Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

LADIES PRO will need to carry 60kg, which is no easy task for a 3 year old filly, however, she looks to have far more raw ability and upside than her rivals. She trialled sharply over 950m at Lark Hill and then powered away once clear at 1200m first-up. She had to push her way into the clear that day off a moderate tempo and expect here she’ll safely account for her opposition on the way to bigger and better things. One day she’ll be a Black Type mare. SPLIT THE GEE has the services of Holly Nottle this time around which balloons the weight swing start to start to 3.5kg for a <1L margin. Great to see her bounce back after a lacklustre return. GODS RAPTURE was a very quiet trial and then a luckless return. She’s come back in good order and also closes the gap. SPELLBORN ran really well first-up against the pattern of the day at Pinjarra on the Scarpside and then bolted in second-up at Belmont. He’s improving with each outing.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 5 – 6

Suggested Bet – LADIES PRO WIN

RACE 2

FIFTH ESSENCE is a big, strong, loping kind of animal who has now won 4 from 13. He’s stepping out to 1800m for the first time in his life, he has to carry 60.5kg and there is other speed and pressure, however, he’s getting better and better with each run and Brett Pope’s team is ticking along well. ARRANGEMENT is still very new to the game. He won a 1600m maiden and then ran second in a C3 where there were only 3L first to tenth, and so far there has been 7 subsequent runners, without a placegetter. He’s got Pike, he’s got 54kg and he’s coming up into a thin 60+ Graduation but the form out of that race (and his maiden) is very suspect. DECORATION is a model of consistency and wasn’t disgraced in the Narrogin Cup behind the stablemate Outspoken Lad. Did win 6th up last campaign too. CLASSIC IMPACT wasn’t up to 66+ company last time out, this is far more suitable.

Numbers: 1 – 6 – 2 – 3

Suggested Bet – FIFTH ESSENCE EACHWAY

RACE 3

COS I AM is the only winner in an otherwise field of maidens and she couldn’t have been more impressive at Belmont Park. She sat back over 1000m and let rip down the centre to score a highly encouraging victory. Without enough prize money to get her into the Karrakatta Plate she has landed here the week later and with that race being a 2 year old maiden at Belmont she didn’t accumulate a penalty either, so gets in with 54kg like all of the maiden and debutante fillies. Looks above average. OFFICIAL BUSINESS loomed on debut and then looked to peak on his run. Second-up he’s improved for the experience, improves fitness wise and hopefully sharpens up with a set of winkers being applied. RUN RUPERT RUN is undeniably quick. He won a 400m jump out leading into his debut where he most likely went shin sore and now resumes off an even stronger 1000m all the way trial win. Expect Pike looks to cross. MARK THE SKY comes out of a slowly run heat but Dan Morton’s 2 year old team has yet again been elite in 2025/26.

Numbers: 6 – 2 – 4 – 5

Suggested Bet – COS I AM WIN

RACE 4

DEFENDING probably should have landed the late plunge last start. Was $7.50 when the WOP opened with 20 minutes of betting time until the race and jumped $4.20. Held up at crucial stages and then flashed late once clear. He’s been in form the entirety of his prep and in a race devoid of speed expect he’ll quite possible land in the breeze? DUG ANOTHER HOLE has been 28 days between runs at his last two outings and most recently had a set of Bar Plates added. He is ultra consistent but he’s also struggling to clear out of this grade – having placed at 8 of his last 11 since his most recent win. This looks on paper the best chance of the campaign for Brad Parnham to lead in his own right and dictate terms to them. SOLDANELLE backs up off 7 days, drops in grade and is a proven weight carrier. She’s having her 16th run of a campaign that dates back to July 2025 at Belmont Park but continues to run well. SIMPLY THINKIN’ is suited to 3 back fence.

