Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Saturday 28 February 2026
Our top pick won 3 of 9 races at Matamata. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
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Savabeel progeny suits Matamata's stamina demands and moderate-fast tempo. Elite stable with strong first-up stats, barrier 6 exploits weak inside bias on Soft 6. Cartwright/Grylls booking adds intent despite no recent wins for jockey here. Best pure form in maiden.
3:0-2-1 at distance, handles soft (5:0-0-2). Cartwright's excellent Matamata record (27%) key. Maps midfield-back but Matamata's fair turns suit strong finisher.
Debutant from powerhouse Walker/Bergerson stable (high first-starter strike), Grylls (16% track) from ideal barrier 1 exploiting weak inside bias on spacious Matamata. Suits moderate-fast tempo for settled runner on fair track.
Goyaram (8% track) retains ride, light 56kg helps in compressed weights.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Silent Spy | 9 | Jasmine Fawcett | G J Old | 58kg | $6.70 |
| 2nd | 6 | Fan The Hammers | 13 | Rihaan Goyaram | G Richardson & R Norvall | 56kg | $9.10 |
| 3rd | 5 | Night Wolf | 11 | Matthew Cartwright | Ms K A Hoskin | 58kg | $6.50 |
| 4th | 12 | Solid Gold | 6 | George Rooke | R James & R Wellwood | 56kg | $2.50 |
| 5th | 14 | Arrazola | 1 | Craig Grylls | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 56kg | $6.10 |
| 6th | 4 | Rocky Marciano | 7 | Darren Danis | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 58.5kg | $22.40 |
| 7th | 2 | Loose Change | 3 | Tayla Mitchell | M & K Murdoch | 57.5kg | $17.10 |
| 8th | 9 | Full Voltage | 2 | Hayley Hassman | M L Rogers | 56kg | $53.00 |
| 9th | 1 | Apollyon | 5 | Lynsey Satherley | B K Pinny | 58.5kg | $64.10 |
| 10th | 10 | Da Ace | 4 | Jack Taplin | D B Hollinshead | 55kg | $56.40 |
| 11th | 3 | Cadel | 10 | Sienna Brown | D S Wilson | 54.5kg | $138.50 |
| 12th | 8 | Chekhov | 8 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $16.80 |
| Scr | 11 | Singing Soldier | 14 | S & E Clotworthy | 58kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | G'day Goldie | 12 | Andrew Forsman | 56kg |
Elite jockey Warren Kennedy upgrades significantly (20% track strike). Barrier 5 perfect for weak inside bias on spacious Matamata.
Consistent traveller with 8 top-3 finishes in last 13 starts, solid soft record (0-1-5 from 8). Light weight helps in compressed scale. Moderate tempo suits likely forward run from gate. Strong place claims.
Ryan Elliot continues. Wide draw concern but Matamata's sweeping turns fairer than tight tracks. Moderate tempo from midfield suits.
Barrier 6 ideal, all 6 career starts on soft. Same stable as Buccino suggests intent. Recent 11th was 1600m (back to 1400m suits), prior track form excellent. Wide outside bias no issue from good gate. Each-way value.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Victor Tango | 5 | Warren Kennedy | D G Greene | 58kg | $3.50 |
| 2nd | 10 | Moonbeams | 8 | Michael Mc Nab | Andrew Forsman | 56kg | $10.30 |
| 3rd | 9 | Artamos | 6 | Jasmine Fawcett | G Richardson & R Norvall | 56.5kg | $27.10 |
| 4th | 6 | O'hello | 3 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $5.40 |
| 5th | 11 | Scaredoheights | 9 | Craig Grylls | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 56kg | $34.00 |
| 6th | 8 | Buccino | 1 | Rihaan Goyaram | G Richardson & R Norvall | 54.5kg | $9.40 |
| 7th | 13 | Fantastic Ideas | 11 | George Rooke | R James & R Wellwood | 56kg | $13.20 |
| 8th | 14 | Tailoress | 2 | Rory Hutchings | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | 56kg | $15.90 |
| 9th | 3 | Zavador | 13 | Lynsey Satherley | Debbie Sweeney | 58.5kg | $88.90 |
| 10th | 7 | Sapphire Patch | 7 | Corentin Berge | Ms M Falconer | 58kg | $75.10 |
| 11th | 2 | He's Divine | 4 | Tayla Mitchell | Tarissa Macdonald | 57.5kg | $13.20 |
| 12th | 4 | Oceania Flame | 14 | Sienna Brown | L Te Keeti | 54.5kg | $96.10 |
| Scr | 1 | Starclan | 10 | Ryan Elliot | C R Mccarroll | 58.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Bellafiore | 12 | R James & R Wellwood | 56kg |
Soft record 4:1-1-1 perfect for today's conditions. Light 53kg a major plus on weights scale, moderate tempo suits midfield finish. Class rise concerns offset by trajectory and Matamata's fair track rewarding stamina.
