Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted 5 hours ago Journalists Posted 5 hours ago It’s here! Today is IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day, the country’s biggest race day. There are 13 races, starting at noon, with the day’s two biggest races, the Renwick Farms Dominion Trot at 4.37pm and the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at 5.53pm. So to help you navigate the day here are some tips and selections. HOW TO TACKLE NZ CUP DAY By Michael Guerin 1: The Cup, Republican Party (R12, No.5): The little fella isn’t the best horse in the race but I’m not sure there is any value in taking $1.6 for the champ Leap To Fame, unless of course you want to say you backed him the day he won the Cup, which he probably will do. But Republican Party could get out to $5 or more because of the name recognition for Leap To Fame and Aussie punters love for Kingman and Luke McCarthy. If you end up getting $5.50 or even $6 Republican Party you are getting each way odds about a pacer who can win, and shouldn’t miss a place. Or you could be really cunning and take around $2.50 him to finish Top 2. 2: The Dominion: Arcee Phoenix (R10, No.4) One of my favourite races of the season but also a race with doubts around the leading contenders for one reason or another. Victorian mare Jilliby Ballerini could be special and smash them but has only had one standing start and would never have seen anything like today, either on or off the track. The good old boys of New Zealand trotting Muscle Mountain and Oscar Bonavena can both win and either could do it in style but they may also be a length or two down on their peak of yesteryear. Bet N Win and the talented but erratic Gus have to cop second line draws while Mighty Logan can win but was only average last time. By a process of elimination the best each way bet is Arcee Phoenix. He has proven he can travel and win, has handled Cup Day before and has won the Inter over 3157m mobile. So the big Victorian look a top each way bet at $9. 3: Sires’ Stakes Final, Jumal (R8, No.3): Lets get the easy stuff out of the way, not that a $200,000 Sires’ Stakes Final should be easy. But Jumal has been brutal on his rivals and from barrier 3 has a heap of ways to win this and not many ways to lose this. The mini multi-anchor for the day. 4: Nevele R Final, Arafura (R9, No.5): Her Ashburton heat win was a real statement and she has a good shot at getting the lead down the straight the first time, especially as it could be stablemate Winelight (2) in front. But regardless of who leads it is hard to imagine they would park this tough filly and leave them themselves vulnerable for the swoopers. Her price is short enough but hard to make a logical case to back something else. 5: Junior Free-For-All, Wag Star (R6, No.1): Has been going well without any luck in the best open class races and drops back a level here. Has gate speed and the all-important marker pegs draw so those working wider will find him hard to get around him. He is a good each bet even though Chase A Dream’s best is better. Selections : Greg O’Connor (Trackside) R1 Hoof It Hagrid, Massive Merc, Holly Highlander, Tu TangataR2 Spirit Downunder, Scrunch, Patiro, Burnham GirlR3 He Aint Fakin, Donna’s Boy, Yosemite, One Ova Da LineR4 Secret Agent Man, Taketheplunge, Tact Teva, Kotare KelsoR5 The Present Maker, Ready Set Jet, Dreams Pat, Muscle SassR6 Wag Star, Chase A Dream, Hadron Collider, The SurferR7 Bounce N Beyond, Zoltan Boscik, Confessional, Empire CityR8 Jumal, Fugitive, Sonofamistery, Zeus LightningR9 Winelight, Arafura, Duchess Of Kent, Celestial SeaR10 Arcee Phoenix, Mighty Logan, Jilliby Ballerini, Muscle MountainR11 Sideshow Bruce, It’s Tough, Double Jeopardy, MagicianR12 Leap To Fame, Republican Party, Akuta, We Walk By FaithR13 J T Boe, Radha, Berrettini, Esmeralda NZ Cup Day special – Six of the Best These horses have had the preparations and current season campaigns to suggest they should be highly competitive on NZ’s biggest harness occasion of the year. Race 4 : 1.22pm – Tact Teva (3g Lather Up – Tact Hayley Jane) Tr. S & A Telfer Freshened since getting no favours in the listed Sophomore behind Greased Lightning (17/10/25) after racing wide in the open over the last 700m. Still only 6L from the winner on a 1:57MR on that occasion. Start before that accounted for several of his ‘cup day’ rivals (3/10/25) with some aplomb. Nice trial for second behind Always