Punt like a Pro, without the know!
New Zealand · Thursday 10 September 2026
Our top pick won 2 of 7 races at Riccarton Park Synthetic. Every pick, our analysis and the full results are below.
top pick wonanother tip wonno tip won
He carries the identical 58.5kg, backs up on a fortnight, and returns to the only surface where he has shown ability. Barrier 6 fits the track's mild mid-gate lean, and a slow tempo with no genuine leader suits a horse that can sit handy.
She drops back to the surface and trip that produced easily her best effort, takes the minimum 54.5kg and draws barrier 1. The concern is that she found the line one-paced when in front, and with no genuine leader engaged she may again be exposed. Solid each-way claims but the win case is a shade behind the top pick.
The most dependable form line in the race: three straight top-3 finishes on this synthetic surface, including a 2nd and two 3rds, all with today's rider. The step up to 2200m for the first time looks a positive for a mare who has consistently been finishing off over a mile without quite getting there.
The 2kg rise and cold jockey statistics temper enthusiasm, so each-way is the sensible way in.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Illusionist | 2 | Jack Taplin | Brenna Cook | 56.5kg | $4.80 |
| 2nd | 1 | Gap It | 6 | J J Fawcett | J C Blackadder | 58.5kg | $3.50 |
| 3rd | 6 | Gasgal | 5 | Y Atchamah | Ainsley Mcleod | 56.5kg | $12.50 |
| 4th | 7 | White Palace | 3 | Hayley Hassman | Lisa Young | 55.5kg | $7.70 |
| 5th | 5 | Salacia Princess | 1 | Ashlee Strawbridge | M E Cunneen | 54.5kg | $3.30 |
| 6th | 4 | Unshackled | 4 | B E Grylls | T J Yesberg | 56.5kg | $5.80 |
| 7th | 3 | Patch Of Sunshine | 7 | Ohara Najib | Ms K C Murphy | 56.5kg | $89.70 |
Queen Of Naples owns the strongest synthetic and course-and-distance credentials in the field, and crucially she has already beaten both Delmonico and My Sharona over this precise course and trip in July, finishing within half a length of the winner. She races handy and is invariably top three at the 400m, the exact profile the Riccarton synthetic mile rewards, and a slow tempo with no genuine leader suits a tactically versatile mare.
The most reliable place proposition in the race. Delmonico has been placed or thereabouts at this course and distance repeatedly, with 11 starts there for 2 wins, 2 seconds and a third, and his last three synthetic mile runs were all beaten under two lengths. He steps back from 1800m fit off an 11-day turnaround from an inside gate. The reservation is tactical: he settles well back and the Riccarton synthetic mile rewards runners handy at the 400m, so he needs the tempo to lift or a clean run through.
The class question is real. Last start reads far better than the bare 7th given she was crowded, held up and clipped heels.
The overlay in a short field. The bare 8th last start came on Heavy 9 ground she has never coped with, after interference at the start, so it can be safely ignored.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Queen Of Naples | 4 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 54.5kg | $2.10 |
| 2nd | 1 | Delmonico | 2 | Sima Mxothwa | Andrew Carston | 56kg | $3.50 |
| 3rd | 5 | Persona | 5 | T R Moseley | D B Frye | 54kg | $9.70 |
| 4th | 2 | War Court | 3 | Y Atchamah | Ainsley Mcleod | 58kg | $11.80 |
| 5th | 3 | My Sharona | 6 | Jack Taplin | Anna Furlong | 54kg | $4.60 |
| 6th | 7 | Spring Queen | 1 | Ashlee Strawbridge | John & Shane Phillips | 54.5kg | $29.70 |
| Scr | 6 | Frosbie | 6 | T J Yesberg | 54kg |
Percival is the most likely winner because the exposed form is stronger than anything else in this field. His last preparation included a close second and he has the profile of a horse ready to break through in ordinary maiden company. The main risks are his 146-day layoff, first-up record, and lack of synthetic racing experience, but none of the unraced runners offer a more reliable form reference.
Stortford Lodge is the strongest debutant on the page. She is by Savabeel, carries a low weight, and the jockey/trainer combination has a very strong recent strike rate together.
The jockey booking is significant, with Jasmine Fawcett riding well and successful with this stable.
