Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Saturday 21 February 2026
Our top pick won 2 of 8 races at Otaki. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
Under Orders tops form assessment with unbeatable Otaki 1400m record (2:1-1-0), including latest narrow win on Soft 5 just 12 days ago. Soft track stats strong (3:1-1-0). Barrier 3 suits moderate tempo from midfield.
Improving profile suits step to 1400m in moderate tempo. Soft track query but lightly raced upside and Pike/Marsh preparation edge it over more exposed. Not top due to unproven distance/conditions vs Under Orders' venue mastery.
Oh Maimai progressive with 1400m win on soft, light weight and barrier 2 ideal for Otaki's fair layout. High track condition suitability and consistent placings make it reliable place chance in moderate tempo. Class jump tests but fitness and map provide strong each-way case behind proven track horse.
Our Sniper offers value with strong soft record (4:2-0-1) including recent 1400m Open win on Soft 5, barrier 1 perfect for leading in moderate tempo. Clear value against shorter rivals lacking venue proof.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Oh Maimai | 2 | Jim Chung | Robbie Patterson | 54kg | $10.30 |
| 2nd | 1 | Argo | 5 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 55kg | $2.00 |
| 3rd | 6 | Under Orders | 3 | Kelly Myers | Ms L Latta | 55kg | $8.80 |
| 4th | 7 | Kawakawa | 4 | Bruno Queiroz | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 55kg | $14.10 |
| 5th | 4 | Battle Tycoon | 6 | Jonathan Riddell | S B Marsh | 57kg | $2.30 |
| Scr | 2 | Our Sniper | 1 | Toni Davies | Ms L Latta | 56kg | |
| Scr | 3 | Spandeedo | 7 | G H Sharrock | 58kg |
Sierra Leone stands out on pure form with unmatched exposure (12 starts, 8 placings) including recent narrow 2nd at Otaki 1200m on Soft 5 just 13 days ago. Soft track record excellent (8:0-4-1), barrier 5 ideal for sprint chute start, and class drop enhances win chance. Best win chance despite no victory yet.
Captain Roy shows reliable consistency with 4 top-5 finishes in last 5 starts, including recent 3rd on Soft 6 at 1100m. Soft record okay (7:0-0-1), class drop positive, and Hemi's form strong.
Silent Applause brings strong track-specific form with recent 3rd at Otaki 1200m on Soft 5 (12 days ago), matching today's conditions perfectly. Barrier 1 is prime for Otaki's sprint chute start, second-up stats reliable, and class drop helps. Soft/heavy exposure (6:0-0-3) suits conditions. Solid place chance despite unknown jockey.
Barrier 3 perfect, Jim Chung experienced at Otaki.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Sierra Leone | 5 | Kelly Myers | J W Benner | 56kg | $2.00 |
| 2nd | 4 | Roc All Night | 3 | Jim Chung | Robbie Patterson | 57kg | $3.60 |
| 3rd | 1 | Captain Roy | 8 | Leah Hemi | P W Lock | 58.5kg | $4.90 |
| 4th | 3 | So We Go | 4 | Bruno Queiroz | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 58kg | $9.90 |
| 5th | 2 | Dashamosa | 2 | Toni Davies | A Froggatt | 56.5kg | $26.50 |
| 6th | 6 | Lucky Penny | 6 | Mereana Hudson | Adam Scott | 56.5kg | $19.90 |
| 7th | 8 | Pauatui | 7 | Alan Lai | A C Baker | 54kg | $52.10 |
| Scr | 5 | Silent Applause | 1 | Ms L Latta | 56.5kg |
1200m record 0-1-3 from 5 starts, barrier 6 ideal for midfield in moderate tempo Otaki sprint. Soft track suits (6 soft starts, 3 places). Top form pick despite no recent win.
