Otaki tips and results

Our price $5.00 · SP $4.40 · K R Hercock

A reliably placed mare who looks well suited here. She maps to sit close from a handy draw in a race lacking a genuine leader, which should let her travel comfortably in front of the closers. Her recent third over this trip on soft was a solid effort and she has repeatedly run well at the mile on wet ground. The negatives are 10 starts without a win and a stable yet to fire at Otaki, but on form and map she is the one to beat.

Our price $5.50 · SP $9.80 · Lily Sutherland

A steadily improving mare who has placed in three of her four starts, every one of them on soft ground. Her close third last start, produced with a strong late charge, was a good pointer. She is second-up today with a placing from her only prior second-up run. The concern is the wide draw and the step to a mile for the first time, but her finishing strength and consistency make her a clear top-three chance.

Our price $8.00 · SP $6.70 · Floor Moerman

An honest, consistent mare who gets the ideal setup here: the inside gate where the Otaki soft-track edge is strongest, plus a light weight thanks to the claim. She has been placing regularly, several of them on wet tracks, and her rider knows this course well.

Our price $3.80 · SP $3.50 · Floor Moerman

Its only start was a strong fourth at Hawera, and that run looked the best of any runner here when judged on time. It sat handy, ran on over 1200m and should be able to repeat that in a field of lightly-raced three-year-olds. Barrier 7 is only a mild negative.

Our price $5.50 · SP $11.00 · Tom Wigram

The only winner in the field, and she has run well in each of her three starts over this trip. The wide barrier and a new jockey are concerns.

Our price $5.50 · SP $6.50 · Jonathan Riddell

This bloke has the strongest single piece of form in the race - beaten a neck over 1400 in a stronger BM65 on heavy ground two starts back, after winning his maiden here at Otaki. He settles midfield and should be finishing hard. The one to beat.

Our price $5.50 · SP $4.80 · Kavish Chowdhoory

The safest horse in the race - she has finished in the first three in eight of her eleven starts, won here over 1400 on soft ground, and has placed in both of her fresh runs. Her best efforts last prep were up to winning this grade.

Our price $6.00 · SP $3.90 · Lily Sutherland

Improving mare who was a close third here over 1400 a fortnight ago, settling handy and sticking on well. She is fit, draws ideally in gate four and the stable has her going the right way. She still has to find a bit to win at this grade, but she is a sound place prospect.

Our price $3.80 · SP $3.20 · Tom Wigram

He is a genuine Otaki specialist who has won twice here and is well suited by the soft surface. The wide draw and a poor last start are negatives, but his best wet-track form is strong enough to make him the one to beat.

Our price $4.20 · SP $3.70 · Kelly Myers

He ran a solid third in a Group race last time and has been a model of consistency, placing in most starts. He handles wet ground and drops in class, but he is yet to win at this trip and may need to be closer in a slowly run race. A strong place chance and a legitimate winning hope.

Our price $8.50 · SP $8.50 · Toni Davies

A class act who is a proven winner on soft ground and at Otaki. He looks the likely leader in a race that may be slowly run, and the claim helps offset his top weight. He ran respectably in a Group race only a week ago and won here two starts back.

Our price $7.50 · SP $6.00 · Lily Sutherland

Indian Pacific is a last-start winner in this grade at Otaki, coming from midfield to score on soft ground. He has a good record on rain-affected going and a handy draw. The obvious negative is the sharp weight rise after that win, and he is second up, so he may need to improve again. Still, his form line is strong enough to rate him a leading place chance.

Our price $7.80 · SP $4.40 · K R Hercock

The inside draw should let him settle handy, and he rarely runs a bad race.

Our price $6.50 · SP $10.50 · Floor Moerman

Won the Waverley Cup over 2200m on this sort of ground last start, settling third and quickening clear — the strongest staying effort among these. He drops out of black-type company, has a 36 percent winning strike and good soft-track and 2100m records. Trainer Kevin Myers is going well and Floor Moerman has won three of six on him. He races in the first half, which suits the steady tempo expected.

Our price $8.00 · SP $4.70 · Chris Dell

He usually parks on the speed from a good draw, which suits the steady tempo expected.

Our price $15.00 · SP $12.90 · Toni Davies

Overpriced on his efforts earlier in this preparation, when he won two staying races on soft ground from the front. He led and was beaten by Sunset Boulevard at Waverley last start but now gets a three-kilo pull at the weights, and he has won here before. If he gets an easy lead in a slowly run race he could steal it, and his place record is strong. The risk is that his two runs before last were plain.

Our price $4.50 · SP $3.40 · Floor Moerman

He carries top weight but gets a 2kg claim and is trained by a stable going well. The main query is the step to 2100m from a wide draw in a likely slow pace; he may concede too much start, but his class and turn of foot make him the one to beat.

Our price $10.00 · SP $17.00 · Samantha Collett

Her Hawera third on soft ground was a strong effort, running on well from midfield, and she drops from a BM75 last start to this grade. She has placed at 2100m and maps on-pace, which suits a slow tempo.