Our Lurrina excels at Matamata (2:1-1-0), recent close 2nd on Heavy 9 over 1400m shows wet-track ability. O'Sullivan/Scott with Cartwright (25% combo) strong. Moderate tempo and spacious track suit.
Barrier 5 suits weak inside bias. Walker/Bergerson stable form strong despite recent BM65 9th.
Consistent 302 form in maidens, soft record 2:0-1-0 suits conditions. Moderate tempo on spacious Matamata favours.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Circus Trix | 6 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 55kg | $4.00 |
| 2nd | 8 | Burnerphone | 7 | Hayley Hassman | B H King | 53kg | $2.30 |
| 3rd | 1 | Cease And Desist | 5 | Rory Hutchings | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 57kg | $10.30 |
| 4th | 3 | Wolf God | 2 | George Rooke | Ms P Gerard | 56kg | $9.40 |
| 5th | 6 | Our Lurrina | 4 | Matthew Cartwright | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 55kg | $3.70 |
| 6th | 5 | Nordic Raider | 8 | L Te Keeti | 56kg | $60.90 | |
| 7th | 4 | Kwocksun | 3 | Tayla Mitchell | N H O'dowd | 55kg | $32.80 |
| Scr | 2 | The Espy | 9 | Rihaan Goyaram | Andrew Forsman | 55kg | |
| Scr | 9 | Uptown | 1 | Craig Grylls | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 55kg |
Barrier 6 exploits weak inside bias (13% win rate), midfield settling suits Matamata's stamina-testing layout and predicted moderate-fast tempo favouring strong finishers. Recent fitness from 3 starts, high track suitability.
Perfect Dividends tops pure form with BM75 win 20 days ago on Soft5 at 1300m (beaten rivals here), plus 2-1-0 at 1400m and 0-2-0 at Matamata. Barrier 5 perfect for inside bias, likely leader/midfield in speed map suits fair Matamata turns. High soft suitability (2-1-0), consistent 8 top-3 in 15. Recent 10th excused (wide 13).
Barrier 3 ideal inside, likely midfield suits tempo. Soft record 2-0-1, distance proven (3-1-1 from 14). Matamata fair for gallopers like this. Recent form building (1st,6th,5th,3rd), but age caps ceiling.
Soft record 2-1-0 from 3, second-up 1-0-0, prior NZ G3 win at 1400m. Likely back but Matamata fair for closers in moderate tempo.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Thooza | 6 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 55kg | $4.50 |
| 2nd | 10 | On The Town | 8 | George Rooke | S B Marsh | 56.5kg | $8.70 |
| 3rd | 6 | El Arish | 10 | Jack Taplin | S B Marsh | 54kg | $7.60 |
| 4th | 4 | Lupo Solitario | 2 | Craig Grylls | Ms D Guy | 58kg | $5.50 |
| 5th | 11 | The Perfect One | 7 | Jasmine Fawcett | G J Old | 56.5kg | $11.00 |
| 6th | 5 | Sixth Generation | 3 | Corentin Berge | J C Collett | 58kg | $8.40 |
| 7th | 8 | Nepheti | 12 | Matthew Cartwright | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56.5kg | $12.40 |
| 8th | 2 | Family Ties | 13 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 56.5kg | $21.70 |
| 9th | 1 | Perfect Dividends | 5 | Rihaan Goyaram | J & R Vance | 57.5kg | $4.80 |
| Scr | 7 | Saltnesse | 1 | Rory Hutchings | P P Mirabelli | 57kg | |
| Scr | 9 | Awatere | 4 | Michael Mc Nab | A W Pike | 56.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Tycoon Prince | 11 | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | Sweet But Psycho | 9 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 55kg |
Improving trend, McNab booking (50% combo), and light weight suit Soft 6 moderate tempo at spacious Matamata rewarding finishers.
