New Zealand Tips 3/12/2022

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

PUKEKOHE 

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.6  JOHNY JOHNY  ($4 with Unibet)

The Cambridge-based galloper JOHNY JOHNY resumes off a lengthy 33-week break here and boasting a strong fresh record, looks right in the mix in this contest. Last start, the Charm Spirit gelding ended his last campaign by taking out the Listed Power Turf Sprint over 1200m at Hastings. Setting a solid pace, he showed great fight to lead from barrier to box that day. He lines up here winning three of his past four first-up appearances and has Lynsey Satherley back in the saddle who boasts a good record of her own, winning three of five previous rides on the five-year-old. Drawn well in gate six, he maps to settle near the speed and with just 54kgs to carry, he should prove hard to hold out here.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 5:  No.9  DOUBLE O’ SEVEN  ($4.80 with Palmerbet)

The Tony Pike-trained DOUBLE O’ SEVEN is unbeaten at the track and fourth-up here looks ideally placed for back-to-back victories. Last start, the four-year-old found his mojo and third-up, proved too good for them in a BM65, here over the mile trip. He came from mid-field on the turn and finished best with Michael McNab on board that day. The step up in trip looks ideal for him here and although up in grade, he does drop 3.5kgs after the claim. With a trouble-free run, he looks a genuine winning chance.

TRENTHAM

BEST BET 🏆

Race 2:  No.2  MAUNA LOA  ($3 with Palmerbet)

The Paul Moseley-trained MAUNA LOA is in great touch of late and looks well placed here to keep the good work coming. Last start, the Nom Du Jeu gelding came off a good win in BM75 company, here over 2200m when he stepped-up to his first black-type race, taking his place in the Group 3 NZ Cup over the two-mile journey at Riccarton. Not disgraced, he crossed the line in third place, beating 15 others home that day. He drops sharply in grade here and comes back in distance as well which should suit. A winner of three of his past five races, he gets the gun-run from gate one, and looking for win number two here, should prove hard to beat in this contest.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 7:  No.4  REAL SLIM TRADIE  ($5.50 with TAB)

The Kirsty Lawrence-trained REAL SLIM TRADIE has come back in great touch this preparation and looks well placed here to bounce back to the winner’s circle. Last start, the Showcasing gelding was caught too far back after drawing wide and couldn’t recover in time, finishing just behind the placegetters in a BM75 over 1300m at Te Rapa. Beaten less than two lengths that day, he made up a ton of ground in the run home. He faces similar company here but has Michael McNab on board for the first time and already placed twice at the track, the five-year-old knows how to get to the line and should prove hard to hold out here.