Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Wednesday 19 August 2026
Our top pick won 3 of 7 races at Cambridge Synthetic. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
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In The Vineyard sets the form standard. Rooke returns after those closest efforts and she carries just 54kg from barrier 2. The 0-from-8 record caps confidence in this volatile maiden, but nothing else matches her proven Cambridge 1300m suitability.
Perfect Pour is a Dundeel colt from the Marsh yard, first-up after 167 days. Cartwright's 31 percent strike at this venue and 16 percent partnership with Marsh are strong signals. No synthetic form and a 0-from-2 first-up record are genuine queries, so each-way is the play rather than a win-only lean.
The step to 1300m should suit her Ocean Park pedigree, and Jasmine Fawcett is in outstanding form with 4 wins from 20 and a 17 percent strike for Glen Old. Already having a run on this surface is an edge over several rivals. Second-start improvement is a classic maiden pattern and her place claims look solid even if she needs further progress to win.
Off The Scales is an unraced debutant from the Ritchie and Murray stable, a barn that regularly produces ready first-starters. Bridget Grylls has a 21 percent strike rate for the yard and draws barrier 1.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Perfect Pour | 3 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 56kg | $2.90 |
| 2nd | 9 | In The Vineyard | 2 | George Rooke | A W Pike | 54kg | $2.60 |
| 3rd | 8 | Off The Scales | 1 | Bridget Grylls | S Ritchie & C Murray | 56kg | $20.10 |
| 4th | 3 | Affaire D''amour | 8 | Rihaan Goyaram | R R Manning | 54.5kg | $7.40 |
| 5th | 4 | Refraction | 5 | Jasmine Fawcett | G J Old | 56.5kg | $14.70 |
| 6th | 6 | Midnight Fury | 4 | Masahiro Hashizume | R R Manning | 56.5kg | $24.60 |
| 7th | 1 | Mivirgo | 6 | Ashlee Strawbridge | S T Wenn | 55.5kg | $11.90 |
| 8th | 2 | Steel Warrior | 7 | Courtney Barnes | D R Wiles | 58.5kg | $21.70 |
| 9th | 5 | Ice Lass | 9 | Lynsey Satherley | P Devcich | 56.5kg | $29.30 |
The class horse, having won a BM80 over this track and distance on July 29. A perfect 2-from-2 at 1300m and 2-from-4 on synthetic confirm he is suited. The 58kg topweight is a genuine query against the 53.5kg he carried that BM80 day, but the class gap over maiden graduates jumping to this grade should prove decisive. Strawbridge knows him.
The ultimate specialist here with 13 starts at this track and distance for 2 wins, 5 seconds and 4 thirds. A 7 percent career win rate and a new jockey in Hassman (0-from-33 at the track) cap win confidence, making him a strong place play at a slight overlay.
Insufficient public form means he cannot be dismissed, and Doyle staying on plus barrier 2 are genuine positives. He is not the most likely winner though. Jumping from a maiden to BM74 against a proven BM80 winner and a T&D specialist who places at that level is a steep rise, and a 5-year-old with one start invites soundness questions.
A 4:1-2-0 distance record underlines suitability.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Perfect Dividends | 6 | Ashlee Strawbridge | J & R Vance | 58kg | $3.00 |
| 2nd | 6 | Think I Got Cha | 3 | George Rooke | Ms K D Nicholson | 54kg | $3.20 |
| 3rd | 5 | Roederer | 5 | Courtney Barnes | Josh King & Maija Vance | 54.5kg | $10.50 |
| 4th | 2 | Oban | 7 | Hayley Hassman | Ms K D Nicholson | 54kg | $7.10 |
| 5th | 4 | Rima Rua Toru | 2 | Joe Doyle | Ms S P Mynott | 54.5kg | $6.20 |
| 6th | 3 | Final Applause | 1 | Craig Grylls | S T Wenn | 54.5kg | $8.00 |
| 7th | 7 | Epilogue | 4 | Abinith Simon | Taui Johnson | 50kg | $29.90 |
A 3-from-4 record at Cambridge Synthetic 970m is unmatched. Hashizume retains the ride from barrier 2. The 3kg rise from 54kg is the only query, offset by that BM74 buffer.
Lady Iris is a proven Cambridge Synthetic 970m performer with a 1-2-0 record from three attempts, finishing no worse than second at this venue. Marsh has her racing consistently and she handles 58kg. Concerns are the widest gate and a jockey change to Abinith Simon, who has one win from 14 recent rides and no prior association.