Intoxicated's consistent form (8 places/16 starts, recent 2nd 2200m) and Matamata record (3:0-2-1, T&D place) shine on Soft 6. Regular racing ensures fitness for 2000m stamina test. Kennedy upgrade positive despite 58kg.
Vistown proven Matamata performer (4:1-1-0, recent 2nd 2000m Soft7) with excellent soft record (26:3-5-4 places). Reliable in BM65, fitness assured.
Jack Crabb fresh off 2200m Soft5 win, solid soft record (6:1-1-0), suits Matamata staying trip despite wide draw. Recent fitness trumps class rise in volatile BM65.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 12 | Apex | 5 | Tayla Mitchell | Ms C Cameron | 55.5kg | $24.20 |
| 2nd | 18 | Mulan Ardeche | 15 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 56kg | $4.60 |
| 3rd | 19 | Khando | 1 | Hayley Hassman | Ms P Gerard | 53.5kg | $28.70 |
| 4th | 1 | Hakata Bay | 12 | Corentin Berge | Ms M Falconer | 60kg | $7.70 |
| 5th | 14 | Smiling Eyes | 2 | Rory Hutchings | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56.5kg | $11.40 |
| 6th | 7 | Ever Charm | 6 | George Rooke | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58.5kg | $9.10 |
| 7th | 15 | Intoxicated | 10 | Warren Kennedy | S B Marsh | 58kg | $6.60 |
| 8th | 20 | Vistown | 4 | J W Bell | 55.5kg | $13.00 | |
| 9th | 3 | Novak | 8 | Ryan Elliot | C R Isdale | 59.5kg | $24.20 |
| 10th | 8 | Nick Time | 7 | Masahiro Hashizume | Nick Kneebone | 58.5kg | $15.40 |
| 11th | 6 | Perspective | 9 | Sam McNab | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | 56kg | $12.50 |
| 12th | 10 | Elton Rocks | 11 | Jack Taplin | Tim & Margaret Carter | 55kg | $62.10 |
| 13th | 9 | One True King | 14 | Craig Grylls | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 58kg | $9.10 |
| 14th | 11 | Penurious | 3 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 57kg | $38.00 |
| Scr | 2 | Jack Crabb | 17 | S & E Clotworthy | 59.5kg | ||
| Scr | 4 | Liquid Fire | 20 | Rihaan Goyaram | R R Manning | 57kg | |
| Scr | 5 | Mustang Morgan | 16 | Andrew Forsman | 59kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | Blackwaterfoot | 18 | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56.5kg | ||
| Scr | 16 | Barcelona | 13 | Ms M Falconer | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 17 | Voldemort | 15 | Ms C Cameron | 58kg |
Light 51kg from barrier 4 ideal for Matamata staying trip favouring strong finishers. Moderate-fast tempo suits midfield map.
Soft record solid despite recent placings. Backmarker but Matamata's fair layout and stamina bias suit late surge in moderate-fast tempo.
