Gold Coast Preview & Best Bets - Friday August 26
New Zealand Preview & Best Bets – Saturday August 27
New Zealand Tips 27/08/2022
Our form expert provides New Zealand tips for today’s horse racing at New Zealand Racecourse and gives his best bets.
TE RAPA
BEST BET 🏆
Race 6: No.7 BUTLER ($4.40 with bet365)
The Allan Sharrock-trained BUTLER has made an impressive start to his racing career and certainly looks the one to beat here. Last start, the Showcasing gelding made his first appearance in almost a year when on fresh legs he smashed them in an Open company affair, here over 1200m. Despite being first-up, he was sent out a $1.70 chance and didn’t disappoint, coming from mid-field early, to go on and take the honours by three lengths on the line. This is one smart galloper and while stepping up to black-type racing here, he still looks the one to beat.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 3: No.5 SHE’S SO RELIABLE ($6.50 with Unibet)
The John Bary-trained SHE’S SO RELIABLE has mixed her form of late but looks every chance of back-to-back victories here. Last start, the Reliable Man mare came off a hat-trick of unplaced runs when she beat home a BM65 field over 2200m at Hastings. She won by a length on the line and that was her first success on a heavy track as well. She finished mid-field here four starts back but appears to have turned her form around now. Lisa Allpress was aboard for that last-start win and boasts two wins and three minor placings from six previous rides on the mare and is sticking with her in this contest. She is up slightly in grade here but still looks in the mix.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 5: No.12 WINDSPEED ($8.50 with bet365)
Stephen Marsh saddles-up WINDSPEED here who looks on-track for the hat-trick in this event. Last start, the Tavistock mare made it consecutive victories when she took out a Three-Year-Old Hcp, here over 1400m. That was her second win from four starts at this track and she did it in style, leading all the way. She is ideally drawn again in gate four, and in a larger field, may even take a sit from that gate. Sam Weatherley rode her to victory two starts back and is back in the saddle here. The wetter the better for this girl and with conditions to suit, she looks a genuine winning chance here at generous odds.
AWAPUNI
BEST BET 🏆
Race 4: No.3 HOOKS ($2.90 with Unibet)
The Kevin Myers-trained HOOKS is in outstanding form this time in and is more than capable of bringing up the hat-trick here. Last start, the five-year-old gelding made it back-to-back wins when he easily accounted for a BM75 field over 1200m at Riccarton. Up in grade here, this will be a little tougher however after the claim, he is dropping 8.5kgs from his last start which will prove to be an asset in the run. He draws the outside gate here but has the early speed to cross in the small field and settle near the lead. Winning form is good form and he looks the one beat in this contest.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6: No.2 SEMPER MAGICO ($3.20 with BlueBet)
The locally-trained SEMPER MAGICO is unbeaten this time in and looks a big show of remaining that way after this event. Last start, the Per Incanto gelding made it look easy when accounting for a BM74 field over 1400m at Trentham. Leading from the outset, he was ridden a treat by Chris Dell to go on with it and put 2.5 lengths on them in the end. Dell sticks with him here and all he needs is a touch of luck from his wide gate (9) and he can go on to make it a hat-trick in this contest.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 7: No.7 TIMBERLAKE ($3.80 with Palmerbet)
The Roydon Bergerson-trained TIMBERLAKE is up in class here but drops enough in weight to be considered a real contender in this contest. Last start, the Redwood gelding was third-up when he beat all but one home in Open company over the mile at Trentham. Coming from well back in the field, he was beaten a neck on the line that day. Fitter for three runs this time in, he carries just 50kgs here after the claim and already a winner at the trip, should prove hard to hold out here.
