Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Saturday 8 August 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
Distance and wet-track form are outstanding for this level, she carries a workable 56.5kg, and a jockey in career-best touch. The Te Rapa Heavy winner profile rewards recently-placed, track/wet-proven types — she fits it better than any rival.
Colgate is unproven at today's extended trip but showed real ability when placed narrowly on Heavy ground last campaign, from a yard that also produced a near-winner in Heavenly Lady.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Afore Ye Go | 9 | Warren Kennedy | J W Bell | 58.5kg | $2.90 |
| 2nd | 8 | Heavenly Lady | 3 | Masahiro Hashizume | S & E Clotworthy | 56.5kg | $8.30 |
| 3rd | 2 | Janka | 10 | Erin M Leighton | Shelley Wright | 58.5kg | $7.00 |
| 4th | 9 | Outrageous | 8 | A Lawson-Carroll | M & K Murdoch | 56.5kg | $10.20 |
| 5th | 1 | Colgate | 6 | Sam McNab | S & E Clotworthy | 56.5kg | $6.50 |
| 6th | 10 | Linious | 7 | Tom Wigram | M & K Murdoch | 53.5kg | $17.30 |
| 7th | 5 | Juwala | 4 | Lynsey Satherley | Sarah West | 58.5kg | $10.10 |
| 8th | 4 | Centanni | 1 | Samantha Collett | W D Lund | 58.5kg | $11.20 |
| 9th | 6 | Rebel Rouser | 5 | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | S D Cole | 58.5kg | $15.70 |
| 10th | 7 | The Tumbling Paddy | 2 | Jonathan Riddell | M L Rogers | 58.5kg | $43.90 |
Perfectmanz is the type Te Rapa Heavy consistently rewards: track-proven, distance-proven, wet-ground-proven and placed last start.
Her wet-track form is outstanding and she comes off a New Plymouth BM75 second. The key query is the step to 2100m - she is unproven at this trip and her only 2200m attempt was poor. She is respected as the main danger, but the distance uncertainty tilts the top spot to Perfectmanz.
Muscovado has the most compelling distance and heavy-track profile among the placegetter tier. He has been grinding out seconds over 2200m and 2100m on Heavy10 and Soft7, and the 52kg weight with a claiming apprentice is a big plus. The BM75 class rise is a query, but he has already finished fourth in BM75 Heavy company and maps to be strong late. He completes a solid top three.
Heza Sharp One is the value play. He drops from Open company to BM75, and his second over 2100m on Heavy10 at Tauranga two starts back is strong form for this level. The knock is his failure to win on Heavy, but he has placed on the surface and this is a clear class drop.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Heza Sharp One | 1 | Matthew Cartwright | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 57.5kg | $5.80 |
| 2nd | 2 | Zanzibar | 8 | Jonathan Riddell | Andrew Forsman | 58.5kg | $9.20 |
| 3rd | 7 | Arjay's Flight | 5 | Elen Nicholas | S C Phelan | 54kg | $3.90 |
| 4th | 4 | Afterglo | 7 | Michael Mc Nab | S R Autridge | 55.5kg | $4.60 |
| 5th | 6 | Charlbury | 4 | Ethan Jones | Ms C Cameron | 54kg | $8.60 |
| 6th | 5 | Muscovado | 3 | Tom Wigram | J W Bell | 52kg | $5.10 |
| 7th | 1 | Perfectmanz | 6 | Joe Nishizuka | S Ralph | 56.5kg | $11.30 |
| 8th | 9 | Renegade Fighter | 2 | Rihaan Goyaram | S L Cameron | 52kg | $113.80 |
| 9th | 8 | Middle Khan | 9 | Jasmine Fawcett | R Gavin | 54kg | $36.50 |
Kalgarry Ally ticks nearly every box in the Te Rapa Heavy winner profile: track-proven, wet-proven, placed last start, drawn in the premium barrier band and partnered by the track's leading rider.
