Riccarton Synthetic Race 1
6 Lone Spirit
A very low confidence betting race to start the day out of Riccarton, where I'm sticking with Lone Spirit despite being well beaten first-up. I'm hoping from the wide gate (9), Kylie Williams will snag back and get a back to follow. She has shown in the past that she can finish off her races well when ridden this way. Her best would be as good if not better than these.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 2
6 Alminette
Decent effort first-up when making up good ground from well back in a big field. The smaller field and low draw (4) should see her settle much closer for this second-up run. With natural improvement and even luck in running, she looks the one to beat for mine.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 3
5 More Than Words
She has found the line very strongly her past couple after getting well back. Now drawn 1 in a small field, I'd hope she could trail likely leader, La Bella Nera. If she was able to maintain a spot just in behind the leaders, I think she can out-finish this field in the latter stages if the gaps go her way.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 4
1 Diablo Blanco
Although the price is nothing to write home about, Diablo Blanco is the one they have to beat. Raced much handier to the speed than usual when winning comfortably at Oamaru last start. If she can land forward in the running again, I can't see this field beating her. You may get a better price closer to start time, so will be watching the market at this stage.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 5
2 Sincere
He's been in great form on the Riccarton Synthetic this season, and he wasn't disgraced in the $100K R83 contest at Cambridge last start. He will likely get back as per usual from the wide gate. There looks to be some tempo in the race, so he should get his chance to finish over the top of them yet again.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 6
2 Nortibutnice
Tip of The Day
Keen to be with Nortibutnice first-up here, coming into this off the back of a slashing trial win earlier this month. They went back in the trial and I'm hoping they'll adopt those tactics raceday, given she is drawn wide with considerable speed drawn underneath her. She's shown plenty of ability on her day and this looks well within her reach first-up.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 7
2 Strike Force
Many of his better performances have been when he is able to find the lead or race handy to the speed, positions which he hasn't been finding of late. Given he's drawn wide in this small field, with very few on-pace runners engaged, this looks his opportunity to lead and dictate affairs. If he does that, I imagine he will take plenty of running down here.

Riccarton Synthetic Race 8
12 Denarau
Very hard race to close proceedings at the Riccarton Synthetic, and I'm taking a bit of a chance on Denarau at odds. She's now third-up, having not flattered since arriving in NZ, with the Blinkers and Tongue Tie also being applied for this. She gets Tina Comignaghi riding from gate 1, if she was ever going to run an improved race, this should be it.