For all of Punty's tips for New Plymouth Raceway, head to https://punty.ai/tips/new-plymouth-raceway-2026-05-23

Rightio Loose Units, New Plymouth on a Soft 5 with the rail true and not a drop of rain in sight - this looks like one of those meetings where the first half plays like a snooze, then the tempo cranks up and the mid-card turns into a proper pub scrap.

MEET SNAPSHOT

Track: New Plymouth Raceway, 1200m-2000m card
Rail: True
Official going: Soft 5 (expected to play fair but with the inside runners getting every possible sniff if the fence holds)
Weather: Fine (watch for the surface tightening up a touch)
Early lane guess: Rail true, inside not a graveyard, and handy runners should get their chance if they find cover
Tempo profile: Slow early in R1 and R2, genuine in R3, then the card keeps throwing up proper pressure races through R5, R7 and R8
Jockeys to follow:
Jack Taplin - keeps landing in the right spot on handy types and gets a few live rides that map nicely.
Kelly Myers - aboard a stack of runners who can stalk or control the race; she's the sort who can make a good map look even better.
Elen Nicholas - has a few roughies and value runners where a quiet ride and a clear lane could make all the difference.
Stables to respect:
Robbie Patterson (5 runners) - plenty of live chances and a couple of runners that map to get the right run.
Ms J Millar (4 runners) - has the right sort of horses in the grades and a few that can pinch it if they get the right tempo.
S A Sharrock (3 runners) - not here just for the snacks; a couple of their mares/handy types are set up to run well.

Punty's take:

This meeting has a real split personality. The first couple of races look like a slow-burn, which means the fence and the horses with a bit of tactical toe are going to feel like they got the best seat at the cinema. Then you hit the middle and late card and the pressure lifts - suddenly it's more Mad Max than lullaby, and the races with genuine speed become the ones where timing and positioning matter.

The other big clue is the market smoke. Cheval De Foudre and Jaeger have been getting shoved in Race 6, Happy Star and a couple of the better maiden types have had a nibble, and Crafty Colin has been backed despite the horror alley in Race 8. That's your old mate the bagman not doing it for fun - but it doesn't mean you just follow every drift and firm like a sheep.

There are a few races here where the favourite looks a touch skinny and you've got to ask if the price has done the hard work for you. Race 1 and Race 4 feel like the cleaner, more readable dances. Race 2 and Race 7 are the chaos factories where the form guide can get thrown in the bin and set on fire. If you're looking for the day to hand you a tidy collect, you want the right mix of anchors and a couple of value runners that map sweet.

What it means for you:

Be picky early. The first two races aren't the place to go full loose unit with the wallet - you're better off letting the race shape do some of the work and leaning on horses that can sit close without burning fuel. In the middle of the card, you can get a bit more aggressive because that's where the pace pressure should expose the pretenders.

For the straight bets, Punty's leaning hard into place and each-way where the map says "could get the job done but might not have the easiest life." That's the smart play on this sort of card. The multi spine is built on the most likely winners, not the flashiest prices, because this meeting has enough banana peels without adding your own. Quaddie and Big 6? Keep them trimmed. Don't go building a cathedral when the market's already giving you a couple of anchors.

If you want value, back the horses with the clean map and a realistic path to the line, then let the roughies do their work only where the race shape genuinely helps them. No hero ball. No mug punting. Just clean, ruthless, race-day decision making.

PUNTY'S BIG 3 + MULTI

These are the three bets the day leans on.
1 - Midnight Train (Race 1, No.1) — $2.40
Why Honest, consistent, and maps right in a race that doesn't look like it'll be run at breakneck speed. He gets every chance to peel out and finish over the top.
2 - Shadow Ruler (Race 4, No.9) — $4.00
Why The better map in the maiden, the soft draw helps, and this looks like the one that can sit off the speed and pounce when the whips go up.
3 - Notabadspillane (Race 3, No.3) — $7.50
Why Genuine grinder in a race with shape, and if the leaders make this a testing 2000m affair, he gets his chance to bully the line.
Multi (all three to win): $10 × ~72.00 = ~$720.00 collect

Race 1 – The Baby Stakes Grind

Race type: Open, 1600m
Map & tempo: Slow tempo. Midnight Train should land in the right spot, Capaci has the soft-track profile to keep rolling, and Skattebo is the one on the fence with the map to annoy a few noses late.
Punty read: This is a race where patience matters more than bravado. You don't want to be hunting a swooper off a crawl unless you're feeling very brave or very stupid, and Punty's been both on bad Tuesdays. Midnight Train is the reliable little bastard here - consistent form, decent gate, and a run that says he'll be there when it counts. Capaci has the excuses and the map to bounce back, while Skattebo is the sort of horse that can sit on the fence and nick a slice if they keep dawdling. Ikan's the roughie sniffing around on the speed, but the price says "maybe" and not "mortgage the house."