Dreaming at the ‘cup’ trials. Will need to do some work from his second line draw but as the winner of three of his 9 starts, has shown himself to be above average and this field looks well within his grasp. Leading stable sure to have him primed for a big run. To place a bet in this race click here Race 6 : 2.12pm – Wag Star (5g Sweet Lou – Sunny Two Shoes) Tr. C Ferguson Standing start manners let him down in his quest to get a start in the ‘big race’ but far from disgraced often running on belatedly from average trips, the last two races especially behind one of the cup favourites in Republican Party. Hard to make ground from the rear when your rivals are running home in sub 56secs. Three starts ago was a very meritorious second in the Methven Cup behind Rakero Rocket. The racing ‘gods’ have given him the No 1 draw in the Junior FFA on Tuesday and he can definitely play a part in the finish based on recent efforts. Has been domiciled at the Todd racing stables in recent times. Represents attractive E/W value To place a bet on this race click here Race 8 : 3.22pm – Jumal (2c Downbytheseaside – Beaudiene Blinkz) Tr. S Reid Unbeaten in six race day starts and his last start in particular (10/10/25) was truly massive where he beat most of these cup day rivals on a tough trip. Back at the trials late October and in the cup day trials with more winning turns to keep him up to the mark. Goes into the Sires’ Stakes final (Group 1) with the distinct advantage of drawing very handy on the front line over his key rivals and expected to lead. Whether he hands to any rival is questionable and remains a very strong chance to remain unbeaten. Punters have to decide how to ‘play the punt’ with the Reid runner offering microscopic returns on the tote. To place a bet on this race click here Race 9 : 4.03pm – Duchess Of Kent (3f Art Major – Galleon’s Honour) Tr. L Pearson Very smart filly beaten just once in her last 8 ‘public’ appearances (including trials) and only went down by a narrow margin to Arafura on a 1:54MR at Ashburton (27/10/25), her first raceday start since late August. Cops a 2nd line draw for the $200k Nevele R Group 1 final but not as bad as it looks and likely to get through soon after the start as directly behind potential pacemaker Winelight. No doubt the Cullen threesome the hardest to beat but expecting a ‘fitter’ horse to take the track on Tuesday and a real contender to take out the major prize To place a bet on this race click here Race 12 : 5.53pm – Leap To Fame (6h Bettor’s Delight – Lettucereason) Tr. G Dixon The winner of a staggering 58 races from 73 starts with another 13 placings to his name, this Aussie pacer is unquestionably the best pacer currently in Australasia. Any kiwi cynics should go back and take a look at his Cambridge win earlier in the season where he powered away from his rivals. While having little standing start experience, he seems a sensible type and with a handy front line draw he should at least get away on terms with his rivals. He also seems to lack electrifying speed and more often than not turns his races into staying contests, something that should stand him in good stead over the 3200m. From any angle, he remains the one to beat. To place a bet on this race click here Race 13 : 6.33pm – Esmeralda (4m Always B Miki – Lauragrace) Tr. G O’Reilly Three runs back this campaign after a successful winter time with her latest effort (24/10/25) full of merit behind Its Tough after being forced to sit parked for a good way. Prior to that was a very good third behind Franco Sinatra on a 55.8 last 800m. Trainer has two in the race and has chosen to drive Esmeralda from her widish draw. TAB odds seem attractive because of that one factor but tightest assessed horse in this field (along with Radha) and with some luck in the running, she looks real E/W value in the ‘getout’ stakes To place a bet on this race click here Betting information : There will be guaranteed $10,000 First 4s on all races and a guaranteed $50,000 Late Quaddie (starting on Race 10 at 4.37) The popular Out The Gate team (Guy Heveldt, Brendon Popplewell and Mitch James) will be in action. To get involved click on the QR code and the best of luck. To see the TAB’s Runner By Runner Guide in the IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup click here To see the TAB’s Tips and Preview for Cup day click here View the full article Quote
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