Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

FINE TOUCH is making her way through the grades impressively and the step to 1800m looks ideal fifth-up. She’s drawn barrier 6 of 8 and should be able to slide across into a forward position and dominate from there. She’s lightly raced, she’s progressive and she’s got a big motor. Easterly blowing in the opener should ensure an on-speed dominated affair which means it’s hard not to like her. ROMANCING THE ROCK will appreciate a bit more tempo going on. He can sit leader’s back and get the lovely tow through. HOLY GHOST won well at Kalgoorlie and he’ll be charging late. MOUNTAIN ASH covered a lot of additional ground last start and was brave.

Numbers: 4 – 2 – 1 – 3

Suggested Bet – FINE TOUCH WIN

RACE 2

OSCAR’S FORTUNE was a late scratching from the Max Simmonds Stakes when shifting a plate resulting in a puncture wound in his off-hind. 7 days later he gets in perfectly on the minimum in 66+ 1000 and should have no troubles rolling straight to the top. He’s undefeated at trials, he’s undefeated at the races and he looks really hard to run down. GODDESS OF GIVING is a sharp mare who can reel off some slick closing sections. Just needs to jump cleanly to avoid being shuffled back in traffic. THOMAS MAGNUM backs up off 7 days, comes back to 1000m and has blinkers fitted for the first time. SOFIA’S SYMPHONY is a new mare in the care of Michael Lane.

Numbers: 8 – 2 – 4 – 5

Suggested Bet – OSCAR’S FORTUNE WIN

RACE 3

ZIPAWAY returned a winner in a 1200m 3 year old Plate at Belmont Park beating Barney’s World and Masamune. Hasn’t raced for 28 days without any suitable races on the program for him so he comes into this on the fresh side and from barrier 4 he should get a near identical run in transit. Looks a nice type on the rise. IN GOOD ORDER and BRAVE SPIRIT went to battle at Northam last start and there was little between them. They kicked right away from the rest and they’ll both be thereabouts again. AUTUMN REBEL pushed talented galloper Pleasure Cruise last start. One of many chances in an even race.

Numbers: 2 – 5 – 8 – 7

Suggested Bet – ZIPAWAY WIN

RACE 4

DEAMBER should get the right run from the inside draw. Was beaten fair and square in a C1 at Northam last start but does drop 4kg into a race that doesn’t look to have any real standouts on paper. She’s got enough tactical speed to hold up leader’s back, if not she’s three back the fence, in a race where Vevinsky/Call Again/Wakan Tanka should ensure a genuine tempo. Winnable for her. FOREVER DREAMING looked like she was going to let rip last Saturday when looming large on straightening before being bumped back across heels and having to restrain at a key stage. She’s honest. CIVVY STREET is drawn 11 of 12 but most of his wins have been when deep the trip and allowed to work into it. EMERALD TRADER does everything wrong but has some X-Factor about him.

Numbers: 9 – 3 – 1 – 2

Suggested Bet – DEAMBER EACHWAY

RACE 5

CHANGING GUARD looks well placed in a race with four main fancies (Malkar Pindari, Laquetta’s Gift & Celebrity Prince). Of those main fancies he should hold a tactical advantage in running and he drops back into a more suitable 1400m event and a more suitable 60+ Graduation. DMacs are flying and he’s holding form. MALKAR PINDARI has turned a corner since the blinkers went on. She’s sitting back and she’s letting rip with a big turn of acceleration. LAQUETTA’S GIFT has been settling a mile off them from impossible barriers. She’s now drawn closer and has Pike aboard. CELEBRITY PRINCE finished off strongly late last week behind a nice filly.

Numbers: 4 – 10 – 9 – 6

Suggested Bet – CHANGING GUARD EACHWAY

RACE 6

CHEVAL DE VAGA was restrained at the trials, settled at the back of the field and was never taken out of second gear by regular ride Laqdar Ramoly. For a horse that finished eighth of eight it was a nice trial. First-up last campaign he resumed in a 78+ 1200 and was nabbed on the post by Burnya To Survive, beating home River Rubicon. If he runs to that level he’s a great eachway bet. ABOVE THE PEG also trialled without blinkers and he also put in a ripper first-up last campaign. Big watch. RIPCORD sat three deep the trip in the Max Simmonds Stakes when running second to Almighty Class. Drops 2.5kg, excellent placement. TADWEER needs to start jumping with them again. Back to Ascot helps.

Numbers: 2 – 4 – 9 – 1

Suggested Bet – CHEVAL DE VAGA EACHWAY

RACE 7

ACROMANTULA, RED CAN MAN and BABY PARIS met in the Rock Magic Stakes at Ascot on 18 March over 1000m and finished first, second and third respectively. From that race there’s a 5kg weight swing in favour of RED CAN MAN against ACROMANTULA for a 1.3L defeat and a whopping 6kg weight swing in favour of RED CAN MAN against BABY PARIS for beating her home by 1.7L. He hasn’t won for a long while but if he’s going to win another race it’s at SWP and it’s fresh. ACROMANTULA was simply too quick for them over 1000 at the Valley under Craig Williams in August. He’s back in WA and he’s an Ascot 1000m specialist who will be awfully hard to get past. HOT ZED doesn’t know how to run a bad race and looks fairly well in with 57.5kg. MY BELLA MAE can bounce back at Ascot.

Numbers: 7 – 2 – 1 – 4

Suggested Bet – RED CAN MAN WIN

RACE 8

VALOUR ROAD returned with a bang in the Idyllic Prince Stakes winning at WFA when gunning down Nerodio and Phanta. He meets Phanta at the same weights here at SWP and looks as though he’s back to somewhere near his best. He is drawn to get a very similar run from barrier 6 and with an almost eachway price on offer he has to be one of the better bets on the program. PHANTA will look to jump and cross stablemate Massimo early and from there he controls the speed of the race and will kick hard into the corner. COMFORT ME has shown in back to back Railway Stakes that there’s a feature race with his name on it somewhere in the future. RIVER RUBICON isn’t suited at the weights, but he’s drawn to get a much better run here.

Numbers: 4 – 8 – 11 – 10

Suggested Bet – VALOUR ROAD EACHWAY

Same Race Multi – Valour Road (Top 3) + Phanta (Top 4)

Valour Road returned first in at WFA in the Idyllic Prince Stakes off a 455 day absence (and semi-retirement) to score an emphatic victory and remind us all of just how good he is. Looks a really nice race for him to park midfield and launch late. Phanta comes through that same race and should be able to lead and dictate terms here. Valour Road top 3 + Phanta top 4.

RACE 9

GENEROSITY looks hard to hold out in the last. Nothing went right for her first-up at 1000 when she almost fell coming out of the gates and then she showed her promise and potential with a big 1000m win over Ripcord in a 3 year old Plate. She gets in on the minimum and when you consider Ripcord has since run second in a Max Simmonds Stakes and goes around favourite in a 72+ she looks very attractive in a 60+ Graduation. BRAVE VENTURE was an alarming drifter first-up and ran accordingly. He’s better than that. MORE SPECIAL should be able to cross these. Keep safe at odds. ROCKIN’ RUPERT got no luck last week but is likely to have traffic problems again here?

Numbers: 12 – 2 – 13 – 4

Suggested Bet – GENEROSITY WIN

Quad (Race 6 – 9)

1,2,4,7,9

2,7

4,6,8,10,11,13

2,12,13

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