Top 3 + Roughie ($25 pool)

1. Midnight Train (No.1) — $2.40 / $1.37
Bet $15.00 Win, return $36.00
Prob 22.6% | Place: 47.6% | Value: 0.69x
Why Tough, honest, and the run style fits the shape. In a slow-run 1600m, the one that can hold a midfield spot and pounce late often gets the chocolates.
2. Capaci (No.5) — $6.00 / $2.50
Bet Tracked
Prob 21.0% | Place: 44.8% | Value: 1.59x
Why The excuses were there last time, and the soft-track middle-distance profile is right in his wheelhouse. If he gets clear air, he'll be finishing like a train.
3. Skattebo (No.4) — $7.50 / $3.10
Bet Tracked
Prob 20.8% | Place: 44.5% | Value: 1.97x
Why The fence draw in a crawl is gold, but the pool's only paying two places so Punty's not getting greedy.
Roughie: Ikan (No.6) — $17.00 / $5.00
Bet Tracked
Prob 11.2% | Place: 25.7% | Value: 2.41x
Why Can bowl along on the speed if they let him, but he needs the race to fall apart and the map to go full sitcom.

Race 2 – The Lottery Booth

Race type: Benchmark 65, 1800m
Map & tempo: Slow tempo. Platinum Tyche and Talentoso can sit close enough to be dangerous, but this is a proper open race where a cheap leader or a clean trail can turn the whole thing upside down.
Punty read: This is the sort of race that makes sane people walk away from the tote and go make a sandwich. Platinum Tyche is the one Punty actually trusts to run a huge race, but the guardrail is on because it's a chaos handicap and the price is doing roughie things in a race where the market leader isn't even short enough to feel safe. Talentoso has the second-up profile and the kind of setup that can get him into the money, while Alaskan gets a lovely weight swing and looks the sort of horse that can be very dangerous if he sneaks into the race at the right time. Del Inquent is the obvious danger, but at the price it's a bit thin for the sort of brawl this is likely to become.

Top 3 + Roughie ($25 pool)

1. Platinum Tyche (No.4) — $9.50 / $2.50
Bet $15.00 Each Way ($7.50W + $7.50P), return $71.25 (wins) / $18.75 (places)
Prob 16.0% | Place: 49.2% | Value: 2.02x
Why Best chance to sit handy and let the race come to it, but Punty's not forcing a win bet in a race where the favourite's not even favourite-worthy.
2. Talentoso (No.1) — $5.00 / $1.80
Bet Tracked
Prob 14.4% | Place: 45.4% | Value: 0.96x
Why The map is okay, the second-up pattern is good, and he looks the sort to grind away while others are trying to remember where the finishing post is.
3. Alaskan (No.6) — $9.50 / $2.50
Bet $7.50 Place, return $18.75
Prob 13.4% | Place: 42.8% | Value: 1.69x
Why The weight drop is the sneaky bit here - if he gets a soft enough run, he's right in the fight.
Roughie: Novak (No.5) — $9.00 / $2.45
Bet Tracked
Prob 12.2% | Place: 39.5% | Value: 1.45x
Why Could improve if the race turns into a war, but Punty's keeping the wallet tight and letting the top trio carry the load.

Race 3 – The 2000m Brawl

Race type: Open, 2000m
Map & tempo: Genuine tempo. Ortem Legacy is the pilot, and that means the backmarkers have a chance to make this a test rather than a procession.
Punty read: This is one of those races where the leader might do a bit of the donkey work and hand the race to the grinder sitting in behind. Notabadspillane is the one Punty wants in the place market - honest, fit enough, and the sort who'll keep finding under pressure if they stack them up in front. Ortem Legacy can control it, but the market has gone a bit skinny and he's not the sort Punty wants to be taking as a shortie in a race with pace. Ayteem is the sneaky one with the weight drop and a proper excuse last time, while Happy Star is the roughie for the sickos who think the front few have overcooked the cake. If they do, he can run on into the placings like a drunk uncle at a wedding.

