Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Belmont Preview

RACE 1

ZARATITE is still looking for galloping room 7 days after he was held up the entire length of the home straight. Think most will agree if he gets out at the top of the straight, he wins and wins well. Anyone who was on him last week will be following up and anyone who opposed him last week will probably be jumping on his bandwagon. Looks ready. TREASURED CROWN is an out and out stayer. Interesting to see the tactics the stable adopt in the small field in a highly tactical affair. TRUE ATTRACTION has a sharp point to point turn of foot. If it turns into a sit sprint and he gets the run along the fence it’s game on. LONSDALE LADY is a versatile mare who beat Zaratite fair and square last start.

Numbers: 3 – 5 – 2 – 4

Suggested Bet – ZARATITE WIN


RACE 2

OHBEEH has been an easy winter follow this preparation for Jim Taylor and his consistently clever placement and use of the claiming apprentice brigade. Keshaw Dhurun gets his opportunity with Holly Watson nursing an injury and off the 7 days he looks very hard to run down dropping back to 1200. Ran them along last week (first 800 11L faster than average) and was entitled to fade late. Kept fighting and will have a lot of admirers here. CLASSY MACRO was enormous first-up and then didn’t get the best of runs last start. Ohbeeh did sit outside of him even deeper and run past him late. Hard horse to catch but clearly has ability. LOOKS LIKE MAGIC was a great run at her debut for the new yard. MIND TRICKS maps to get the run of the race.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 8 – 6

Suggested Bet – OHBEEH WIN


RACE 3

SEARCHIN’ ROC’S would have been a good thing licked last start if Kyra Yuill was unable to get out of the pocket she found herself in turning for home. Luckily the gaps appeared and once the filly saw daylight she lengthened impressively to score. Has a big turn of foot and showed last start that she can hold a position from the barrier. Ticks plenty of boxses. FOREVER AUTUMN will need a peach from Johnston-Porter at his return from suspension. Eye catching first-up, big winner second-up. Definitely trending in the right direction. FINE ROMANCE caught the eye at trials when bursting through late under little pressure. Keep safe. SUCCESS PLAY trialled up well behind a smart one in Trix of the Trade recently.

Numbers: 4 – 2 – 9 – 5

Suggested Bet – SEARCHIN’ ROC’S WIN


RACE 4

THE SPRUIKER is amazingly looking for his fifth straight win of the preparation and is attempting to close out the campaign undefeated. Maps ideally to get the run of the race stalking the tempo behind Fuhrer and Kelly’s Callisto. From there Shaun McGruddy can put him into the race when he needs to and he looks hard to beat again. Love the way he goes about it. FUHRER made a brilliant debut for the Debra Lewis yard and showed that he has plenty of wins left in him. Makes his own luck out in front and will be rolling along throughout. KELLY’S CALLISTO is a different horse when allowed to find the front. Breezing is tougher. PICTURE PERFECT will be following The Spruiker’s every move and ran well fresh.

Numbers: 3 – 1 – 2 – 5

Suggested Bet – THE SPRUIKER WIN


RACE 5

INDIAN PACIFIC is clearly the class horse but the 88+ handicap and his return as a m105 rater makes things interesting. Has to lump a full 62kg, chasing the speedy Mervyn throughout and on a track which is likely to be either a soft7 or a Heavy8. Definitely going to be set a task, however, he is a horse who is undefeated first-up, beat Windstorm on a Soft7 with 60kg and was blistering at trials Monday. He is the real deal. DON’T FUSS has an 8 kilo pull in the weights and can be tucked away in behind horses by W.Pike. Looks dangerous if Indian Pacific is vulnerable late. MERVYN was run down by Indian Pacific in the final stride in the Crawford Stakes last preparation. Meets him 7.5kg better here. JERICHO MISSILE will be chasing a long way out.

Numbers: 1 – 5 – 3 – 6

Suggested Bet – INDIAN PACIFIC WIN


RACE 6

STRATHMORE ROSE returns to the races fresh without a trial and brings intrigue and alternate form lines to the rest. Winner of four from five in Albany and her most recent run in town produced a third placing to Iseered Iseered in an Ascot 1100m 3 year old 62+. Always hard to line-up these young progressive types who come from the country but she is proven on rain affected tracks, runs for Chris Parnham and maps ideally from the draw. Should measure up. EXPRESS TIME is likely to come across and park up outside of Drinkwhatyoulike. From there she looms the winner at the top of the straight. BLAZING BILLY has X-Factor about him. Trial was enormous and Pike’s booking brings attention. SASSY TRADER has excellent race form for a race of this nature. Just a horror map.

Numbers: 6 – 1 – 4 – 5

Suggested Bet – STRATHMORE ROSE WIN


RACE 7

MISS VASARI may divide opinions in this race. Lightly raced filly with a sharp turn of foot whose first-up win on a Heavy8 was dominant and arrogant, however, the obvious concern is the quality and depth of the form line: Star Storm dropped back into a C1 and didn’t fire a shot on Wednesday. Small field suits and she gets the nod but likely goes round on the short side. REIGN OF FIRE is another talented three-year-old who arguably brings stronger form to the table even though he has been unable to break through this campaign. Knocking on the door and backing up off 7 days. DOWNFORCE went to a new level last preparation. REBEL KNIGHT is always there abouts.

Numbers: 7 – 5 – 2 – 3

Suggested Bet – MISS VASARI WIN


RACE 8

SKETTA burst onto the scene first-up no trial at Pinjarra when shooting up along the inside to victory and then reproducing a carbon copy of that win when again sitting three back the fence and using the cutaway at Belmont to win a C1. Took the big step into 3 year old company last start and charged through the line when dropping back to 1000m. Pike sticks, Fred Kersley makes a minor gear adjustment and she gets a 1.5kg weight swing on main rival All Day Session. Looks a nice race for her. JEDI MIND backs up off 7 days to have one final crack at Westspeed. Has been hitting the line hard in recent starts in this grade. ALL DAY SESSION was a hard luck story two starts ago and then won well last start when the gaps appeared. No reason he can’t win again. OUR DANNI ran a ripper first-up against the older horses in a 66+ with Dia De La Raza winning again last weekend.

Numbers: 6 – 4 – 1 – 2

Suggested Bet – SKETTA WIN


RACE 9

GINGER BAKER went awfully close last week when being beaten on the post in a head bobbing photo finish. The Earl of Vasse has him in scintillating form and this looks a weaker edition of a 60+ Graduation than what he finished second in last week. He split in form mares Vital Flirt and Sentimental Queen last week and here should land an identical position in running from the draw and hopefully mend a few broken hearts. IRRITABLE RODNEE was run down in a C3 midweeker at his most recent but lost no admirers. Progressive on-speed type. MISS MARANTA is flying. Just need an ounce of luck from the draw. LITTLE FLIRT got no luck last week. Keep safe if they’re making ground.

Numbers: 1 – 7 – 2 – 5

Suggested Bet – GINGER BAKER WIN


Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,4,6
1,2,3,4,5,7
1,2,4,6
1,2,5,7

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