Pick6 pool doubles – and still growing

It’s Pick6 jackpot time – a chance for even the small punters to get their shot at striking it rich.

With more than $ 200,000 of dead money in the pool after last weeks’ Pick6 pools weren’t struck, the TAB has guaranteed the pool at $400,000 for Rotorua tomorrow. Chances are it will go even higher. For punters who haven’t taken a Pick6 ticket in recent weeks, it’s a great opportunity to get value for money – the chance to capitalise on others’ losses.

So how do we hit it? Not easily anyhow. Everyone has a different approach and everyone will have a different budget, but the best way is by pooling your money as part of a syndicate to broaden your selection base and increase your chances of getting that upset winner.

To help with your selections, we’ve canvassed a few experts to tap into their knowledge.

“Matamata maestro” Ross Fisher, a regular tipster in Racing Times selections panels, suggested last-start Matamata winner Happyto Keepa was a potential anchor in the fourth leg.

“Very strong on Happyto Keeper. Her stats on heavy tracks and at the course and distance are very good,” he said.

Fisher added Indikator represented the class factor in the third leg, the Rotorua Cup, while in leg five he liked Gossiping and Magic Briar, whom he said worked “super” at Matamata this week.

Trackside presenter Brendan Popplewell plumped for Fleur de Lune as his best selection in the Pick6 legs, suggesting she was a possible anchor, in the Listed Rotorua Stakes, the fifth leg.

“Two reasons – one, she’s the best horse in the race with four Gr I placings to her credit, and two, her record on slow and heavy tracks is very good,” Popplewell said.

“She’s placed in the Gr I New Zealand Breeders’ Stakes and Gr III Foxbridge Plate on slow tracks and she was second in this same race last year on a heavy track.”

Cambridge trackwork clocker Bernard Kneebone offered the Murray Baker-trained Chill Bill, a last-start winner at Te Awamutu, as his “must-have” runner in Pick6.

“He’s drawn a bit wide but as long as the track is wet he’s a good winning chance. I know Murray likes him a lot,” Kneebone said.

Professional racing tipster Neil Davis, who runs the formpro.co.nz website, tipped Cong’er in the fourth leg.

“I’ve based that on my formpro ratings. Cong’er rates on top after weight adjustments. She ran well first-up and she’s been waiting for a wet track – and she should get it on Saturday,” Davis said.

Davis has made a special concession for Racing Times readers, giving a week’s free access to the information on his formproratings.co.nz website. The user name is “formpro” and the password is “scarf”. Access will be available from mid-morning.