Sweet Torquer brings the clearest wet-and-track credentials of the minor picks, finishing 3rd at Te Rapa on Heavy last start and carrying the lightest weight in the field. The jockey booking is a query, but the weight and track form are compelling enough to include as a each-way threat.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Kahului | 12 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 58.5kg | $7.40 |
| 2nd | 10 | Kalgarry Ally | 11 | Samantha Collett | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | 56.5kg | $5.30 |
| 3rd | 6 | Dragonstone | 3 | Erin M Leighton | Ms D Logan | 58.5kg | $10.70 |
| 4th | 12 | Mafia Whispers | 2 | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | Natacha Otto | 56.5kg | $7.40 |
| 5th | 14 | Little Orchid | 6 | Joe Doyle | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 54kg | $12.80 |
| 6th | 11 | Sweet Torquer | 7 | Tom Wigram | Samantha Logan | 53.5kg | $10.10 |
| 7th | 1 | Requisite | 15 | Hyeontaek Oh | Ms K Stead | 54.5kg | $3.80 |
| 8th | 3 | Casa Rubick | 14 | Elen Nicholas | Tim & Margaret Carter | 58.5kg | $13.30 |
| 9th | 16 | Lomasi | 4 | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 56.5kg | $27.20 | |
| 10th | 13 | Ice Lass | 16 | Munna Alam | P Devcich | 56.5kg | $59.50 |
| 11th | 15 | Fernesse | 5 | S & E Clotworthy | 56.5kg | $78.50 | |
| 12th | 7 | Big Bold Bob | 10 | Lynsey Satherley | M H Brosnan | 58.5kg | $22.80 |
| 13th | 8 | Echo Two | 9 | Jonathan Riddell | Shelley Wright | 58.5kg | $118.60 |
| 14th | 5 | Beau Ondago | 13 | Rihaan Goyaram | J Williams | 56.5kg | $138.80 |
| Scr | 4 | Aim Up | 8 | Hayley Hassman | D C Lang | 57.5kg | |
| Scr | 9 | Kinross | 17 | Bruno Queiroz | S & E Clotworthy | 58.5kg | |
| Scr | 17 | Rock On Ozzy | 18 | Ceton Pool | 58.5kg | ||
| Scr | 18 | Marmocchia | 1 | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 56.5kg |
The most track-and-surface-proven runner in the field on raw form: dominant Te Rapa record, a genuine Heavy specialist with 4 wins from 7 starts there, and tight recent placings at this exact grade and track.
A durable, track-and-wet-proven veteran who fits the Te Rapa Heavy winner template almost as well as the top pick, with deep course/distance experience and a string of honest minor placings. Slightly behind the top selection on recent finishing position but a genuine winning hope.
However, she is asked to jump from Bench.75 into Open class for the first time and has raced at Te Rapa only once, working against the track's preference for exposed, track-proven types.
The poor last-start finish is a concern but occurred in stronger company; dropping back into Open with a proven jockey partnership, she looks overpriced relative to her assessed winning chance.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Dusty Road | 6 | Joe Doyle | G M Cameron | 56.5kg | $8.50 |
| 2nd | 6 | Bella Timing | 2 | Tom Wigram | S A Sharrock | 51kg | $3.20 |
| 3rd | 1 | Little Bit Of Love | 5 | Joe Nishizuka | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 57kg | $2.50 |
| 4th | 3 | Gospodin | 4 | Sam McNab | J C Pender | 54kg | $4.70 |
| 5th | 5 | Kaimai Queen | 3 | Elen Nicholas | G J Old | 54kg | $13.80 |
| 6th | 4 | Caitlyns Wish | 1 | Cooper Stumbles | S R Autridge | 50kg | $11.60 |
Illuminated Miss is the form-based top selection.
His last four starts read 3-3-4-1 on wet tracks, and Samantha Collett is a proven Te Rapa rider. He is ranked second because his form is still unproven at this grade.
Bell Time Potae produced a career-best second last start in exactly today's conditions — Te Rapa, 1200m, Heavy10 BM65. He is 8:1-1-1 on heavy ground and continues to show a consistent, improving pattern.
Ocean Road is a proven Heavy10 performer with three career wins on testing ground and is coming off a third at Avondale over 1600m. He also ran fourth over 1200m on Heavy10 at Tauranga two starts back, so the trip is within range.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Miss Anna Lee | 12 | Masahiro Hashizume | P W Lock | 57kg | $8.60 |
| 2nd | 9 | Girlzgirlzgirlz | 2 | Tom Wigram | Ms D Logan | 53.5kg | $14.40 |
| 3rd | 6 | Oberon | 13 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 57.5kg | $6.40 |
| 4th | 5 | Deep Pursuit | 8 | Sam McNab | A W Pike | 56kg | $6.00 |
| 5th | 13 | Stage Three | 7 | Courtney Barnes | A J Morley | 54kg | $74.10 |
| 6th | 11 | Illuminated Miss | 11 | Joe Nishizuka | Ms K Mcquade | 52kg | $4.80 |
| 7th | 8 | She's A Surprise | 9 | Joe Doyle | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | 57kg | $16.40 |
| 8th | 10 | Notabadbergs | 6 | Warren Kennedy | S & E Clotworthy | 56kg | $15.00 |
| 9th | 4 | Capote | 5 | Samantha Collett | B S Gillovic | 58.5kg | $5.20 |
| 10th | 12 | Return Message | 3 | Sienna Brown | S Ralph | 51.5kg | $100.50 |
| 11th | 2 | Bell Time Potae | 4 | Abhay Seesa | L A Winters | 55kg | $15.30 |
| 12th | 1 | Universal Horizon | 1 | A Lawson-Carroll | M & K Murdoch | 60kg | $86.50 |
| 13th | 3 | Ocean Road | 10 | Abinith Simon | Ms P Wilkinson | 55kg | $19.90 |
| Scr | 14 | Unique Valor | 14 | L Te Keeti | 54kg |
The main query is the step up from BM65 into this deeper BM75 field and minimal exposure to Te Rapa specifically, but the trajectory, jockey upgrade and proven grind on heavy ground make her a leading each-way contender just behind the top pick.
