the Ruakaka Cup over 2200m. That was his sixth top-three finish in eight starts at the track. He meets similar company here but has a change of rider with Michael McNab giving the orders for the first time. All three career wins have come on soft tracks so conditions here look ideal. From an ideal draw (gate three), the track specialist looks the one to beat in this contest.

 

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 8:  No.5  SONOFABUTCHER  ($4 with Neds)

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have SONOFABUTCHER engaged here and in his current form and with boxes ticked, he looks the testing material in this event. Last start, the Buffalo Man gelding came off a BM65 victory, here over 1600m when he stepped up to BM75 company over the shorter 1400m trip and beat all but one home that day, beaten two lengths on the line. Joe Kamaruddin retains the ride and an ideal draw in gate two sees him with no early work to do as he maps to settle mid-field with plenty of cover. He is a two-time winner here and missed a top-three finish just once in seven starts at the track. A trouble-free run should see him figure in the finish in this contest.

 

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 4:  No.4  TELLALL  ($8 with Ladbrokes)

Tony Pike saddles-up TELLALL here who resumes from a lengthy 22-week break and boasting a solid fresh record, can give this contest a real shake at odds. Last start, the Spill The Beans gelding wasn’t disgraced when finishing mid-field in the Group 3 Easter Cup over the mile at Pukekohe Park. He drew thew car park that day (15 of 15) and was beaten less than four lengths on the line. The smaller field here will suit him better as he maps to settle better than mid-field and has Michael McNab returning for the ride (after steering him to all five career wins to date). Already a winner when fresh and a three-time over the mile, he can cause plenty of problems for this field in this event.