OPEN HANDICAP

RACE 3 - 2200m

RUSTY LANE / KICK ON / PROBOY

He may be a spritely eight-year-old now, but RUSTY LANE really took it too them last start over 2100m at Woodville and came out on top. Pushed wider from the turn and finished off best, and if you remove the previous dud run in the Hawkes Bay Cup, his prior form reads well, including a 3rd= at Ellerslie and a brave 2nd at Tauherenikau. Amber claims a kilo, however not much to beat here with some jumpers resuming, so with a 6kg drop in weight from a victory, the ATLANTE gelding has to be a serious chance of going back-to-back.

☆☆☆☆

KICK ON has to be in the mix in his third run back and the last one signaled a much fitter horse close to his best. The PER INCANTO eight-year-old was back, but urged closer to finish a mere length off RUSTY LANE at Woodville which indicates improvement. 65 runs into a career with 7 wins, but he was good at Trentham in December and runner-up twice on the West Coast circuit in January, so the old boy still appears to have some fight in the belly and Kelly Myers rides for her old man on Saturday. Potentially the right bet at these odds.

☆☆☆

The PROISIR gelding PROBOY looks well placed after a brave effort for 2nd at Otaki last start and he will be in optimal condition. Won at Wanganui on a HEAVY8 with a big finish wide the run prior and although better suited to a wet track, he is well weighted and there's no real stars who appear much better options. Won over 2400m at Te Rapa on a SOFT5 in January with a gutsy display, so we know the gelding possesses the right credentials to put up another big fight to the line. Only concern is if Cole is disinterested in running on a track far too firm for his liking.

☆☆

OPEN HANDICAP

RACE 8 - 1400m

MR MOJO RISIN' / BELLE TRIBUTE / CONNELLO

We've followed MR MOJO RISIN' ever since his stunning last to first victory at Avondale on 2023, and despite two stints in Australia, this DEEP FIELD gelding hasn't always lived up to his potential. Came back to win over 1340m at Wanganui in Match 2025, in a four run prep, then not seem again until trialing up impressive with a 4L victory at Avondale in March of this year. Raced three wide without cover throughout resuming at Ellerslie, but may get it right 2nd-up for Forsman and Kelly Myers is the right person for the job. From this gate should really be winning this.

☆☆☆☆☆

We have a strong admiration for the mare BELLE TRIBUTE, who appears to be nearing peak performance and, with a favourable weight handicap presents a promising win chance under the guidance of Allan Sharrock. On pace and ran out a strong mile to win at Wanganui in February and with 5 wins from 15 starts looks a touch better than a few of these. The four-year-old CONTRIBUTER mare is a versatile type, able to settle forward or back and from this inside gate we imagine Sharrock would like to see Chowdhoory not too far off them in the intial stages. Sprinted home stylishly in trackwork on Tues, so a serious threat to the northern visitor.

☆☆☆

CONNELLO is a complex, unpredictable type for trainer Lisa Latta, occasionally displaying moments of brilliance but not easy to catch. The TIME TEST mare finished 2nd to LEICA LUCY in the Gr.3 Eulogy and Gr.3 Gold Trail, before over-racing in the Lowland Stakes. Couldn't find a finish over 2400m in the Gr.1 NZ Oaks before a solid finish for 2nd in the NZB Stakes down on the Riccarton turf. Resumed with a 2nd at Otaki, then 3rd in the Gr.3 Breeders Stakes behind HI YO SASS BOMB on the Heavy. Couldn't find any room to move in the Canterbury Breeders, but a good horse on her day and this is the right trip.

☆☆

BENCHMARK 75 HANDICAP

RACE 9 - 1650m

METAVERSE / SAY I DO / TEXAS

The grey mare METAVERSE could be well set to perform well at Waverley on Saturday and has a few things in her favour. Really appreciates a firm track which she should strike to go along with a fine record here being trained on the course by Cynde Evans. A daughter of DALGHAR, this eight-year-old mare hasn't won since Wanganui over a year ago, but did well fighting hard behind DESERT MYSTIC over 1600m at Hawera two back. Failed in the wet in all subsequent runs around that, so with the right conditions we expect to see the best horse emerge ultilising home town advantage.

☆☆☆☆

Quite surprised SAY I DO has come up so long in the market after stringing two nice victories together for Patrick Campbell and on both occasions went well up on the pace. Went wider on the HEAVY8 at Wanganui, followed by a brave effort to edge out JAEGER on a GOOD3 there over the mile, so handles pretty much anything. Tougher last start at Waipuk, however the PIERRO mare will enjoy getting back on the firm and is certainly fit enough to feature in the finish.

☆☆☆

Not 100% sure what to make of TEXAS at times, however, he can throw out the odd big one. The former Nick Bishara trained RUBICK gelding now in the hands of Kevin Myers burst through to win at Ellerslie last September, then never in it the next few. Came south to win over 1810m at Kumara which seemed obtainable, but went back into his shell at Wanganui with a tendency to overrace. Ok resuming for 4th at Waipuk, but potentially better suited to a firm surface and if the gelding can stay calm and settle into his work, may be the one to shock them all late.

☆☆

BENCHMARK 75 HANDICAP

RACE 10 - 1200m

KOMOCEAN / TESTWIN / LUCULLAN

Lightly raced, but this gelding KOMOCEAN does have some quality about him and we can't see why he won't measure up here fresh up. The OCEAN PARK mare trained by Allan Sharrock won nicely on his home course of New Plymouth before finishing 3rd on a deep Heavy surface there in January. Got well back at Otaki when last seen in February, but better than that and can make an instant impact after a decent let up.

☆☆☆☆

TESTWIN has been standing out in his New Plymouth trackwork and should rock up here fairly well forward to resume. The TIME TEST gelding won over 1200m on a HEAVY9 Taupo track before producing a huge finish to win over the same trip at Otaki. Decent effort for 3rd to SMART LOVE when last seen in October and obviously waiting for the tracks to soften up. Sound 2nd in s 1000m trial, so may love being back out here and give it a real hot go fresh up.

☆☆☆

We managed to catch LUCULLAN when he won at Waverley last April, then was bang on set when victorious here at Whanganui over 1200m. The RICH ENUFF gelding out of LADY MAFKI resumed with a tidy 3rd at Waverley in March and that should have cleaned him up nicely for this contest. When this lad is on, he's really on and can hit the front at a moments notice. Ran 2nd to HONEY BADGER on a challenging Wanganui track before dishing it up over 1400m at Wairarapa. Can win again.

☆☆