Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Saturday 2 May 2026
Our top pick won 2 of 8 races at Te Rapa. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
Cosmic Pursuit tops form assessment with consistent recent placings including narrow BM65 second and maiden win at 2000m. High place rate, suitable weight, barrier 1 aids midfield settling on Te Rapa's first-half bias track. Good 4 record aligns with conditions.
Elton Rocks shows improving form with recent 2100m win in similar grade on heavy, now Good 4 suits (4:1-0-1). Excellent distance record, strong jockey combo, barrier 7 positions midfield ideally for Te Rapa bias. Recent fitness edge over more exposed rivals in volatile BM65.
Collett booking positive (33% combo), track place prior. Handles topweight, recent runs competitive despite class rise.
Recent Te Rapa BM75 3rd shows staying ability, Good 4 record solid. McNab upgrades intent.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Hakata Bay | 4 | A Lawson-Carroll | Ms M Falconer | 58.5kg | $6.20 |
| 2nd | 1 | Bradley | 2 | Samantha Collett | T W Cole | 60kg | $5.20 |
| 3rd | 4 | Elton Rocks | 7 | Joe Nishizuka | Tim & Margaret Carter | 56.5kg | $8.00 |
| 4th | 3 | Cosmic Pursuit | 1 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 57.5kg | $3.30 |
| 5th | 8 | Cyber Patch | 6 | Ethan Jones | Ms C Cameron | 58kg | $21.50 |
| 6th | 6 | Dubai Gold | 9 | Michael Mc Nab | Ms P Gerard | 59kg | $5.20 |
| 7th | 7 | Camacho | 5 | Tayla Mitchell | Ms D C Kennedy | 57kg | $9.70 |
| 8th | 2 | Lord Goliath | 8 | George Rooke | Danny Walker & Arron Tata | 60kg | $13.60 |
| Scr | 9 | Relentless | 5 | S Ritchie & C Murray | 57.5kg | ||
| Scr | 10 | Hero Of War | 3 | Barbara Kennedy | 56kg |
Chica tops form assessment with consistent placings including Te Rapa second last campaign. First up stats neutral but prior runs show ability to place fresh. Maps midfield to exploit Te Rapa's first-half-of-field profile.
Requisite brings superior form depth with recent near-misses in maidens. Consistent class level performer maps prominently from barrier 2 to suit track's tempo-driven nature. Cameron upgrade and recency outweigh lack of distance stats.
Silky Shuba offers reliability at distance with consistent recent efforts including close placings. First up but shows patterns of improvement. Maps midfield-back but Te Rapa volatility suits. Solid place chance in open maiden ahead of pure debutants.
Mulberry Grove represents value as debutant from proven stable with McNab booking. No penalising lack of form per maiden rules; proxy assessment (trainer/jockey/barrier) strong.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 10 | Topsy Turvy | 1 | Craig Grylls | Ms L Brennan | 56.5kg | $3.60 |
| 2nd | 8 | Silky Shuba | 10 | George Rooke | S B Marsh | 56.5kg | $6.30 |
| 3rd | 1 | Requisite | 2 | Matthew Cameron | Ms K Stead | 58.5kg | $5.90 |
| 4th | 11 | Pine Leaf | 4 | Rihaan Goyaram | Andrew Forsman | 54.5kg | $21.60 |
| 5th | 5 | Tartan Shocka | 5 | Sam McNab | Kevin & Annette Hinton | 56.5kg | $24.60 |
| 6th | 3 | Spacely | 6 | Masahiro Hashizume | Ms J K Mahoney | 58.5kg | $20.10 |
| 7th | 7 | Chica | 8 | Joe Doyle | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 56.5kg | $3.50 |
| 8th | 2 | Mulberry Grove | 9 | Michael Mc Nab | G J Old | 58.5kg | $8.00 |
| 9th | 6 | Sodermalm | 3 | Lynsey Satherley | G J Old | 58.5kg | $24.20 |
| Scr | 4 | Whistler | 7 | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58.5kg | ||
| Scr | 9 | La Riviere | 11 | K A Pertab | 56.5kg | ||
| Scr | 12 | Texas Cowboy | 5 | Wiremu Pinn | Ms D Guy | 55.5kg |
Barrier 2 suits likely leader role in moderate-fast tempo on Te Rapa's first-half bias track. Outclasses recent maiden winners stepping up.