The Underbelly offers pace edge as likely leader from barrier 2 on Soft 6 where record excellent (7:4-1-0). Recent Open placings show fitness; Matamata fair for on-pacers. Despite class rise, high track condition suitability and Cole stable form make solid each-way despite no 2000m wins.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 | Savoir Faire | 10 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 52kg | $4.50 |
| 2nd | 5 | Maldini | 4 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 51kg | $4.90 |
| 3rd | 11 | Steely Man | 5 | Tayla Mitchell | Ms L A German | 53kg | $4.50 |
| 4th | 9 | Roctave | 7 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 54kg | $9.80 |
| 5th | 6 | Nest Egg | 3 | Warren Kennedy | S B Marsh | 54kg | $15.70 |
| 6th | 3 | Fly My Wey | 8 | Masahiro Hashizume | M H Brosnan | 56kg | $13.80 |
| 7th | 1 | Sagunto | 1 | Jasmine Fawcett | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 60kg | $15.20 |
| 8th | 4 | Pericles | 6 | George Rooke | Ms P Gerard | 56kg | $9.50 |
| 9th | 2 | The Underbelly | 2 | Craig Grylls | C W Cole | 56.5kg | $7.40 |
| Scr | 7 | Titled | 10 | Ms L E Elliot | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 10 | Bow Hill | 9 | C W Cole | 54kg |
Drops significantly in class from recent G3/2 form where competitive at heavier weights. Barrier manageable on fair track.
Strong recent form with BM75 win 20 days ago despite wide draw. Loves 1200m (3-3-2) and has Matamata placings. Fast tempo suits midfield finish on spacious Matamata. Solid place claims even if vulnerable wide.
Soft track ok (0-1-1), light weight advantage. Fast tempo may suit but wide draw concern on inside-biased soft track. Not top pick over Poetic Champion's superior class/form but reliable place.
Barrier 4 perfect for weak inside bias on soft. Unbeaten in frame at T&D here (0-3-0), soft proven, high place strike. Fast tempo suits strong Matamata finisher. Class rise but dropping weights and track affinity create overlay.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Poetic Champion | 12 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 59kg | $3.20 |
| 2nd | 2 | Egyptian Queen | 10 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 58.5kg | $7.80 |
| 3rd | 9 | Lachie | 2 | Warren Kennedy | Barbara Kennedy | 57.5kg | $13.20 |
| 4th | 14 | Oppenheimer | 9 | Corentin Berge | Ms J Surgenor | 56kg | $29.70 |
| 5th | 8 | Have A Crack | 7 | Tayla Mitchell | C K Ormsby | 56.5kg | $3.20 |
| 6th | 10 | O'liner | 3 | Jack Taplin | P S Richards | 54.5kg | $8.80 |
| 7th | 3 | Legally Binding | 1 | Michael Mc Nab | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 60.5kg | $8.90 |
| 8th | 7 | Beast Of Burden | 6 | Ryan Elliot | C K Ormsby | 57.5kg | $24.40 |
| 9th | 4 | Brazen Affair | 11 | Rory Hutchings | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 59kg | $15.60 |
| Scr | 5 | Tristar | 14 | Craig Grylls | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 59kg | |
| Scr | 6 | Charmrose | 4 | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 58.5kg | ||
| Scr | 11 | Nicconi County | 15 | J & R Vance | 57kg | ||
| Scr | 12 | Nepheti | 8 | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56.5kg | ||
| Scr | 13 | Hankee Alpha | 13 | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 15 | The Perfect One | 5 | George Rooke | G J Old | 56.5kg |
Soft specialists (9:2-1-3), barrier 1 exploits weak inside bias at Matamata Soft6. Fast tempo suits strong finisher from midfield. Topweight but proven carrier. Clear form leader over others lacking black-type depth.
Strong recent sequence 3-7-3-1-2 ignoring poor Listed. Loves Matamata (8:2-1-2), recent 2nd there Heavy9. Soft/heavy record excellent (15:4-2-3), light 52kg from barrier 4 perfect for inside bias/fast tempo. Class rise concern but fitness/form trumps.
Track/distance suited (4:1-1-0, 2:1-0-0 T/D), barrier 2 exploits inside bias. Soft proven, light weight helps in fast tempo. Reliable placer but class jump tests win appeal.