Top 3 + Roughie ($7.50 pool)

1. Notabadspillane (No.3) — $7.50 / $2.00
Bet $7.50 Place, return $15.00
Prob 17.7% | Place: 54.3% | Value: 1.73x
Why Stays in the right spot, gets the tempo to help him, and doesn't need to be a hero to land in the finish.
2. Ortem Legacy (No.6) — $2.35 / $1.25
Bet Tracked
Prob 16.3% | Place: 51.0% | Value: 0.50x
Why Looks the likely leader, but Punty's not diving into a skinny place payout when the pace can do funny things.
3. Ayteem (No.7) — $2.90 / $1.25
Bet Tracked
Prob 14.4% | Place: 46.5% | Value: 0.54x
Why Has the class to lob into it, but the numbers and the map say "watch, don't chase."
Roughie: Happy Star (No.2) — $26.00 / $3.90
Bet Tracked
Prob 12.4% | Place: 41.1% | Value: 4.20x
Why If the genuine tempo turns into a slog and the leaders get dragged into the red, he can clunk up late at a big number.

Race 4 – Maiden Mayhem

Race type: Maiden, 1400m
Map & tempo: Moderate tempo. Bokushi and Jasper look the pace makers, with Shadow Ruler sitting pretty from the inside and waiting to pounce.
Punty read: Mares and maidens can be a filthy little minefield, but this one actually has a map you can grab with both hands. Shadow Ruler is the right horse from the right alley - the kind of runner who can stalk, conserve, and then use the soft lane to get the jump on the rest. Bokushi is the obvious leader and probably the horse they all have to catch, but Punty's not paying for the privilege of backing the one the whole race will see coming. Prince Of Diamonds has the right sort of profile to get into the placings, while Heavy Is The Crown is the roughie with excuses and a market sniff, but not enough to get the wallet out unless you're feeling spicy after three coffees.

Top 3 + Roughie ($13 pool)

1. Shadow Ruler (No.9) — $4.00 / $1.75
Bet $13.00 Place, return $22.75
Prob 21.7% | Place: 66.4% | Value: 0.78x
Why The map is delicious, the inside gate is a gift, and in a maiden like this the horse that gets the cleanest run often looks like a genius.
2. Bokushi (No.2) — $3.30 / $1.45
Bet Tracked
Prob 14.6% | Place: 49.8% | Value: 0.86x
Why Can roll along and make them chase, but the price doesn't give you much jelly on the toast.
3. Prince Of Diamonds (No.3) — $5.00 / $2.00
Bet Tracked
Prob 12.8% | Place: 44.8% | Value: 0.87x
Why Has enough talent to be involved, just not enough of a betting edge to get Punty ripping up the ticket.
Roughie: Heavy Is The Crown (No.5) — $17.50 / $4.20
Bet Tracked
Prob 6.7% | Place: 25.5% | Value: 1.01x
Why If the race gets messy and a few of the better-fancied types go wandering, he can clunk into the frame - but that's a long chain of ifs.

Race 5 – Speed Trap

Race type: Benchmark 75, 1200m
Map & tempo: Genuine tempo. Liquid Les is the leader and this should be run at a proper clip, which opens the door for the classy horse with the right run.
Punty read: Now we're talking. This is the sort of race where the map can do the heavy lifting because the pressure is real and the speed is genuine. Komocean is the one Punty wants onside - fresh enough, proven at the track, and drawn to get the nice run while the front line does the dirty work. Shacktime is rock-solid and will keep grinding, but he's not the sort you want to go overboard on at the price. Amazonia has the on-speed profile to be in it for a long way, yet the better value is probably elsewhere. Catherinenz is the roughie for the lunatics - if the pressure is savage and they start standing on each other's tail, she can blow through late like a scene from a heist movie.