Deep Pursuit shows strong distance affinity (9:1-3-1) with recent Heavy8 win at Pukekohe and Te Rapa placing. Current fitness edge over first-uppers, maps midfield to suit Te Rapa's top 4-6 bias in moderate-fast tempo. McNab booking positive.
Miss Moet All benefits from class drop, light weight and barrier 4 to settle midfield on volatile Te Rapa. Recent runs show fitness despite placings, suiting moderate-fast tempo.
Single win on Heavy but Good4 neutral; proxy assessment favors trainer first-up record and gate over exposed topweight. Significant overlay in upset-prone Te Rapa BM65.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | General Menari | 2 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 60kg | $3.10 |
| 2nd | 11 | Miss Moet All | 4 | Tayla Mitchell | S B Marsh | 54.5kg | $7.70 |
| 3rd | 7 | Cosmic Dream | 11 | George Rooke | R James & R Wellwood | 57kg | $3.30 |
| 4th | 2 | Opressor | 1 | Sam McNab | Danny Walker & Arron Tata | 57kg | $14.70 |
| 5th | 9 | Atlanta Gold | 5 | Elen Nicholas | A J Morley | 55kg | $12.00 |
| 6th | 5 | Timetoplaythegame | 9 | Warren Kennedy | D G Greene | 58kg | $22.30 |
| 7th | 4 | Deep Pursuit | 8 | Michael Mc Nab | A W Pike | 58.5kg | $19.40 |
| 8th | 8 | Princess Elsa | 7 | Samantha Collett | A W Pike | 56.5kg | $20.30 |
| 9th | 6 | Bellezor | 10 | Corentin Berge | P S Richards | 57.5kg | $49.20 |
| 10th | 3 | Wine Rocs | 3 | Ashlee Strawbridge | Debbie Sweeney | 56kg | $17.00 |
| 11th | 12 | We Found Love | 6 | Joe Nishizuka | Ms L Brennan | 52.5kg | $24.90 |
| 12th | 10 | Jade Dragon | 12 | Ms P Gerard | 55.5kg | $43.50 |
Maps midfield in likely moderate-fast tempo suiting track's first-half bias. High win/place rates (46%/62%) and Good 4 suitability outweigh class rise.
Tristar's consistent form (recent 32352) and Te Rapa record (1-1-2) make strong case. 3 wins from 8 at 1200m, barrier 2 positions forward for track's top 4-6 bias. Recent heavy 2nd shows fitness. Solid place chance.
Slipper Island benefits from class drop, barrier 1 for forward run suiting Te Rapa bias, and light weight. Recent Listed 3rds show competitiveness at higher level. Maps well despite low strike rate.
Barrier 3 aids midfield settle for track bias.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 5 | Vegas Queen | 8 | Masahiro Hashizume | K I Rae | 54.5kg | $7.50 |
| 2nd | 6 | Moschino | 6 | Joe Nishizuka | Ms M Falconer | 51kg | $5.80 |
| 3rd | 7 | Super Photon | 3 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 54kg | $7.90 |
| 4th | 8 | Tristar | 2 | Joe Doyle | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 54kg | $2.90 |
| 5th | 2 | Force Of Nature | 5 | George Rooke | Andrew Forsman | 57kg | $4.70 |
| 6th | 4 | Slipper Island | 1 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 53.5kg | $12.30 |
| 7th | 3 | Joshua Brown | 7 | Lynsey Satherley | L R Gussey | 57kg | $27.60 |
| 8th | 1 | Spencer | 4 | Ashlee Strawbridge | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 59kg | $11.40 |
Top form pick with recent Open win at Otaki (1300m soft), beating subsequent Listed placers. Improving trajectory suits Listed step-up on Good 4. Grylls/Forsman combo strong locally (21%). Midfield map ideal for Te Rapa's first-half bias in moderate-fast tempo.
Excellent recent Listed 2nd at Ellerslie behind strong filly, confirming black-type quality. 100% place rate, light weight, and barrier 3 suit Te Rapa midfield bias. High condition suitability for Good 4. Elite connections via Logan/Hashizume.
High strike rate, proven jockey link, light weight. Strong black-type exposure in Listed race elevates over lightly raced winners.
