Horse Racing Expert Tips & Latest Odds

Our team of Horse Racing experts at Bets.co.nz provide betting tips for races every day of the week, all through the year. Whether it's a big Group 1 race or smaller track meets during the week, you can be sure our expert tipsters are finding the best value bets to be backing!

We're dedicated to providing the biggest and best horse racing coverage online. Our form analysts are amongst the best in the business and will come up with daily best bets, multi tips and quaddie selections.

From Group 1 races at New Zealand's premier racetrack at Ellerslie, to Monday racing out in the country, our expert horse racing tipsters have you covered!

Free Horse Racing Betting Tips

Horse Racing is one of New Zealand's favourite pastimes and remains a staple for punters looking to make a quick profit.

With 20 Group 1 races spread out over 52 racecourses across the country, there's certainly no shortage of big races for New Zealand horse racing fans to wager on.

Our in-house horse racing experts release their best bets for every day of the week and will provide comprehensive coverage of the major races all year long.

Read on below for a complete guide to betting on Horse Racing in New Zealand.

Horse Racing Bookmaker Odds & Promotions

All leading bookmakers offer odds on Horse Racing, both domestically and all over the world.

Punters have the opportunity to wager on various bet types within a race, which we will go into detail later in this betting guide.

It's important to keep an eye out across all bookmakers, because some promotions will be better than others and you don't want to miss out on the value.

Make sure to keep checking back to Bets.co.nz as we keep you posted with all the best horse racing promos on offer.

Horse Racing Betting Markets

Horse Racing betting markets offer a wide variety of options for punters to wager on their favourite horses and races. These markets can be broadly categorised into two main types: traditional betting and exotic betting.

Traditional Betting Markets

Win Bet

This is the simplest and most popular type of bet. You select a horse to win the race and if it finishes first, your bet is a winner.

Place Bet

In this type of bet, you're wagering on a horse to finish in the top positions, which is usually first, second or third. The exact number of places paid out depends on the size of the field in the race.

Each-Way Bet

This is a combination of a win and place bet. Half of your stake goes on the horse to win and the other half goes on it to place.

Exotic Betting Markets

Quinella: Select the first two horses to finish in any order
Exacta: Pick the first two horses in the correct order
Trifecta: Predict the first three horses in the correct order
First 4: Select the first four horses in the correct order
Doubles: Pick the winners of two nominated races
Quadrella (Quaddie): Select the winners of four designated races

Betting Systems

Fixed Odds: Bookmakers set odds based on their assessment of each horse's chances. These odds are locked in when you place your bet.

Tote Odds: Bets are pooled together and dividends are calculated after the race based on the total pool and the number of winning tickets.

Horse Racing Same Race Multi Betting

A Same Race Multi is a relatively new and exciting bet type in horse racing that allows you to combine multiple selections within a single race. This betting option offers the potential for higher payouts compared to traditional single bets, but it also riskier and more difficult to land due to the increased odds.

Placing a Same Race Multi means you are trying to predict the finishing positions of multiple runners in a single horse race. The available options are typically:

Win
Top 2
Top 3
Top 4

You don't need to pick the winner of the race in order for a Same Race Multi to be successful. For example, if you pick one horse to finish in the top three and another to finish in the top four, then your bet is a winner.

Betting Strategies for Successful Same Race Multi Bets

Combine Favourites & Outsiders: Include a short-priced favourite to finish in the top 2 or 3, along with a roughie to place in the top 3 or 4.
Utilise Form Guides: Carefully analyse recent performances, track conditions and jockey/trainer combinations to make the most informed selections possible.
Consider Race Dynamics: Think about how the race might unfold and which horses are likely to benefit from the expected pace and distance.
Manage Your Stake: Start with smaller stakes as you familiarise yourself with this bet type and gradually increase as you gain more experience.

Horse Racing Bet Of The Day

With countless horse races taking place all over the country every day of the year, it can be difficult to identify the best bets to be backing.

That's where our form analysts and expert horse racing tipsters come in. We carefully scan the horse races on offer each day and meticulously do the form in order to find the best value bets. Our experts have a proven history when it comes to Horse Racing Bet Of The Day and will stop at nothing to provide the most accurate betting reads possible.

Biggest Horse Races in New Zealand

New Zealand boasts a rich horse racing tradition, with several prestigious events taking place throughout the year. Below are some of the biggest horse races in New Zealand:

New Zealand Group 1 Races

New Zealand Derby

The $1 million Group 1 New Zealand Derby is widely considered the most important race in the country. Run over 2,400m at the Ellerslie Racecourse in March, this three-year-old classic is the richest race in New Zealand.

Karaka Millions

Two major races fall under this banner:

Karaka Millions 2YO: A 1,200m race for two-year-olds held in January at Ellerslie
Karaka Millions 3YO: A 1,600m race for three-year-olds, also staged in January at Ellerslie

New Zealand 2000 Guineas

This storied 1,600m race for three-year-olds takes place in November at Riccarton Park. It's part of the New Zealand Cup Carnival and carries prize money of $750,000.

Other Notable Group 1 Races

NZ Oaks: A 2,400m race for three-year-old fillies at Trentham in March

Herbie Dyke Stakes: A 2000m weight-for-age race at Te Rapa in February

Livamol Classic: A 2000m weight-for-age race, part of the Hawke's Bay Triple Crown

Major New Zealand Horse Racing Cups

Auckland Cup

A Group 2 3,200m race held in Ellerslie in March, the Auckland Cup is one of New Zealand's most historic staying races.

Wellington Cup

This 3,200m race is staged at Trentham in January and is part of the Wellington Cup Carnival.

New Zealand Cup

Run over 3,200m at Riccarton Park in November, the New Zealand Cup is worth $750,000 and is a highlight of the New Zealand Cup Carnival.