Top 3 + Roughie ($8.50 pool)

1. Komocean (No.2) — $4.00 / $1.70
Bet $8.50 Each Way ($4.25W + $4.25P), return $17.00 (wins) / $7.22 (places)
Prob 17.5% | Place: 51.1% | Value: 0.91x
Why Lovely gate, perfect setup, and the sort of horse that can sit off a hot speed and get the last crack at them.
2. Shacktime (No.6) — $6.50 / $2.30
Bet Tracked
Prob 13.2% | Place: 41.2% | Value: 1.12x
Why Honest as the day is long, but the saver line's not there and Punty's not paying overs for manners.
3. Amazonia (No.8) — $5.00 / $2.00
Bet Tracked
Prob 11.0% | Place: 35.4% | Value: 0.72x
Why Maps forward and can be handy, but the market's already taken the nice bits off the price.
Roughie: Catherinenz (No.9) — $12.00 / $3.40
Bet Tracked
Prob 10.4% | Place: 33.7% | Value: 1.62x
Why If the leaders cook each other and she's the one finishing best, the big number looks silly in hindsight.

Race 6 – The Grinder

Race type: Benchmark 75, 1600m
Map & tempo: Moderate tempo. There's enough speed to make this honest, but not enough to make it a total slaughter.
Punty read: This is a cracking little middle-distance puzzle. Cheval De Foudre has been firming and the market's not having a laugh - the stable money is there, the horse has the class, and even from a tricky-ish gate he can park up and run a big race. Jaeger is another that the market has been sniffing, while Dresse' Par Joli is the honest operator who'll keep sticking on if the pace is solid. On The Town and Ayteem are the sort of runners who can make the race look more complicated than it already is, which is exactly why Punty is keeping the book tidy and not trying to win the whole meeting in one hit.

Top 3 + Roughie ($13 pool)

1. Cheval De Foudre (No.1) — $6.00 / $2.20
Bet $13.00 Each Way ($6.50W + $6.50P), return $39.00 (wins) / $14.30 (places)
Prob 12.4% | Place: 42.0% | Value: 1.05x
Why Firming for a reason and the stable clearly fancies the job. He can settle midfield, get a tow into it, and if the race opens up he's the one with the cleaner finishing burst.
2. Jaeger (No.7) — $6.50 / $2.35
Bet Tracked
Prob 11.2% | Place: 38.5% | Value: 1.03x
Why The market's been chasing him too, but Punty's not paying to find out if the gate gives him grief.
3. Dresse' Par Joli (No.11) — $6.50 / $2.35
Bet Tracked
Prob 11.1% | Place: 38.1% | Value: 1.01x
Why The horse is in the right sort of form, but the numbers say he's more a "watch him run on" job than a "front up and attack" job.
Roughie: Ayteem (No.4) — $11.00 / $3.50
Bet Tracked
Prob 10.6% | Place: 36.7% | Value: 1.64x
Why Has the upside if things get a bit messy, but Punty's not spreading too thin in a race with enough viable chances already.

Race 7 – The Open Shop

Race type: Open, 1400m
Map & tempo: Genuine tempo. Rua Rocks should make the running, and this one looks like it will be run with enough pressure to expose any flat tyre.
Punty read: This is the sort of race that gives you the sweats and the headaches. Our Jumala is the horse Punty wants to be with - he gets the map, he's proven at the track, and he doesn't need to be a freak to land in the finish. Sindee is the classy one in the field and the one the market is happy to throw money at, but the outside-ish draw and the genuine tempo mean there's always a little sting in the tail. Belle Tribute has the right credentials to be around the mark if she gets the right slice of the race, and Bay Express is the roughie with a sniff if the front runners cut each other up. This is proper Saturday arvo betting - a bit of talent, a bit of chaos, and a fair bit of prayer.

Top 3 + Roughie ($13 pool)

1. Our Jumala (No.2) — $5.00 / $1.85
Bet $13.00 Each Way ($6.50W + $6.50P), return $32.50 (wins) / $12.03 (places)
Prob 14.9% | Place: 42.9% | Value: 0.98x
Why Good gate, good map, and the sort of runner who can sit handy without being used up. If he gets a clean run, he'll be there when the whips start flying.
2. Sindee (No.4) — $2.80 / $1.32
Bet Tracked
Prob 14.0% | Place: 40.9% | Value: 0.52x
Why Talented, but the price has gone full premium bread in a race where Punty's not keen to pay up.
3. Belle Tribute (No.6) — $3.90 / $1.55
Bet Tracked
Prob 12.8% | Place: 37.9% | Value: 0.65x
Why Honest enough to run well, yet not enough edge in the number for Punty to get the throat coat out.
Roughie: Bay Express (No.7) — $12.00 / $3.20
Bet Tracked
Prob 12.6% | Place: 37.6% | Value: 1.99x
Why If the pressure is savage and the race turns into a late dogfight, he can charge late and make a mess of the exotics.

