Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

RACE 1

KINGS COURT was collared on straightening by stablemate CAPITOLA on debut in the Initial Plate over 1000m. A fortnight later they meet again and thinking that with a 2kg swing in the weights that KINGS COURT might be able to turn the tables. Think at this stage of his life he might be best suited being allowed to stride – his biggest asset is his early speed. CAPITOLA sat three deep the trip without any cover and was still too good for them on debut. He was impressive. HOLD MY WINE has trialled professionally and love the way she accelerated late in her most recent trial. Big respect. PEMBETON covered plenty of ground in his trial.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 4 – 5

Suggested Bet – KINGS COURT WIN


RACE 2

ALL PLAY has always had a following. He won well on debut and then sat wide throughout when third behind Generosity and Ripcord at his second career start. Nothing much went right for him last campaign but he still finished second behind Angel Undercover fresh and he has again impressed at trials. Will need a good ride from a tricky draw but hopefully Real Deluxe and Norich go quick early to ‘create’ a spot for him. REAL DELUXE has a few issues but she’s two from two this preparation and was tough last start. NORICH is bursting to win a race. LAST STYLEBENDER looked to trial in pacifiers? Has some quirks but is a nice animal.

Numbers: 3 – 6 – 5 – 7

Suggested Bet – ALL PLAY WIN


RACE 3

ON PATROL was hammered in betting first-up last campaign in a 3 year old 1200 and was held up the entire length of the straight. Trialled well and is now eligible for a Westspeed Platinum for the first time. Not an easy horse to catch but think is a nice starting spot for him and he goes around eachway. AIN’T NO OTHER MAN was given a 12/10 by Brayden Gaerth last start and duly saluted. Getting right up past 60kg now and 1200m has always been on his limit. LET’S TALK hit a flat spot last start but then found another gear late and powered to the line. Like the winkers being added. EMPRESS OF INDIA is going well.

Numbers: 6 – 1 – 7 – 3

Suggested Bet – ON PATROL EACHWAY


RACE 4

SIMPLY picks himself (again). He ran second on two separate occasions to the highly progressive In Good Order (Northam Cup bound and Railway/Northerly nominated) before stepping out to the staying trips and winning back to back races with a bit in hand. First win was in a race run 7L faster than average, second win was in a race run 16L slower than average. Race shape doesn’t seem to worry him. RED CADILLAC ran third behind Starry Heights and Iowa in the Kalgoorlie Cup. Must be respected off that. RYEWOOD won impressively on the same day in a lower grade. SANTA BRAE should be nearly ready.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 6 – 12

Suggested Bet – SIMPLY WIN


RACE 5

SPEAK TO ME went around last week in a race which was ‘fence in run’ – Regal Statue, Richanco and Right To Silence were all along the rails in and Speak To Me was one of the few horses parked out wide throughout who fought on into the first half. Like the back-up, like the step up in distance and like the booking of Brad Parnham. ABLOH could have won four or five more races throughout his career. Seems to find bad luck a lot. YARRALEA has trialled up well on two separate occasions. OLYMPIC PARK burst through brilliantly on debut at Bunbury. A month later he heads straight to a 60+ Graduation. Will divide opinions.

Numbers: 1 – 2 – 5 – 12

Suggested Bet – SPEAK TO ME EACHWAY


RACE 6 

SECRET ATTRACTION has won her last three on the bounce and simply looks a different horse for new trainer Peter Fernie. She’s a 60+ Graduation 1800m winner at Ascot previously and the way she’s going she can be ridden with confidence three deep with cover and then unleashed in the home straight. She could have won her last two by 10L if Pike released the handbrake. HERE FOR CHEQUES returned extremely well and is a model of consistency. He’s versatile and can take full advantage of his favourable draw. Hard to knock. ALASKAN loomed large fresh but peaked on the run badly. GREAT FORTUNE looks like working very hard here.

Numbers: 4 – 5 – 7 – 8

Suggested Bet – SECRET ATTRACTION WIN


RACE 7

ALMIGHTY CLASS, TWAIN’S ANGEL, ROPE THEM IN, TOROPA, AMBER GLIDE and GENEROSITY – this could be easily be a Listed Race worth $125,000, in fact, happy to say that this is stronger than the Crawford Stakes last weekend. Ripping race with some of WA’s better sprinting types clashing but happy to follow up with ALMIGHTY CLASS after a dominant fresh win over 1000. Looks to have come back bigger and better. TWAIN’S ANGEL is undefeated after 6 starts and trialled like a star. TOROPA gets weight on Rope Them In and Almighty Class from recent encounters and draws a gate. ROPE THEM IN gets the map he wants.

Numbers: 3 – 8 – 11 – 1

Suggested Bet – ALMIGHTY CLASS WIN


RACE 8

WEST STAR drew barrier 13 of 14 in the Max Simmonds Stakes when charging home into second off the back of a really slow 1000m tempo and now second-up he draws in barrier 1 to get a far more economical run in transit. Gives the impression 1200m will suit and with even luck he’s the one to beat. SEPTEMBER BORN is the real deal. His recent trials were outstanding (most recent in blinkers) and he’ll be worth following right the way through this campaign. SIREN ASSAULT has shown she can do it at both ends in her races and her trial was sharp. HORCRUX is another nice type resuming.

Numbers: 5 – 10 – 6 – 9

Suggested Bet – WEST STAR WIN

Same Race Multi – West Star (Top 3) + September Born (Top 3)

Confident that the Belgravia Stakes of 2024 will be won by either West Star, September Born or Siren Assault and so from a Same Race Multis perspective we can lock in West Star and September Born to both run Top 3 and if we’re greedy throw Siren Assault in Top 4.


RACE 9

BRAVE SPIRIT won the Raconteur Stakes last season as a 3 year old and his first-up run as a 4 year old behind Cosmic Crusader suggested that he was right on track to work his way through the grades at Ascot. Capacity line-up, three deep cover and a 2kg weight swing on Cosmic Crusader give him the opportunity to turn the tables. COSMIC CRUSADER won first-up like a horse who could make his way through to Open Class very quickly. COUNT THE SESSIONS is an enigma but on his day he’s very capable. ANTIQUE MISS was held up the entire last week.

Numbers: 11 – 13 – 12 – 9

Suggested Bet – BRAVE SPIRIT EACHWAY


Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

4,5

1,3,4,8,11

5,6,10

9,11,12,13

Market Market