Consistent placings, top stable, barrier 1 suits likely leader role in moderate tempo despite Te Rapa's mid-pack lean.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Excite | 1 | George Rooke | R James & R Wellwood | 57kg | $2.70 |
| 2nd | 2 | Incandescent | 4 | Joe Doyle | R James & R Wellwood | 57kg | $7.60 |
| 3rd | 9 | Bourbon Time | 8 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 55kg | $22.60 |
| 4th | 3 | Walkin In Memphis | 7 | Craig Grylls | Andrew Forsman | 57kg | $4.90 |
| 5th | 8 | Grocer's Girl | 9 | Samantha Collett | A W Pike | 55kg | $10.10 |
| 6th | 4 | Royce | 5 | Matthew Cameron | T W Cole | 57kg | $18.30 |
| 7th | 6 | So Fear | 2 | Courtney Barnes | S B Marsh | 55kg | $6.60 |
| 8th | 5 | Belle Rebelle | 3 | Masahiro Hashizume | Ms D Logan | 55kg | $6.90 |
| Scr | 7 | Amourette | 6 | T W Cole | 55kg |
Financier shows strongest pure form with 7 top-3 finishes in last 10, including consistent placings at this level. Te Rapa record 4:1-1-0 and barrier 6 positions perfectly for track's first-half bias in fast tempo. Weight suitability high, recent runs competitive despite class rise.
Bridal Train's consistent form (5 top-3 last 10) and distance prowess (6:1-2-1) make her prime for fast tempo where midfield runners thrive at Te Rapa. Barrier 4 ideal, recent Open placings superior to most. Collett's track strike rate boosts connections. Solid place chance despite class rise.
El Viento resumes second up (3:2-0-0) with sharp recent 2nd at Te Rapa proving track affinity despite wide draw. Good 4 conditions ideal (10:3-2-0), fast tempo suits closing style. Grylls/Walker-Bergerson combo elite.
Recent Open win shows class, light weight aids in fast tempo.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Financier | 6 | George Rooke | S B Marsh | 57.5kg | $6.80 |
| 2nd | 5 | Uderzo | 9 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $11.80 |
| 3rd | 13 | Rudyard | 11 | Tayla Mitchell | Ms D C Kennedy | 53.5kg | $14.90 |
| 4th | 6 | El Viento | 12 | Craig Grylls | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 57.5kg | $5.30 |
| 5th | 3 | Gospodin | 7 | Joe Doyle | J C Pender | 59.5kg | $10.50 |
| 6th | 4 | Bridal Train | 4 | Samantha Collett | S A Sharrock | 58kg | $7.00 |
| 7th | 9 | Pericles | 15 | Rihaan Goyaram | Ms P Gerard | 54.5kg | $11.50 |
| 8th | 10 | Pacheco | 10 | Ethan Jones | S C Phelan | 56kg | $61.40 |
| 9th | 14 | Boxmoss | 2 | Warren Kennedy | C J Wood | 54kg | $16.20 |
| 10th | 2 | Tisse | 3 | Sam McNab | S A Sharrock | 58kg | $13.50 |
| 11th | 12 | Bourbon Proof | 5 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 55kg | $9.60 |
| 12th | 15 | Prometheus | 13 | Lynsey Satherley | P P Mirabelli | 54kg | $57.80 |
| 13th | 1 | Cleat | 8 | Erin M Leighton | Ms D Guy | 60kg | $19.80 |
| 14th | 8 | Notabadspillane | 14 | Elen Nicholas | S C Phelan | 56kg | $52.50 |
| 15th | 11 | Doddle | 1 | Wiremu Pinn | S B Marsh | 55kg | $28.00 |
Distance record 5:1-1-0 and class drop key positives despite wide draw. Fast tempo suits strong finisher profile at volatile Te Rapa.
Grylls booking (19% Te Rapa) boosts chances in midfield map suiting first-half bias. Improving 3yo with suitability for Good 4. Better value than shorter options despite backmarker tag.
Good track record (6:2-0-0) ideal for Good 4 conditions. Collett's Te Rapa proficiency offsets class concerns.