Rufus is the value runner rather than a genuine top-three win hope. He has shown enough at this synthetic track, including a third and a fourth in his recent 1600m runs, and the drop back to 1400m with barrier one should suit. He remains hard to trust but offers good each-way value.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 8 | Stortford Lodge | 2 | Ashlee Strawbridge | D M Walsh | 54.5kg | $7.00 |
| 2nd | 1 | Percival | 3 | T C Moodley | L M Robinson | 58.5kg | $1.30 |
| 3rd | 4 | Starvinos | 5 | Sima Mxothwa | N R Mitchell | 55.5kg | $30.50 |
| 4th | 3 | Ask Archie | 8 | Y Atchamah | N R Mitchell | 58.5kg | $12.90 |
| 5th | 2 | Rufus | 1 | B M Murray | M L Price | 58.5kg | $20.10 |
| 6th | 6 | Manoeuvre | 4 | J J Fawcett | J C Blackadder | 56.5kg | $11.30 |
| 7th | 5 | Eliza | 6 | B E Grylls | Lisa Young | 56.5kg | $67.30 |
| 8th | 7 | Stellenbosch | 7 | Roushan Khan | M P Mccann | 56.5kg | $44.60 |
| Scr | 9 | San Reno | 2 | T R Moseley | J & K Parsons | 56kg |
Most credible R60 1200m synthetic performer. Dropping back to Restricted 60 and drawing barrier 3 improves his chances. Main concern is his tendency to keep finding one or two better.
One of the best formlines out of the Aug 26 R60 event: first-up he finished third over 1400m, ahead of Cape Horn and just in front of Jack Attack. The drop to 1200m should suit, he draws barrier 2, and he should be improved by that run.
Prior to that he was second in R60 over 1400m, and he already owns a 1200m synthetic win. Dropping back to 1200m should help, but his pattern of settling back on a track that favours leaders makes him more of a place play behind Thats Charming.
Jack Attack is the most natural leader in a race that lacked genuine early speed, and he has placed nine times in 17 starts at this c/d. His last-start R60 1400 fourth was close enough, and the shorter trip should suit.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Cape Horn | 7 | A K Riddell | M & M Pitman | 59.5kg | $3.80 |
| 2nd | 4 | Thats Charming | 3 | Y Atchamah | Andrew Carston | 59.5kg | $5.10 |
| 3rd | 8 | Shafted | 1 | Alyssa Parris | D B Frye | 51.5kg | $12.20 |
| 4th | 5 | Right Of Appeal | 2 | Brandon May | Ms B M Woodsford | 58.5kg | $4.10 |
| 5th | 3 | Jack Attack | 4 | Ashlee Strawbridge | R D Holmes | 57.5kg | $4.80 |
| 6th | 1 | Into The Wind | 6 | T R Moseley | Ms J Burrows | 60kg | $13.30 |
| 7th | 7 | Avitus | 8 | Toni Davies | Steven Woodsford | 56kg | $9.80 |
| 8th | 6 | Pure Jewel | 5 | J J Fawcett | B S Smith | 57kg | $41.60 |
| Scr | 9 | Mystic Ocean | 9 | M & M Pitman | 55kg |
The Heavy 9 failure last start is a surface excuse, not a form decline. Gate 1, 56kg and a slow tempo with no genuine leader lets Strawbridge park her handy on a track where 1-3 at the 400m wins 19%.
He won his only first-up assignment, so 137 days off is fine, and barrier 3 helps. Against him: a synthetic debut, a rider winless in 20, and a settle-back pattern on a course with a pronounced on-pace bias.
All 8 synthetic runs have come at Riccarton for 1 win, 1 second and 1 third, so the surface is a positive.
The 4kg claim brings him to 54kg, a 4.5kg swing from the run where he was buried under 58kg.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 | Elegant Explosive | 1 | Ashlee Strawbridge | J & K Parsons | 56kg | $5.40 |
| 2nd | 2 | Montero | 5 | Sima Mxothwa | Kieran Mccauley | 56.5kg | $6.40 |
| 3rd | 3 | Pequot | 2 | T C Moodley | L M Robinson | 59.5kg | $5.20 |
| 4th | 1 | Brutal Riff | 3 | Jack Taplin | Ms T Rae | 57.5kg | $2.80 |
| 5th | 8 | Woodlands | 6 | Hayley Hassman | John & Shane Phillips | 56kg | $22.70 |
| 6th | 9 | Mystic Ocean | 4 | A K Riddell | M & M Pitman | 54kg | $14.80 |
| 7th | 5 | Gota Hunch | 7 | B E Grylls | Danny Crozier | 58kg | $9.30 |
| 8th | 6 | Miraqua | 8 | Alyssa Parris | D B Frye | 54kg | $11.60 |
| Scr | 7 | Cape Horn | 4 | M & M Pitman | 57kg |
She is the only genuine leader in the field, and a 2200m Restricted 60 with one pace runner should produce the slow tempo that has historically suited on-pace types at Riccarton Synthetic.