The Perfect One won this track-and-distance BM72 on July 22 under Fawcett, who is two from three on him and riding at 20 percent. He is two from three at 970m and brings a 30 percent career strike-rate. The 2kg rise to top weight of 58.5kg is a negative, and his profile is polarised — three wins and seven unplaced from 10 starts. He finished fourth behind Lady Iris here on July 9, so he has a length or two to find on the principals, but the Fawcett combination and last-start win keep him in the first three.
He is improving through his campaign and the O'Sullivan-Scott barn is reliable.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Chatelle Rose | 5 | Joe Doyle | F & L Cornege | 57kg | $3.20 |
| 2nd | 5 | Pink Gin | 2 | Masahiro Hashizume | A W Pike | 57kg | $2.60 |
| 3rd | 7 | Estilo | 1 | George Rooke | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 54kg | $8.20 |
| 4th | 3 | The Perfect One | 4 | Jasmine Fawcett | G J Old | 58.5kg | $8.20 |
| 5th | 1 | Lady Iris | 7 | Abinith Simon | S B Marsh | 58kg | $4.60 |
| 6th | 6 | Opaea Joe | 6 | Niranjan S Parmar | G K Opie | 55kg | $25.90 |
| Scr | 2 | Reptak | 3 | Tom Wigram | L O''sullivan & A Scott | 58kg | |
| Scr | 8 | Unique Valor | 8 | L Te Keeti | 54kg |
Drawn barrier 2, he can settle handy in a leaderless slow race. Cartwright wins at 31 percent here and Marsh has this lightly raced So You Think 4yo improving into the right conditions. Exposed maidens have had more chances; this gelding still has upside and the strongest winning profile.
Second-up she should be fitter. A 21-start maiden record and a wider barrier that maps her back in a no-pace race are the concerns. She is the most reliable each-way chance given her T/D consistency, but her habit of finding one better limits win confidence in a volatile maiden.
Dare You brings the best current form, placing at her last two Cambridge Synthetic starts over 1550m, the latest a close second. Hashizume stays aboard and is riding well. The 2000m is uncharted for this 7-year-old Derryn mare who has never raced beyond 1600m. A projected slow tempo may help her see it out, but the trip remains a genuine risk. She is a solid place chance rather than the most likely winner.
Dropping back to maiden company is a genuine upgrade. Each-way value in an open, volatile maiden.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1 | Bright Thoughts | 2 | Matthew Cartwright | S B Marsh | 58.5kg | $2.90 |
| 2nd | 2 | Arkadus | 5 | Ashlee Strawbridge | Mrs R Masters | 55.5kg | $5.60 |
| 3rd | 5 | Vadasha | 6 | Lynsey Satherley | P & J Brosnan | 56.5kg | $5.50 |
| 4th | 3 | Awaken | 4 | George Rooke | B K Pinny | 58.5kg | $5.70 |
| 5th | 4 | Dare You | 7 | Masahiro Hashizume | S N Rees | 56.5kg | $7.60 |
| 6th | 6 | Brutal Reality | 3 | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 56.5kg | $9.30 |
| 7th | 7 | Effie Goodacre | 1 | Craig Grylls | S T Wenn | 56.5kg | $13.20 |
She has also won at this course carrying 60kg, so the 59.5kg topweight is manageable. Barrier 1 lets her control a projected slow tempo, and Rihaan Goyaram retains the ride.
McNab is in outstanding form with six wins from his last 20 rides, and Stephen Marsh's mare has the class to be competitive. However she is 0 from 6 at 2000m and has only two career wins from 20 starts, with her last two runs yielding a fifth and a seventh. Place only.
He drops 4kg and draws barrier 2, so he can sit on the speed in a race lacking genuine leaders. He is a legitimate winning threat if the last-start improvement is genuine, but the grade jump justifies a place-focused approach.
Samantha Collett returns after a previous winning ride, and the mare is fit and improving through her campaign.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Mulan Ardeche | 4 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 55kg | $3.00 |
| 2nd | 1 | Above The Clouds | 1 | Rihaan Goyaram | R R Manning | 59.5kg | $2.50 |
| 3rd | 4 | Because | 7 | Tom Wigram | R R Manning | 52kg | $8.00 |
| 4th | 2 | Dancin In The Dark | 6 | Ashlee Strawbridge | R R Manning | 56kg | $8.20 |
| 5th | 7 | Silkdegrees | 3 | Joe Nishizuka | P A Stevens | 51kg | $9.80 |
| 6th | 6 | Tarzador | 5 | Samantha Collett | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 54kg | $8.80 |
| Scr | 5 | Did The Trick | 2 | George Rooke | W Hillis & R Cole | 54.5kg |
Honeydaze announced herself with a 50-1 second here on 29 July and now meets a similar field with Joe Doyle aboard.