Race 8 – The Apprentice Ambush

Race type: Benchmark 65, 1400m
Map & tempo: Genuine tempo. He's Platinum looks likely to roll forward, while the horses with a bit of patience can load up late.
Punty read: Final race and it's a proper little scalp-fest. Pee Bee Girl is the one Punty's happy to have onside - draws well, gets the run, and can hold a forward spot without turning the race into a trackwork gallop. Summer Breeze is the kind of fresh horse that can hit the line if the tempo is honest, while Bellezor is the swooper in the field who'll be doing all the nice work late if they overdo it early. Super Wraith is the roughie for the degenerates who like a bit of smoke and mirrors, but Punty's keeping the stake where the model wants it. Crafty Colin is being speared in the market, which is lovely, except the alley and the shape of the race say "proceed with caution" rather than "bet your liver."

Top 3 + Roughie ($13 pool)

1. Pee Bee Girl (No.12) — $3.10 / $1.52
Bet $13.00 Each Way ($6.50W + $6.50P), return $20.15 (wins) / $9.88 (places)
Prob 11.2% | Place: 37.4% | Value: 0.47x
Why Maps nicely enough to stay out of trouble and has the sort of on-pace profile that suits a race likely to get run fairly.
2. Summer Breeze (No.8) — $12.00 / $3.70
Bet Tracked
Prob 10.4% | Place: 35.1% | Value: 1.70x
Why Fresh horse with a live finish, but Punty's not doubling down when the top pick already owns the ticket.
3. Bellezor (No.10) — $17.00 / $4.60
Bet Tracked
Prob 9.0% | Place: 31.1% | Value: 2.09x
Why If they go hell for leather up front, she can be steaming late, but this is more theatre than trust.
Roughie: Super Wraith (No.6) — $19.00 / $4.80
Bet Tracked
Prob 7.5% | Place: 26.5% | Value: 1.95x
Why Has excuses, has a sniff, but Punty's not going fishing in the deep end on the last.

SEQUENCE LANES — SINGLE OPTIMISED TICKET

EARLY QUADDIE (R1-4)

Smart: 1,5,4 / 4,1,6 / 3,6,7 / 9,2,3 (81 combos x $0.50 = $40.50) — 50.0% flexi
Two cleaner legs in R1 and R4, but R2 and R3 are proper little chaos gremlins - sensible ticket, not a magic trick.

QUADDIE (R5-8)

Smart: 2,6,8 / 1,7,11 / 2,4,6 / 12,8,10 (81 combos x $0.50 = $40.50) — 50.0% flexi
R5 and R7 give you the anchors, R6 and R8 bring the sweat - that's a fair quaddie shape, but still a race-by-race brawl.

BIG 6 (R3-8)

Smart: 3,6 / 9,2 / 2,6 / 1,7 / 2,4 / 12,8 (64 combos x $0.50 = $32.00) — 50.0% flexi
This is the tighter survival ticket: two runners a leg keeps the cost sane, but one boilover and the whole thing's in the bin.

NUGGETS FROM THE TRACK

1 - The early tempo is the clue
Races 1 and 2 look slow, which means the horses with position and manners can steal a march. Handy types and fence riders should be respected early before the card gets more aggressive.

2 - The market has already shown its hand in a few spots
Cheval De Foudre and Jaeger have been firmed in Race 6, while Happy Star and Heavy Is The Crown have been speared a touch in the lead-up. That's not random pub chatter - that's money talking, and it usually speaks for a reason.

3 - Don't ignore the drift in Race 8
Willoughby White has been getting punted out, and that tells you the stable whispers aren't exactly glowing. When a horse gets chucked out like that, Punty gets suspicious faster than a bloke who says "I don't usually gamble" while ordering a fourth beer.

THE DEGEN DEN

New Plymouth's got enough moving parts to keep the mugs honest and the sharpies awake. Stick with the map, respect the pace, and don't get seduced by every shiny price that wiggles on the board. Gamble Responsibly.