Ignore the last-start turf failure on Soft 7, a surface on which he has never won. Barrier 1 lets him sit on the speed in what should be a moderately run staying race.
The most reliable placegetter in the race. He was second over this track and distance a fortnight ago after being crowded at the start and held up near the turn, and his synthetic record of five seconds and two thirds from twelve starts speaks to consistency without conversion. The class drop helps but 60kg is a significant 3.5kg rise and the riding booking is out of form. Solid claims for a placing, harder to see him actually winning given one success from 38 starts.
His last two runs came at 1600m and 1400m-style tempos that do not suit, and he began awkwardly at his most recent appearance.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 11 | La Evita | 2 | Ohara Najib | Ms K C Murphy | 53kg | $17.50 |
| 2nd | 3 | Rollins | 8 | Y Atchamah | L M Robinson | 60kg | $5.80 |
| 3rd | 1 | Baggio | 1 | Ashlee Strawbridge | N R Mitchell | 58kg | $7.20 |
| 4th | 7 | New Beginning | 6 | J J Fawcett | J C Blackadder | 58kg | $2.90 |
| 5th | 12 | Honoka | 3 | Sima Mxothwa | J & K Parsons | 54kg | $21.70 |
| 6th | 8 | El Fuego | 12 | B M Murray | M L Price | 58kg | $84.70 |
| 7th | 4 | Correction | 10 | T R Moseley | Brian Court & Jesse O'flaherty | 59kg | $17.40 |
| 8th | 6 | Sincere | 7 | Hayley Hassman | Andrew Carston | 58kg | $11.20 |
| 9th | 2 | Light Of Plutus | 5 | Brandon May | L Callaway | 60kg | $12.60 |
| 10th | 10 | Cutout | 11 | Alyssa Parris | J & K Parsons | 51.5kg | $44.20 |
| 11th | 13 | Frosbie | 4 | A Balloo | T J Yesberg | 55.5kg | $7.80 |
| 12th | 9 | Warrior Of War | 9 | B E Grylls | Danny Crozier | 57.5kg | $23.20 |
| Scr | 5 | On The Rivet | 11 | Krystal Williams | 59kg |
Her time compared favourably with the Restricted 60 on the same card, so the maiden-to-BM65 rise is less severe than it reads. Barrier seven is in the favoured band and a slow tempo suits a horse that can control and quicken.
She drops in grade and has won on the surface. The offsets are real: 58kg top weight, a jockey without a winner in 20 rides, an unconvincing single attempt at the mile, and the stewards' note that she bled from one nostril. Strong enough to place, not confident enough to back to win.
Draw one in a race without a genuine leader is a meaningful edge given this track's on-pace bias, and she has already won on the surface here. The 1000m flop from gate 14 last start tells us little - she was well out of her ground before the race began. The step to a mile is untried and her overall strike rate is modest, but the stable is in gear with Strawbridge and the map should let her be positioned exactly where mile winners come from at Riccarton synthetic.
The overlay in a race stacked with maiden-grade recruits. She meets them well at 52kg from the favoured mid-draw. Each-way is the sensible structure.
| Finish | No. | Horse | Barrier | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | Private Treaty | 5 | Sima Mxothwa | R E Didham | 55kg | $15.40 |
| 2nd | 6 | Gadabout | 8 | A Balloo | Steven Woodsford | 56.5kg | $17.50 |
| 3rd | 5 | Dorothea | 1 | Ashlee Strawbridge | D M Walsh | 55.5kg | $3.80 |
| 4th | 7 | Honor Mission | 7 | K Bakker | L M Robinson | 54.5kg | $9.30 |
| 5th | 4 | Big Exit | 2 | A K Riddell | Ms S Faulkner | 57.5kg | $15.60 |
| 6th | 3 | Zambrosia | 6 | Hayley Hassman | Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson | 57kg | $2.60 |
| 7th | 1 | Pistachio | 3 | Toni Davies | Peter & Trent Didham | 58kg | $5.00 |
| 8th | 9 | Da Vinci Girl | 4 | Jack Taplin | M & M Pitman | 54kg | $17.80 |
| Scr | 8 | Rithim | 2 | B E Grylls | Andrew Carston | 54.5kg |
Before the races, not after
Our top three picks and a value pick for every race, with assessed prices, speed maps and the analysis behind them. Free for 7 days.