Treasure Hunt’s first-up fifth at this course was a solid return and she is entitled to take a step forward second-up. Barrier 4, 54.5kg and a retained Goyaram give her a cleaner map than several better-credentialed rivals.
Five placings from eight, including a 2nd and 3rd at this track, put In The Vineyard clear of a weak maiden. Pike and 54kg add further weight. Barrier 9, an unnamed rider and the 1550m debut are real queries, but her pattern of running on at 1300m supports the step up.
Jasper is the in-form trip horse whose last two 1600m thirds give him a fitness edge this field largely lacks. Each-way value in a maiden that is wide open behind the top two synthetic form horses.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | Wing And A Prayer | 8 | Masahiro Hashizume | R R Manning | 58.5kg | $1.80 |
| 2nd | 6 | Treasure Hunt | 4 | Rihaan Goyaram | Ms S P Mynott | 54.5kg | $9.30 |
| 3rd | 5 | Honeydaze | 6 | Joe Doyle | F & L Cornege | 56.5kg | $6.90 |
| 4th | 1 | Jasper | 5 | Joe Nishizuka | T R Hina | 55.5kg | $7.30 |
| 5th | 4 | Concise | 1 | Courtney Barnes | Ms S Hale | 58.5kg | $18.30 |
| 6th | 2 | Manorbier | 3 | Hayley Hassman | R R Manning | 57.5kg | $5.40 |
| 7th | 8 | Juanita | 7 | Lynsey Satherley | K G Harrison | 56.5kg | $33.20 |
| Scr | 7 | Bellavinsky | 2 | Samantha Collett | Emma Faber | 56.5kg | |
| Scr | 9 | In The Vineyard | 9 | A W Pike | 54kg |
He won this class over 1550m here on July 29 and has placed in all four track-and-distance starts. His last six Cambridge Synthetic runs read 2-1-3-2-2-3, confirming fitness and surface affinity (11:2-3-2 on synthetic). McNab is in excellent recent form. He meets Subiaco 3.5kg better than last start, though 58kg is 2.5kg above his BM74 winning weight. Consistency and class credentials make him the one to beat in an open race.
Spanish Lad is the standout track-and-distance specialist with five wins from 10 at Cambridge Synthetic 1550m and a 14:5-2-1 venue record. All five career wins have come at this T/D. Earlier 1550m runs this campaign include a seventh and a tenth, so he is not bombproof, but the specialist profile and latest trip effort keep him firmly in the first few.
He is two from three on synthetic, draws barrier 1 and carries a light 54.5kg with Collett staying aboard after both wins. Still, the T/D record, last-start win and weight advantage make him a clear winning threat if he handles the class lift.
Lerado is the overlay. He is 5:1-1-2 at this exact track and distance and finished second, beaten half a length, in the July 29 BM74 won by Kasukedo. Synthetic (6:2-1-2) and venue (6:2-1-2) records confirm he belongs. Those risks are real: a likely backmarker role in a slow-tempo race, 59.5kg and 21 days between runs. Each-way is the right play, as he almost always runs well at these conditions and the July 29 form is the key line for this race.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7 | Kasukedo | 4 | Michael Mc Nab | S B Marsh | 58kg | $8.90 |
| 2nd | 3 | Spanish Lad | 6 | Masahiro Hashizume | J W Bell | 59kg | $7.50 |
| 3rd | 6 | Prometheus | 2 | Ashlee Strawbridge | P P Mirabelli | 55.5kg | $3.80 |
| 4th | 2 | Lerado | 3 | George Rooke | S B Marsh | 59.5kg | $13.80 |
| 5th | 5 | Moneypenny | 8 | Tom Wigram | Barbara Kennedy | 55.5kg | $12.20 |
| 6th | 1 | Skymax | 11 | Matthew Cartwright | G A & D G Rogerson & Clint Isdale | 59.5kg | $7.10 |
| 7th | 8 | El Speedy Man | 5 | Craig Grylls | P Devcich | 56.5kg | $16.10 |
| 8th | 9 | Subiaco | 1 | Samantha Collett | Peter & Shaun Mckay | 54.5kg | $4.70 |
| 9th | 4 | Meglio Di Falcrest | 10 | Hayley Hassman | Ms S Gordon | 57.5kg | $16.40 |
| 10th | 11 | Did The Trick | 9 | W Hillis & R Cole | 54kg | $17.80 | |
| Scr | 10 | Niagara Sky | 7 | R R Manning | 54kg |
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