Casino resumes first-up with superb fresh record (2:1-1-0), including 1200m BM65 2nd before spell. Moderate tempo suits forward run from barrier 7. BM65 rise manageable with prior exposure. Strong form signals outweigh class jump.
Spandeedo drops significantly in class with excellent heavy track record (5:1-1-1) ideal for Soft5. 1200m 1-0-1 from 4, prior Otaki Listed 4th on heavy. Wide draw tests but leaders 1-2 may set moderate tempo for late charge.
Sassalita won Otaki 1200m maiden from barrier 15, now draws perfect gate 1 for early speed in 1200m chute start. Recent Ellerslie BM65 6th from barrier 6 fair effort.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Casino | 7 | Kavish Chowdhoory | B E Newman | 57.5kg | $4.70 |
| 2nd | 7 | Shacktime | 3 | Kelly Myers | S A Sharrock | 57kg | $6.20 |
| 3rd | 3 | Dazz | 2 | Bruno Queiroz | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 58.5kg | $3.90 |
| 4th | 6 | Liechtenstein | 6 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 54kg | $3.10 |
| 5th | 1 | The Weapon | 8 | Liam Kauri | Ms S Gordon | 57.5kg | $26.00 |
| 6th | 2 | Spandeedo | 9 | Alan Lai | G H Sharrock | 57kg | $14.50 |
| 7th | 8 | Sassalita | 1 | Leah Hemi | P W Lock | 56.5kg | $9.30 |
| 8th | 9 | Littleredcorvette | 4 | Jim Chung | Brian Lines | 53kg | $30.00 |
| Scr | 5 | Chester Boy | 5 | Jonathan Riddell | J R Wheeler | 57.5kg |
Freebelle stands out on pure form with 3-1-0 from 12 career starts and strong wet track affinity (2-1-0 on heavy). Barrier 3 perfect for weak inside bias, likely midfield position suits moderate tempo at Otaki staying trip.
Recent form sharp: won Greymouth BM65 Soft7 2000m, then 3rd Reefton BM75 2000m, 2nd Kumara BM75. 2-0-2 from 6 at distance, light 55kg suits. Midfield map ideal for moderate tempo. Solid each-way despite softer soft record.
Country Salon gets class relief dropping from G2 Te Rapa (11th but prior Listed placings). 50% place rate from 8 starts. Barrier 8 neutral but likely leader map helps moderate tempo.
5th last start Otaki BM75 but closer trip suits stayer. Moderate tempo favours forward map from gate.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Platinum Goddess | 4 | Bruno Queiroz | Ms L Latta | 56.5kg | $3.60 |
| 2nd | 5 | Sheaf | 2 | Floor Moerman | K T Myers | 55kg | $8.00 |
| 3rd | 1 | Freebelle | 3 | Jim Chung | Robbie Patterson | 58kg | $5.50 |
| 4th | 4 | Princess Elly | 7 | Toni Davies | S C Ivil | 56kg | $8.60 |
| 5th | 3 | Innocent Victim | 5 | Leah Hemi | S D Cole | 58.5kg | $11.60 |
| 6th | 6 | Stringline | 1 | Kavish Chowdhoory | Ms C Evans | 57.5kg | $8.80 |
| 7th | 2 | Country Salon | 8 | Sam McNab | G H Sharrock | 55.5kg | $4.20 |
| 8th | 8 | Lady's Secret | 6 | Kelly Myers | Andrew Campbell | 54kg | $24.30 |
| 9th | 9 | Just A Drop | 9 | Mereana Hudson | Peter Fitzgerald | 54kg | $100.60 |
Komocean tops form assessment with 60% win/place strike rate from limited starts, recent BM75 win on Soft 7 at 1200m and strong 3rd on Heavy last start. High suitability for Soft 5, class drop from BM75, lightly raced 4yo with upward trend. Moderate tempo and Otaki's fair 1400m layout mitigate wide draw.
Barrier 6 ideal for midfield settling in moderate tempo.