Best wet record (8:3-1-0 soft/heavy), high strike rates signal class potential. Fresh win Jan, trainer Marsh excels fresh (first-up 40% implied). Fast Matamata tempo suits late closer despite barrier 10.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Leroy Brown | 2 | Jack Taplin | S Ralph | 53.5kg | $4.60 |
| 2nd | 1 | Khafre | 3 | Tayla Mitchell | R R Manning | 59kg | $14.90 |
| 3rd | 10 | Zantabulous | 4 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 52kg | $5.00 |
| 4th | 4 | Checkmate | 1 | Craig Grylls | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 56.5kg | $3.10 |
| 5th | 2 | Positivity | 8 | Sam McNab | Andrew Forsman | 55kg | $10.20 |
| 6th | 9 | Giacomo | 9 | Jasmine Fawcett | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 54kg | $12.00 |
| 7th | 8 | Bak Da Angel | 5 | Darren Danis | D B Hollinshead | 54kg | $17.80 |
| 8th | 3 | Electron | 7 | Rory Hutchings | Ms S P Mynott | 56.5kg | $21.10 |
| 9th | 6 | Takeshi | 10 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 54kg | $10.10 |
| Scr | 7 | Sorghaghtani | 8 | Rihaan Goyaram | G Richardson & R Norvall | 52kg | |
| Scr | 11 | Balance Of Power | 6 | Masahiro Hashizume | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 54kg |
Barrier 4 exploits weak inside bias at Matamata Soft 6. Loyal Marsh yard provides fitness edge in BM65.
General Menari progressive with consistent BM65 form (1x533) including soft win and recent Matamata heavy placing. High soft suitability perfect for conditions. O'Sullivan/Scott stable hot; Cartwright strong at track. Maps midfield; fair Matamata rewards finishers in moderate tempo. Solid each-way despite draw.
Sarti tops form assessment with flawless 2:1-1-0 record including recent maiden win and strong Soft 5 placing. High track condition suitability aligns perfectly with Soft 6. Likely leader in moderate-fast tempo suits spacious Matamata layout. Barrier workable given track fairness.
Proven distance record (5:1-0-1); barrier 8 ideal. Moderate-fast tempo at Matamata favours strong finisher with class suitability.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 13 | Imperial Empress | 2 | Tayla Mitchell | S B Marsh | 55kg | $7.40 |
| 2nd | 7 | Super Legocy | 4 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 59kg | $4.90 |
| 3rd | 11 | Clear Conscience | 16 | Hayley Hassman | Ms P Gerard | 54kg | $16.30 |
| 4th | 5 | Hakushu | 10 | Sam McNab | S B Marsh | 56kg | $10.20 |
| 5th | 10 | Lyin' Eyes | 7 | Sienna Brown | C J Wood | 53kg | $5.90 |
| 6th | 17 | Paddy The Farmer | 13 | C W Cole | 58kg | $12.20 | |
| 7th | 3 | Think I Got Cha | 6 | Corentin Berge | Ms K D Nicholson | 59.5kg | $14.70 |
| 8th | 12 | Fleeting Glimpse | 5 | Warren Kennedy | Barbara Kennedy | 56kg | $9.00 |
| 9th | 9 | Esperanza | 8 | Craig Grylls | S Ritchie & C Murray | 57.5kg | $4.90 |
| 10th | 1 | Cyber Patch | 9 | Jack Taplin | Ms C Cameron | 57kg | $17.70 |
| Scr | 2 | Sarti | 14 | Masahiro Hashizume | K & B Kelso | 60kg | |
| Scr | 4 | General Menari | 12 | Matthew Cartwright | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 59kg | |
| Scr | 6 | Roaring Bebe | 16 | Ben & Ryan Foote | 59kg | ||
| Scr | 8 | Track Tester | 15 | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58.5kg | ||
| Scr | 14 | Koro's Princess | 11 | G K Opie | 54kg | ||
| Scr | 15 | Katamuku | 17 | Samantha Logan | 57kg | ||
| Scr | 16 | La Prima Dama | 12 | R James & R Wellwood | 57kg | ||
| Scr | 18 | Cheap Sav | 1 | Tarissa Macdonald | 56kg | ||
| Scr | 19 | Rising Wind | 3 | P P Mirabelli | 57.5kg |
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