Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

WAR MATTERS broke his maiden in a Westspeed 1600 two starts back and then was unlucky in the Border Force race when held up at a crucial stage, unable to build momentum. Meets that galloper 2kg better and is drawn to get every chance at an eachway price. BORDER FORCE has won back to back races after being over 1000 days between wins. He’s back to his best and there’s no reason why he can’t win again. CENTRAL FORCE comes through the same race and Michael Grantham throws CJP on over Stormageddon – he’s his #1 rider and that has to mean something? FIVE DOWN leads and rolls.

Numbers: 11 – 1 – 6 – 2

Suggested Bet – WAR MATTERS EACHWAY

RACE 2

FLY WITH CAUTION won over 1600m second-up when able to out gun in form front runner Great Fortune and then at his first attempt at 1800m was put into the race by Luke Campbell before straightening and was left a sitting duck for Royal Toronado. Meets him 2kg better for a half-length defeat and there’s far less speed and pressure in this. Can turn the tables. ROYAL TORONADO was flying late to win that race and last week over the staying trip must have conceded Kerman Rock 10L+ on straightening. HERE FOR CHEQUES is going better than it reads. SOWAR has returned well.

Numbers: 2 – 6 – 8 – 10

Suggested Bet – FLY WITH CAUTION WIN

RACE 3

COMIC HERO showed first-up that he was back somewhere near his best with a late burst of speed ducking back towards the inside (inferior) part of the track. Last week in a high-quality 66+ he was caught three deep without cover throughout. Backs up off 7 days, drops in grade and Chris Parnham sticks. Looks the right set up. NORICH can come out running. His biggest asset is his high cruising speed so expect Josh Parr is given license to let him run. BARNEY’S WORLD will need a really good ride but is going super this prep. BONDI PLUNGE is rarely far from the action.

Numbers: 5 – 7 – 12 – 3

Suggested Bet – COMIC HERO WIN

RACE 4

EEVALINA won the Kalgoorlie Heat of the Tabtouch Regional Championship Road to Ascot with 60kg, off 28 days and now heads to the $100,000 final off the exact same day spacing but with a 61.5kg impost. The weight is a big query but barrier 1 certainly helps. SCIENCE DEGREE has been a model of consistency since arriving on the Goldfields and is through the same Heat. Weight swing + Pike a potent combination. SURE NO SOMETHING was plunged unsuccessfully last start. Going well and is versatile. INVINCIBLE POWER let down well to win the Albany Heat.

Numbers: 1 – 11 – 5 – 7

Suggested Bet – EEVALINA EACHWAY

RACE 5

JOKER’S GRIN is looking to win his sixth straight race on his way to bigger and better things.  Won a 72+ 1000 first-up, won a 66+ 1000 second-up and see no reason why the 1200 would hold any reservations third-up. With Ain’t No Other Man / Sonoftheboss / Bopping Blue / Big Screen / Cheval De Vaga they should turn the speed on to suit him. 4.5 weeks into a Summer Scorcher from here? GENEROSITY was huge in the Mares Race last start, flying home in ridiculous closing sections. AIN’T NO OTHER MAN drops a stack of weight and gets Pike. HELL I AM won well first-up in WA.

Numbers: 6 – 11 – 8 – 5

Suggested Bet – JOKER’S GRIN WIN

RACE 6

WIND AND THE LION returned to the winner’s circle in the $500,000 Placid Ark and has bypassed the Winterbottom Stakes on the same day to race here. Should he emerge victorious you would think he likely takes his ballot exempt place in The Gold Rush. SWP means he carries 59kg and concedes weight to key rivals but he maps to get every chance and is still improving. LONDON’S IMAGE is back at the races again. Burgess Queen win (1400), Placid Ark runner-up (1200), off 7 days into a WA Guineas (1600) and off 7 days again into this. MAI ALOHA was desperately unlucky in the Placid Ark. SIR DREAMALOT gets Brad Parnham back.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 8 – 2

Suggested Bet – WIND AND THE LION WIN

RACE 7

BABY PARIS, THE BOSS LADY and AMBER GLIDE ran first, second and third in the Jungle Mist at 1200 and meet again here at 1400 a fortnight later. With no weight swings it’s hard to tip against Baby Paris who led on a day that had been suiting those three deep with cover and absolutely bolted in winning by over 2L. THE BOSS LADY was sectionally elite once clear and looms as the biggest big danger. LUVNWAR is dropping back to Mares Grade out of the Asian Beau and RJ Peters. That’s form worth following. AMBER GLIDE gains Pike from start to start.

Numbers: 1 – 7 – 5 – 4

Suggested Bet – BABY PARIS WIN

RACE 8

OVERPASS won the Sydney Stakes first-up when stopping the clock faster than Bella Nipotina did in the very next race when taking out The Everest. Last time out he was below his best in the VRC Classic, yet still beat home main danger Lady Laguna. Every time he has been to Ascot he has been a level above them and in theory he can slide across with Bravo Centurion and park in the breeze and attack on the point of the corner, just as he did in last year’s Winterbottom and this year’s Quokka. LADY LAGUNA finished third behind Bella Nipotina and Sunshine In Paris two back. Doesn’t get much better than that. WESTERN EMPIRE looks the best of the locals and drew the perfect alley. ALMIGHTY CLASS is a real X-Factor.

Numbers: 1 – 15 – 2 – 13

Suggested Bet – OVERPASS WIN

Same Race Multi – Overpass (Top 2) + Western Empire (Top 4)

Overpass has been to Western Australia three times for 2x Quokka wins and 1x Winterbottom Stakes. If he reproduced his first-up win in the Sydney Stakes they would all be running for second, however, from the barrier and with his below par second-up performance we’ll put him in to run Top 2 and then cheer for the best of the locals in Western Empire to run Top 4.

RACE 9 

WUBIN GOLD missed away last week, mustered into a position one off the fence and then never saw daylight at any stage in the home straight. Still looked to have plenty in the tank going past the post and 7 days later Colin Webster backs her up into a 1400. Maybe drawn wide is better for her than drawn in and very much willing to forgive, forget and go again. Her previous win was electric. MISS SKYHIGH is back to her best and her 60+ Graduation win last start was run 9L faster than average. She’ll likely be very popular off that times result. YARRALEA goes around big double figures again looking to reproduce her emphatic last start win. PLAYING RIO is often under-estimated.

Numbers: 5 – 7 – 10 – 13

Suggested Bet – WUBIN GOLD WIN

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,3,8

1,4,5,7,10

1,2,15

5,7,10

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