Best Bets

Race 3 - #2 THUNDER

He is an absolute model of consistency this horse and although he has drawn the outside gate, I think the race maps well for him to settle just outside the speed around fourth position. The race favourite #3 HABANA will be hard to roll again but faces a rise in the weights of 4kg here and THUNDER has the 4kg claim oh Hamish McNeil to assist. Given the margin between these two was just 1 length last start, I think THUNDER can turn the tables here.

Race 4 - #4 CHURCHILLIAN

A good field of 3YO’s go to battle here and there appears to be a decent amount of early speed in the race. #4 CHURCHILLIAN has drawn nicely in gate 6 and Vinnie Colgan should have his choice of where he wants to settle here. The pair look likely to end up in a trailing or one out position and this smart filly has a strong will to win, which will make her hard to head off down the straight.

Value Bet

Race 7 - #15 MAZZOLINO (Each Way)

Feature Race Preview

Race 7 - NZ THOROUGHBRED BREEDERS' STAKES (GROUP 1)

Key Runners

#1 MUSTANG VALLEY

#15 MAZZOLINO

Summary

The speed in the race looks moderate and race favourite #1 MUSTANG VALLEY will have the wide gate to overcome, but I feel she will get back in this field and shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a nice spot. Her form suggests she is the superior horse in this, and she has shown she can sustain a long, sweeping run to the line. As long as the rain comes and the track gets in the soft range, I think she will be winning here.

One runner I don’t want to send around without a small each way play on is #15 MAZZOLINO. She is drawn to get a peach of a run in behind the speed and this crop of 3YO’s record at WFA this season is spectacular. Her form has been around all of the top 3YO’s in the country this prep and with the run she maps to get and her wet track record, she is a definite each way play here.

Betting Strategy

Back (Win) - #1 MUSTANG VALLEY

Back (Each Way) - #15 MAZZOLINO