Forsman first-up record and light weight mitigate long spell. Backmarker risk in fast tempo but overlay opportunity.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 16 | French Thinker | 6 | Courtney Barnes | Kelly Van Dyk | 56kg | $29.90 |
| 2nd | 8 | Ever Charm | 14 | Joe Doyle | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $12.10 |
| 3rd | 10 | Blesstas | 7 | Samantha Collett | B H King | 57.5kg | $12.10 |
| 4th | 3 | Jurisprudence | 3 | Wiremu Pinn | Danny Walker & Arron Tata | 59.5kg | $13.90 |
| 5th | 6 | Skymax | 10 | George Rooke | Team Rogerson | 58kg | $10.70 |
| 6th | 13 | Honor Mission | 1 | Ethan Jones | R James & R Wellwood | 57kg | $16.60 |
| 7th | 7 | Bharnstorm | 15 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 58kg | $14.90 |
| 8th | 15 | She'll Be Right | 9 | Lynsey Satherley | Ms L M Laing | 56.5kg | $35.70 |
| 9th | 14 | Lodi Dodi | 11 | Craig Grylls | G Richardson & R Norvall | 57kg | $4.60 |
| 10th | 2 | Celtic Tycoon | 13 | Masahiro Hashizume | S & E Clotworthy | 59.5kg | $7.30 |
| 11th | 5 | Rio Grande | 12 | Elen Nicholas | Andrew Forsman | 57.5kg | $24.80 |
| 12th | 17 | Dragon Blossom | 2 | Rihaan Goyaram | Ms P Gerard | 54kg | $39.60 |
| 13th | 9 | History Maker | 8 | Corentin Berge | P Adlington | 58kg | $105.00 |
| 14th | 4 | He's Classic | 4 | A Lawson-Carroll | B Wallace & G Cooksley | 58kg | $49.40 |
| 1 | Hakkinen | 16 | Sam McNab | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 60kg | ||
| Scr | 11 | Graces Gift | 5 | Ashlee Strawbridge | Debbie Sweeney | 54.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Morning Cocoa | 16 | Andrew Forsman | 57.5kg |
Hankee Alpha tops form assessment with consistent placings in BM75/Open company, including recent strong 3rd at Ellerslie 1400m despite wide draw. Class drop enhances chances on Good 4 where she has wins. Midfield map ideal for Te Rapa's tempo-driven profile. Strong win chance.
Mid Ocean maps ideally from barrier 5 into midfield, suiting Te Rapa's top 4-6 bias in moderate-fast tempo. Solid second-up record and recent BM75 placings show class handling. Strong place claims behind Hankee Alpha.
Prudentia earned top-3 via barrier 1 enabling forward position in Te Rapa's first-half bias. Recent Te Rapa win shows track affinity; Hashizume retains ride (100%). Class rise offset by fitness/low weight.
Light weight (53kg) and consistent placings (33% career) suit weights spread.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | Overdrawn | 8 | George Rooke | A W Pike | 57kg | $20.20 |
| 2nd | 1 | Merchant Queen | 17 | Sam McNab | S B Marsh | 57kg | $12.40 |
| 3rd | 16 | Prudentia | 1 | Masahiro Hashizume | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 54kg | $14.10 |
| 4th | 11 | Chante Moi | 14 | Courtney Barnes | G Richardson & R Norvall | 55kg | $23.80 |
| 5th | 3 | Up The Anti | 4 | Craig Grylls | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58.5kg | $12.60 |
| 5th | 4 | Hankee Alpha | 15 | Joe Doyle | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $3.20 |
| 7th | 2 | Butterfield | 2 | Tayla Mitchell | P J Mccarten | 57.5kg | $25.80 |
| 8th | 9 | El Jaycee | 9 | Ashlee Strawbridge | S A Sharrock | 53kg | $13.00 |
| 9th | 13 | Mid Ocean | 5 | Samantha Collett | B H King | 54.5kg | $5.60 |
| 10th | 8 | What A Yarn | 13 | A Lawson-Carroll | C J Wood | 56kg | $42.20 |
| 11th | 14 | Tenfoot Tall | 6 | Lynsey Satherley | V A Prendergast | 54.5kg | $51.60 |
| 12th | 19 | Mo Charaid | 3 | T C Wenn | 55kg | $11.20 | |
| 13th | 15 | Florenza | 18 | Elen Nicholas | Ms P Riley | 53kg | $22.40 |
| 14th | 7 | Principled | 11 | Corentin Berge | P S Richards | 57kg | $71.80 |
| 15th | 18 | Goldiluxe | 10 | D G Greene | 54kg | $20.00 | |
| 16th | 17 | Colonel Warden | 19 | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 56kg | $47.20 | |
| Scr | 5 | On The Town | 20 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 10 | Rocking | 7 | Warren Kennedy | Ms D Logan | 55.5kg | |
| Scr | 12 | Shacktime | 15 | Matthew Cameron | S A Sharrock | 55kg | |
| Scr | 20 | Moschino | 16 | Ms M Falconer | 61kg | ||
| Scr | 21 | Boxmoss | 12 | C J Wood | 59kg |
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