Improving trend outweighs low strike rate in this BM75 field.
Barrier 5 suits, overlooked due to class rise but consistent placings (50% rate) offer upside in open BM75.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Wingman | 6 | Jim Chung | R J Bergerson | 57.5kg | $7.70 |
| 2nd | 11 | Monologue | 3 | Toni Davies | A R Fieldes | 52.5kg | $7.80 |
| 3rd | 2 | Riverplate | 8 | Alan Lai | Andrew Campbell | 57.5kg | $8.70 |
| 4th | 7 | Vittorio Veneto | 7 | Leah Hemi | P W Lock | 58kg | $25.00 |
| 5th | 10 | Metaverse | 11 | Kavish Chowdhoory | Ms C Evans | 54.5kg | $21.00 |
| 6th | 8 | Kosta | 1 | Bruno Queiroz | M P Breslin | 57kg | $9.10 |
| 7th | 9 | Pax Mundi | 2 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 52kg | $12.70 |
| 8th | 5 | Komocean | 10 | Kelly Myers | S A Sharrock | 58kg | $3.00 |
| 9th | 1 | Gohugo | 4 | Liam Kauri | Guy Lowry & Leah Zydenbos | 57.5kg | $16.30 |
| 10th | 6 | Pepeha | 9 | Jonathan Riddell | M P Breslin | 58kg | $26.10 |
| 11th | 3 | Complex | 5 | Mereana Hudson | Ms I Kelly | 59kg | $9.20 |
Oneira tops form assessment with improving pattern, recent Trentham win, and strong soft record (8:1-3-2). Soft 5 suits perfectly, barrier 2 ideal for Otaki 1200m sprint start. Moderate-fast tempo favours midfield map.
Komocean's elite strike rates (60% win/place) and recent BM75 form make her major threat despite limited starts. Soft/heavy record strong, fitness ideal for moderate-fast tempo. Barrier 11 manageable at Otaki with true rail. Clear class rise but form patterns superior to most.
Fancy Like Lass brings venue suitability with Otaki 1200m win and strong soft record. First-up stats solid, high place rate reliable for exotics. Backmarker map suits moderate-fast tempo at fair Otaki track. Class rise concern but local form edges beaten rivals.
Distance specialist, class drop positive, first-up win potential. Long spell risk but superior experience to most.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 9 | Oneira | 2 | Leah Hemi | C W Cole | 54kg | $3.40 |
| 2nd | 7 | Idyllic | 3 | Rohan Mudhoo | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 54kg | $12.50 |
| 3rd | 3 | Slipper Island | 4 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 54kg | $4.60 |
| 4th | 11 | Master Brutus | 5 | Kelly Myers | Hanna Orting & Sophia Nolan | 54kg | $5.70 |
| 5th | 8 | Cooper | 9 | Bruno Queiroz | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 54kg | $5.10 |
| 6th | 2 | Silent Is Gold | 8 | Jim Chung | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 56.5kg | $9.60 |
| 7th | 5 | Kopua | 12 | Floor Moerman | K T Myers | 52.5kg | $17.50 |
| 8th | 1 | Bradman | 7 | Alan Lai | R J Bergerson | 60kg | $14.00 |
| Scr | 4 | Mercurial | 6 | Kavish Chowdhoory | S B Marsh | 56kg | |
| Scr | 6 | Fancy Like Lass | 10 | Toni Davies | S Thompson Brown & M Brown | 52kg | |
| Scr | 10 | Komocean | 11 | S A Sharrock | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 12 | Riverplate | 1 | Andrew Campbell | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | Southern Chilli | 13 | C A Bambry | 54kg |
Bridal Train stands out on form with high soft track record (7:2-3-0) and strong Otaki history (5:1-1-1). Recent 1600m win on Heavy 8 at Otaki and 3rd in G3 1800m show fitness. Barrier 5 suits weak inside bias at Soft 5 Otaki 1600m.
