Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

Race 1

JUST AN ILLUSION looked highly impressive in her most recent barrier trial when tracking up in behind horses and then bursting through late over 850m. She also showed good gate speed and professionalism in her 400m jump out win and hopefully can take it straight to race day. AHAB THE ARAB was going from a Monday 400m jump out straight into the races and ran really well behind Swift Divide. Race day experience is worth lengths to these youngsters so expect he’ll make his presence felt. SNIPPEX looks jump and run. Expect he’ll look to cross them and find the fence early. GOLDEN PACIFIC wasn’t far off Just An Illusion in his barrier trial and can hold a spot on debut.

Numbers: 6 – 1 – 4 – 2

Suggested Bet – JUST AN ILLUSION WIN

Race 2

I LOVE YA MONEY is having his fourth run in three weeks. 17th October, 7 days into the 24th, 7 days into the 31st and now 7 days into the 7th of November. In that period he has placed in a pair of 66+ races and won a 60+ Graduation and is now likely going to jump a warm favourite in the Apprentices’ Cup for the most senior and experienced of the riders in Chanel Cooper. He won off a pedestrian tempo last week and showed that like his half sister I Love Your Smile he’ll stay all day. ABISSI finished just behind him in the All Grunt race on 24 October and meets her 3kg better at the weights. Don’t think there’s much between them, just comes down to who gets the best run. ROMMEO can roll straight to the top and stay out of trouble. STARWALKER can be put into the contest if they throw anchor.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 3 – 4

Suggested Bet – I LOVE YA MONEY WIN

Race 3 (Best Bet)

VAMPI QUEEN is working her way through the grades impressively this preparation. She has now won a 1400m maiden and a pair of C3s at 1400 and 1600, and as long as she can bring that turn of acceleration from Belmont across to Ascot then this looks a really nice stepping stone for her. She can sit parked midfield and any sort of SW breeze blowing will only enhance her wining chances. Her main danger likely concedes her both a head start and weight and that’s a wonderful scenario as a punter. MASMELO is that mare and thought she trialled well and raced well first-up. Just wary that she may need to take her medicine and go back to near last from a tricky draw. BONDI STAR arguably could have beaten Vampi Queen last start when held up badly on straightening. BILLIONARE’S ROW worked too hard last week.

Numbers: 5 – 1 – 8 – 4

Suggested Bet – VAMPI QUEEN WIN

Race 4

PRINCE OF DALA was scratched last week with a hoof abscess, so there’s a minor red flag there, but considering his talent level trusting that SJ Miller wouldn’t be sending him around unless he was right to go, and there’s no doubting that his race form is superior to the majority of his rivals. Last week would have gone around on the second line of betting behind Rock Fest in a 66+ and 7 days later finds himself in a 60+ Gradation. Nearly beat Hot & High last prep and she’s headed for a Railway. ELEGANT RULER burst through brilliantly to score first-up. Suited to a soft run and being saved up. SNIPPETY LEGEND comes down from Geraldton with an imposing winning strike rate and ran well this track/distance/grade in April. MARCOS is an enigma but when he’s on song he’s more than capable.

Numbers: 2 – 7 – 3 – 5

Suggested Bet – PRINCE OF DALA WIN

Race 5

HELLUVA GODDESS will be the second elect from the Albany based stables of Paul Hunter, but think that she can test her younger stablemate. Thought she held her own first-up behind Have A Crack after sitting wide for the majority of the race and should come on big time second-up. Back into a Westspeed Platinum, well weighted after the 3kg claim of Jefferson Tsang and maps to park up nearly 1×1. Honest, consistent and capable. BEYOND MEASURE went back from barrier 11/12 last start and didn’t really travel into the race at any stage. There’s far less speed in this event so it’ll be interesting to see whether they go forward or go back. He’s a talent but he’s still green and raw. RIPPER FAROOQ is always there abouts and this looks a nice race for him to park and ride. SOLDIER OF GOD is on the 7 day back-up and racing well.

Numbers: 1 – 5 – 2 – 10

Suggested Bet – HELLUVA GODDESS WIN

Race 6

GODSPEED will need to be at his very best to turn the tables on the highly talented BEATTY, but considering he’s going to be nearly quadruple the price going to speculate on him coming forward second-up at 1400m and making a race of it. Unfortunately even though he’ll be $7/8 it still won’t be eachway because Beatty is odds on (plus it could well be Pay 1-2 if Countersunk comes out) but he’s versatile enough to go forward and try to pinch a break on the fav, rather than sitting behind him like he did in the Belgravia. BEATTY is a beast. He should be undefeated and 6/6. He’s a star and he’ll take a power of beating. No knock at all. ROGER similarly is 3 from 3 and made a mess of them last start. SWIFT RULER arguably should have beaten Roger two back and gets 4.5kg on him here. Would love to see him bounce back.