Numbers: 3 – 6 – 2 – 5

Suggested Bet – DEFENDING WIN

RACE 5

SHMOOV MOOVA has burnt punters before. Last prep he had six starts with an average SP of $2.80 and didn’t win a race. At his most recent outing blinkers were added and he trialled in them this time around too. Looked sharp, looked to be moving freely and he’ll get me (again). Patience wearing thin, he’s on notice. CASTLE ROAD finished sixth of six last time out behind Tycoon Harry, Six Inch Heels and Crippalenko but the story of the race was how desperately unlucky he was. The stable have been intent on sitting him in the past few runs and when they were finally able to achieve that goal, he got held up the entire length of the home straight bolting. Was a non-believer in the theory, might now be coming around to it. SOUND OF SPEED is a Saturday winning 3 year old who should land into a gun spot early. BLACK ORA is an electric get back sprinter, but these types don’t always show up for apprentice riders. Even the elite ones.

Numbers: 3 – 5 – 8 – 1

Suggested Bet – SHMOOV MOOVA WIN

RACE 6

ROYAL TORONADO is starting to really fulfil his potential. He has been a slow burn across the years: a cog below the good ones of his age group as a 3 year old, a building 4 year old season working his way from 60+ Graduations to 72+ ratings races and now as a 5 year old is starting to stamp himself as a Perth Cup horse of 2027. He bolted in the Pinjarra Cup and now on a month’s freshen he drops back to 1800m into the Diggers Cup. Proving himself very classy. FANCY RED did the double back-up (three runs in a fortnight) into the Bunbury Cup and then was plain last start behind King Hit. Senior back on and can roll to the top without any other real pressure. RUSSIAN TO THE BAR is being asked to back up from the Joey (1200) to the Diggers (1800). Big task. OUTSPOKEN LAD will need to take a big step up.

Numbers: 3 – 5 – 4 – 7

Suggested Bet – ROYAL TORONADO WIN

RACE 7

LONDONS IMAGE v BONJOY is a mouthwatering clash between two highly talented mares who are both brilliantly suited under the SWP conditions of the race add in FAST FLICKER who gets weight swings on both Londons Image from the Pinjarra Classic and Bonjoy from the Bunbury Stakes and Grandstand Cup and this is quite clearly race of the day. BONJOY was brought undone by a farcical tempo on Good Friday: first 1000m run 18L slower than average, in 1:04:67! She had 59kg and simply couldn’t sprint over her rivals from that point onwards. Think she can bounce back here. LONDONS IMAGE is looking to complete the Marjorie Charlson – Sheila Gwynne double and doesn’t get any further penalty for her last win. With Cessation coming out to win the Joey the form looks even stronger again. FAST FLICKER is 5 weeks between runs in Bar Plates, however, she has won two races in them previously (27/4/2024, 18/5/2024). Less concerned. BE BARDOT is dynamite fresh.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 3 – 8

Suggested Bet – BONJOY WIN

Same Race Multi – Londons Image (Top 3) + Bonjoy (Top 3)

Londons Image is looking to do the Marjorie Charleson – Sheila Gwynne double and add another fillies and mares SWP feature to her CV. She maps a treat, she’s now proven herself as capable of settling off a moderate tempo and everything points to her being hard to beat. Bonjoy should nearly land on her back and has one of the sharpest change up speeds in WA.

RACE 8

SIXINCH HEELS isn’t a 1000m horse. She did a great job fresh to get within a head of short course specialist Tycoon Harry and this looks a nice stepping stone for her to win a 5th race of her career. She wasn’t at her best last campaign but looks to have returned in good order and can sit up close handy behind a moderate tempo and be the first to attack on straightening. MALLETIER was the beaten favourite in the last on Quokka Day but with a 2kg weight swing on Sir Dreamalot and the 7 day back-up to take the edge off, expect he’ll be going very close. Has impressed since arriving in WA. CHOLLIMA is hard to catch, however, she’s a fresh mare and first-u last campaign she ran third to Smooth Chino and Jaz Session (beating home Six Inch Heels). First-up, no trial, three back the fence, ridden for luck – don’t discount her. THE CALABRESE is all X-Factor. He could win, he could run last!

Numbers: 9 – 7 – 8 – 10

Suggested Bet – SIXINCH HEELS EACHWAY

Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

3,5

3,5

1,2,3

7,8,9

Market Market



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