The Te Rapa Heavy data explicitly cautions against over-promoting lightly raced, unproven-wet types ahead of exposed grafters, so while she remains a must-respect threat on natural ability, she is ranked below two rivals with clearer wet/track credentials.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 | Miss Understood | 6 | Michael Mc Nab | R R Manning | 54.5kg | $5.60 |
| 2nd | 7 | Amazonia | 7 | Bruno Queiroz | J W Bell | 54.5kg | $8.10 |
| 3rd | 2 | Ribkraka | 5 | Erin M Leighton | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 59.5kg | $13.40 |
| 4th | 6 | Khaleesi | 9 | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | S B Marsh | 55kg | $2.70 |
| 5th | 3 | Rocking | 2 | Tom Wigram | Ms D Logan | 54.5kg | $5.50 |
| 6th | 5 | Eliud | 1 | Joe Doyle | A W Pike | 56kg | $9.40 |
| 7th | 4 | Sense Of Timing | 4 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 55.5kg | $11.40 |
| 8th | 1 | Takeshi | 3 | Masahiro Hashizume | Danny Walker & Arron Tata | 60kg | $18.90 |
| 9th | 9 | Smart Tip | 8 | Sienna Brown | S Ralph | 51kg | $63.10 |
Astoria Brooke has an outstanding Te Rapa record (3 from 3) and a perfect 2-from-2 at today's 1600m trip, including a decisive win over Rudyard, Amira D'argento and Uderzo in this exact race in July.
Her light weight and consistency make her a leading contender, though her comparatively modest win strike rate keeps her behind Astoria Brooke.
Rudyard's clearest asset is his most recent run — a close 2nd to Astoria Brooke at this track and trip, well clear of other rivals in today's field. However, his winless record from five prior heavy-track starts is a genuine concern on today's Heavy 8 surface, tempering him to a place-focused selection behind the top two.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Astoria Brooke | 5 | Michael Mc Nab | A W Pike | 55.5kg | $3.80 |
| 2nd | 3 | Rudyard | 3 | Jasmine Fawcett | Ms D C Kennedy | 55kg | $8.40 |
| 3rd | 6 | Lotus | 1 | Hayley Hassman | G Richardson & R Norvall | 53kg | $5.80 |
| 4th | 5 | Amira D'argento | 6 | Joe Nishizuka | Taui Johnson | 51kg | $3.60 |
| 5th | 7 | Principled | 2 | Tom Wigram | P S Richards | 51kg | $6.10 |
| 6th | 1 | Uderzo | 7 | Sam McNab | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | $7.20 |
| 7th | 4 | Electric Time | 4 | Lynsey Satherley | L Te Keeti | 54kg | $16.70 |
Vito's most recent run was a win at today's exact venue, distance and going - the single strongest formline in the race under Te Rapa Heavy's own 'wet and track proven' winner profile. Vito's course-specific form gives it the edge on merit.
Indian Gold ticks every box of Te Rapa's own Heavy-track winner profile: an exposed, genuinely wet-and-track-proven galloper with two placings at this exact course and grade on heavy ground, and a placing last start. The jockey combination is unproven, but the horse's own credentials carry the case for a strong placing chance.
Horrie is a genuine Heavy-track workhorse, placing in two-thirds of his starts on this going including a solid third last time out.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 | Vito | 4 | Samantha Collett | Darryn & Briar Weatherley | 59kg | $10.40 |
| 2nd | 5 | Drommy | 5 | Jonathan Riddell | Ben & Ryan Foote | 59kg | $8.00 |
| 3rd | 9 | Misissipi Gambler | 8 | Sam McNab | Ben & Ryan Foote | 56kg | $4.20 |
| 4th | 11 | Elle Mcfab | 13 | Warren Kennedy | D G Greene | 57kg | $6.40 |
| 5th | 3 | Because | 12 | Rihaan Goyaram | R R Manning | 57kg | $51.70 |
| 6th | 4 | Don's Legacy | 1 | Hayley Hassman | D J Nunn | 58kg | $10.60 |
| 7th | 13 | Horrie | 6 | A Lawson-Carroll | M & K Murdoch | 56.5kg | $37.30 |
| 8th | 2 | Billy Blinx | 11 | Masahiro Hashizume | S & E Clotworthy | 59.5kg | $8.20 |
| 8th | 6 | Ever Charm | 7 | Cooper Stumbles | L O'sullivan & A Scott | 55kg | $13.10 |
| 10th | 7 | Fahali | 9 | Lynsey Satherley | G & T Shaw | 59kg | $41.30 |
| 11th | 1 | Indian Gold | 3 | Tom Wigram | S A Sharrock | 57kg | $7.20 |
| 12th | 14 | Jamaica Farewell | 15 | Joe Doyle | C J Henderson | 56kg | $21.30 |
| 13th | 10 | Golden Jacket | 2 | Joe Nishizuka | J C Pender | 54.5kg | $36.70 |
| Scr | 12 | Vadanova | 14 | S & E Clotworthy | 56.5kg | ||
| Scr | 15 | Bellavinsky | 10 | Emma Faber | 54kg |
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