Numbers: 5 – 1 – 4 – 3

Suggested Bet – GODSPEED WIN

Same Race Multi – Godspeed (Top 3) + Swift Ruler (Top 4)

Different type of play in the SRM here, with Godspeed and Swift Ruler to finish in the Top 3 and Top 4 respectively. Beatty and Roger obviously very hard but this race has a long tail and Godspeed can go forward, whilst Swift Ruler is the forgotten horse after one poor performance.

Race 7

OURGIRLCANRUN ran into Rock Fest and Hurricane Harley first-up after burning across from barrier 12/14 and setting a frenetic tempo from start to finish. Shouldn’t have to burn anywhere near as much fuel in the early stages here to find the top and if she can pinch a breather in the middle stages, she’ll be really hard to run down as she spins off the corner. FAST HARRY is on the 7-day back-up, has shades on for the first time but is also 1400m back to 1200m which is the only slight nag. He’s always promised to work his way through 66+, 72+ grade and hopefully the blinkers are the making of him. Undoubtedly the map horse. STYLIN’ was charging to the line last start and enjoys a soft run midfield with no weight on her back. SO SI GOD is just as good chasing as she is leading. Interesting to see where she lands.

Numbers: 6 – 3 – 10 – 4

Suggested Bet – OURGIRLCANRUN WIN

Race 8

ROCKING SOCIETY is a throw at the stumps at odds. Didn’t mind his effort first-up at a mile from the breeze and is definitely better suited winding up in the three deep moving line, which will hopefully build into this race. Kind of horse who can bob up at this level and surprise a few. ABERDEEN FLYER is becoming costly. He’s now 1 from 11 and can find bad luck and/or throw races away with inexperience. There’s no doubt he has more ability than the majority of his rivals but at even money, he can win without me. MEMORY PARADE ran second in this race to Captain Pluto in 2025 and is arguably going even better in 2026. Think from barrier 1 that Plan A will be to kick through underneath and try to lead them up. FOREVER BOY won a 72+ 1800 second-up last preparation and had no luck at all in the Eurythmic.

Numbers: 11 – 7 – 10 – 2

Suggested Bet – ROCKING SOCIETY EACHWAY

Race 9

KING OF LIGHT is the All In Favourite for the Railway Stakes and looks very hard to hold out in the Group Two Lee Steere Stakes on his way through. He looked in all sorts of bother at the point of the home corner in the Eurythmic and still found a way to win and with an uninterrupted passage I don’t think that the 1kg that Watch Me Rock and Western Empire get on him will be enough to turn the tables. Can join fellow 4yo Hot & High in making it 8 from 9. WATCH ME ROCK was just held tight from leader’s back on straighten. If he had a flow through that might have been enough to pinch a break and hold out King of Light that day. LET’S GALAHVANT looked a fleeting chance first-up at any old odds. WESTERN EMPIRE is a 6x WFA winning beast.

Numbers: 6 – 3 – 4 – 1

Suggested Bet – KING OF LIGHT WIN – King of Light is out to justify his All In Favouritism for the Railway Stakes in a fortnight. He beat the majority of these first-up from near last and will look to reproduce the dose here second-up.

Race 10

HURRICANE HARLEY tried to match motors with Rock Fest two back in a high rating 66+ and then went around in the Asian Beau last week when afforded no luck, caught three deep outside the leaders from start to finish. On the 7 day spin, back to 1200m, drops out early and finds a back to follow in the three deep line. By this stage of the day the SW should be blowing hard and that’ll suit horses swooping down the centre of the track. Right place, right time. SNITZALATTE hasn’t had much go her way first-up or second-up at 1000m. Going better than it looks. XENTARO wasn’t disgraced behind Basset Hound, Devine Belief and Santanova first-up. SEPTEMBER BORN was making half a run at them last week when he copped a whip over the nose.

Numbers: 6 – 8 – 11 – 9

Suggested Bet – HURRICANE HARLEY WIN

Quaddie (Race 7 – 10)

3,6

2,4,6,7,8,10,11

3,6

6,8,9,11




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