Recent 2nd at Tauranga 1500m behind strong form. However unproven Soft5 (4:1-1-1) and barrier 9 neutralise inside bias. Solid chance but form selects Bridal Train superior on conditions-specific metrics.
Recent wins at Kumara/Greymouth carrying 57kg mirror today's weight. Barrier 4 exploits Otaki inside bias. Strong each-way value.
Barrier 1 perfect for Soft5 inside bias, 52kg light. Recent form shows fitness despite modest stats.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Freddie Time | 8 | Liam Kauri | Kelvin Tyler | 55kg | $13.60 |
| 2nd | 9 | Bridal Train | 5 | Kelly Myers | S A Sharrock | 54kg | $5.70 |
| 3rd | 3 | Cannon Hill | 7 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 54kg | $8.00 |
| 4th | 7 | Super Photon | 2 | Kavish Chowdhoory | S B Marsh | 55kg | $8.30 |
| 5th | 6 | Herbert | 3 | Toni Davies | J R Wheeler | 54.5kg | $23.10 |
| 6th | 8 | Dealt With | 9 | Bruno Queiroz | R James & R Wellwood | 54.5kg | $2.10 |
| 7th | 1 | Bozo | 4 | Floor Moerman | K T Myers | 57.5kg | $12.10 |
| 8th | 2 | Sunset Boulevard | 6 | Sarah O'Malley | K T Myers | 58.5kg | $19.60 |
| 9th | 11 | Sevenayes | 1 | Alan Lai | M P Breslin | 52kg | $24.30 |
| Scr | 5 | Electron | 8 | Mereana Hudson | Ms S P Mynott | 56.5kg | |
| Scr | 10 | Nancy She Wrote | 10 | Leah Hemi | Ben & Ryan Foote | 54kg |
Lightly raced improver handles class rise better than most; wide draw manageable in moderate-fast tempo on fair Otaki layout.
Barrier 5 exploits Otaki's weak inside preference; midfield map perfect for predicted moderate-fast tempo.
Barrier 11 tests in speed map but value in upset-prone Otaki BM65.
Fringes offers value as recent Otaki Soft5 maiden winner (from barrier 14) now dropping sharply from G2. Lightly raced 3yo with barrier 6 advantage; high soft suitability in BM65.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | The Exponent | 5 | Jonathan Riddell | S B Marsh | 59.5kg | $4.50 |
| 2nd | 1 | Andahar | 13 | Sam McNab | S Ritchie & C Murray | 57kg | $3.40 |
| 3rd | 6 | Possess | 9 | Floor Moerman | K T Myers | 55.5kg | $12.90 |
| 4th | 13 | Say I Do | 8 | Mereana Hudson | F P Campbell | 55kg | $20.40 |
| 5th | 8 | Poukawa | 12 | Leah Hemi | Guy Lowry & Leah Zydenbos | 58kg | $9.90 |
| 6th | 10 | Dark And Dusty | 4 | Liam Kauri | S Nickalls | 55.5kg | $22.40 |
| 7th | 12 | Fringes | 6 | Kelly Myers | Ms I Kelly | 56kg | $11.60 |
| 8th | 7 | Kawatiri | 10 | Jim Chung | M N Eales | 57kg | $33.50 |
| 9th | 4 | Piercing Arrow | 11 | Sarah O'Malley | J R Wheeler | 59kg | $13.40 |
| 10th | 2 | Our Sniper | 3 | Ms L Latta | 59.5kg | $14.00 | |
| 11th | 9 | Zackery | 1 | Toni Davies | M N Eales | 56kg | $30.50 |
| 12th | 11 | The Liquidator | 2 | Kavish Chowdhoory | L H W Mudgway | 57kg | $9.10 |
| Scr | 5 | Loose Jewels | 7 | Bruno Queiroz | Kevin & Stephen Gray | 58.5kg |
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