Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

Hill vs Luciani in the 2 year old 1000 in a unique situation where all seven starters come from just the two stables. LONDON’S IMAGE has the race experience on her side and returns from a 70 day freshen after returning shin sore at start number two. BOUDOIR BELLE and CHAMPAGNE COAST both trialled up over 400m on Tuesday at Lark Hill and were equally impressive as each other. They’re the three in betting and they look the winning chances. Going to go with LONDON’S IMAGE purely and simply because she’s been to the races and has the experience on her side. CHAMPAGNE COAST looks a jump and run professional and still capable if crossed. BOUDOIR BELLE will look to cross. LYN’S STAR next best.

Numbers: 1 – 4 – 3 – 5

Suggested Bet – LONDON’S IMAGE WIN

RACE 2

HERE FOR CHEQUES or NERO KING. That looks the question for punters in Race 2. Going to side up with HERE FOR CHEQUES who is bursting to win a race. Was grabbed (somehow) on the post by Playz With Fire two starts back in the Westspeed Platinum Final and then covered a heap of ground last start. Had the audacity to sweep to the lead with 200m to go in that race before being eventually run down. Maps to land close handy and looks to get his chance. NERO KING has returned in excellent order and is the obvious danger. He’s likely to concede Here For Cheques a head start in running and not convinced Ascot or barrier 1 are in his favour but he’s more than capable. ALLABOUTTHECRAIC won well last start but this is much tougher. THE RUSH has been racing well in easier.

Numbers: 2 – 3 – 6 – 5

Suggested Bet – HERE FOR CHEQUES WIN

RACE 3

ROCKET JUICE gets out to 1400m for the first time and looks like it will suit him down to the ground. Expecting that Happy As Larry will look to roll them along and while that will afford main danger I Dreamed A Dream a beautiful run in transit hoping that Stevie Parnham can find the right back to follow into the race from midfield. Love the way he got to the line behind Leading Taddy last start. I DREAMED A DREAM looked in trouble when Guarding Heaven kicked for home last start but he found a second wind late and won impressively. Hard to beat from the box seat. KING’S PARADE burst through to score impressively last start. ODINAKA comes through the Stormchaser / Leading Taddy race. Good form.

Numbers: 5 – 2 – 3 – 1

Suggested Bet – ROCKET JUICE WIN

RACE 4

BIRDIEAGLE was well commissioned first-up at 1600m but never really got into the contest at any stage. Second-up he should be fitter and he looks like leading this race on his ear. Expect he’ll get things cheap to suit and kick hard into the corner. Won second-up last preparation and can come on quickly. CURRIMUNDI will look to sit back and zap them. Last start finished third behind Starry Heights and interestingly Steve Wolfe didn’t even nominate for the Easingwold Stakes and has instead targeted this race. HESKET likely parks in the breeze outside of Birdieagle and while he’s up sharply in grade he’s got 5.5kg in weight relief and he’s in excellent form. CIVVY STREET gets a soft run and showed last start that he’s capable of working through other horses.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 6 – 3

Suggested Bet – BIRDIEAGLE EACHWAY

RACE 5 

COSTAZITA was nearly 6 weeks between his trial and his first-up performance when third in a 66+ behind highly progressive sprinter Devine Belief and Rear Admiral who has since run third behind two sharp three year olds in Stormchaser and Hanchi. Drops from a 66+ back into a 60+ Graduation, gains the services of William Pike and maps to get the sweetest of runs close handy in a race without much speed (he could even lead them…). Very hard to look past. CERRIDWYN is coming up into Saturday company after a first-up win at Bunbury in a C3. Took her a while to get the better of a game Demerits Pride but she’s got the X-Factor to test the favourite. OLY’S CHOICE ran a ripper at his first start for a new stable. MASAMUNE is a month between runs with bar plates on. Red flags.

Numbers: 3 – 4 – 1 – 8

Suggested Bet – COSTAZITA WIN

RACE 6

I LOVE YOUR SMILE backs up off 5 days from Monday’s Cup Day meeting when working home nicely through traffic into fourth behind San Fabrizio. Gets out to 2200m, draws to get the right run midfield with cover and has shown staying ability in a relatively short career to date. Love stayers off the quick back-up. ATLANTIS BEACH was the first emergency in the Perth Cup and failed to get a start. Blinkers on and back inside the handicap for the first time in his last five outings. Right race for him. KERMAN ROCK rolled them along last start. The 66+ was faster than the Van Heemst same day, so he was really marching. Ready now. CAPTAIN PLUTO gets out to a staying trip for the first time this campaign.

Numbers: 7 – 1 – 9 – 5

Suggested Bet – I LOVE YOUR SMILE EACHWAY

RACE 7

EEE PEE CEE returned in a blaze of glory with a barnstorming win at 1400m. Travelled like the winner throughout and let rip with an impressive turn of acceleration to score by over 1L. Second-up he never saw daylight and was held up for the entire length of the home straight. Forgive, forget and follow. He’s likely to give them all a head start but provided Rogue’s Point and Looks roll them along he’ll get his chance to stay out of trouble. PLAYZ WITH FIRE drops back to 1400m, draws low and reunites with William Pike. She’s got a devastating turn of foot when she’s saved up for one run. FLURO NEURO won well last start and there’s no reason why he can’t win again. PEARLY NUGGET found the line nicely last start.

Numbers: 2 – 3 – 1 – 7

Suggested Bet – EEE PEE CEE WIN

RACE 8

STARRY HEIGHTS is looking to win his sixth straight race since the blinkers went on. He’s marching through the grades and this race looks perfectly timed for him third-up. He’s a m85 rater in an 84+, he maps to get the run he needs one out and two back midfield with cover and they’ll put on a really genuine tempo for him behind Big Screen/Cheval De Vaga/Bruce Almighty. By 4:50pm the Sea Breeze should be blowing and he should be able to peel off their backs and zap them (again). BIG SCREEN only knows one way. He’s getting closer and closer to another win. LET’S GALAHVANT is in the form of his life but 61kg is a leveller, especially when the hardest horse to beat has 54.5. VAST ART returns to Ascot where he’s a little suspect.

Numbers: 7 – 6 – 1 – 4

Suggested Bet – STARRY HEIGHTS WIN

Same Race Multi – Starry Heights (Win) + Big Screen (Top 4)

Starry Heights looks the horse to beat in the Easingwold Stakes as he continues to make his way rapidly through the grades. Has won five in a row and looks destined for bigger and better things in the latter half of 2024. Big Screen will lead them for a long way and if he can kick clear on the point of the home corner should be able to hold on to run at least Top 4.

RACE 9

DEVINE BELIEF is really exciting. Great opportunity for 3kg claimer Brayden Gaerth to stamp his authority on a Saturday race and realistically the only concern for her (and punters) is that she’s most likely crossed early by Ain’t No Other Man and Land of Valens. Doubt she’ll leave cleanly enough over 1000 to hold them out but she’ll muster up behind them and then she travels so strongly that Brayden should be able to push his way into clear air on straightening. AIN’T NO OTHER MAN goes quick and wasn’t disgraced behind talented stablemate Hanchi last start. HARMIKA will sit back, be ridden for luck and look to burst through late. MOI CHOUX an improver.

Numbers: 3 – 5 – 8 – 1

Suggested Bet – DEVINE BELIEF WIN

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,5,7,9

1,2,3

7

3

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