Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

BLAZING EMERALD doesn’t have the same glitz or glam about her as a few of her rivals, but she’s a highly consistent mare (finished Top 2 at her last 7) and she’s mapped to sit up over a moderate tempo in what likely turns into a tactical affair. Brad Parnham in front is always a dangerous set up. TRIO was an impressive winner two starts back over 1600m and then last start dropped back in distance and went up sharply in weight. He didn’t get the right run but he still raced below his best. Grant & Alana Williams put blinkers on him and interestingly he is 0/5 with them on. WESTERN POWER was a level above last week and won well. WITHOUT REG has come back a bigger and better horse this time in.

Numbers: 4 – 3 – 6 – 1

Suggested Bet – BLAZING EMERALD WIN

RACE 2

WICKED VENOM led and won in his recent 1000m trial, but on race day from the barrier expect that he’ll settle off speed. He’s got a sharp turn of foot and looks well suited to Westspeed Platinum grade. Just needs to find a back to follow early. TAWKIN’ JIBBERISH is really quick and on the fresh side she’ll turn this into a high speed, high pressure 1000. She’s a proven weight carrier but she’s going to cop some pressure from Some Sort and On The Full. INSYDE SUCCESS enjoys a gun run along the fence and two preps ago won first-up by 7L. ON THE FULL tries hard.

Numbers: 3 – 1 – 5 – 7

Suggested Bet – WICKED VENOM WIN

RACE 3

BE BARDOT sat near last and rounded them up comfortably for an extending 1L victory last start. She’s a nice mare who is still getting better and better with racing. See no reason to jump off her bandwagon. Looks the typical Grant & Alana Williams progressive 4 year old who will win her way through the grades. MEMORY PARADE arguably should have beaten Watch Me Rock and Fluro Neuro last week in the Good Friday Stakes. She’s now proven that 1800m holds no fears, she’s brilliantly placed after racing in higher grade at her last five starts and her last win was off a 7-day back-up (this is 8 days). The weight is the issue – she’s only carried more than 56kg once in her life. FINE TOUCH bounced back to form last start. HENCHARD is going well.

Numbers: 4 – 1 – 3 – 2

Suggested Bet – BE BARDOT WIN

RACE 4

LOVA SESSION loves a second placing – she’s now run second on 11 separate occasions so tipping into her and punting her is an eachway only proposition and think that we’ll get that set up here. She should have gone close to winning again last start and Adam Durrant had her nominated for three different races on the program. Think he’s picked the right one with a bit of weight relief and a genuine tempo through Great Fortune and Siberian Siren. Like the race for her. DEFERRED is racing well but not showing the same sharpness in her turn of foot. Still feel like she’s a better wet track/Belmont mare. SIBERIAN SIREN is stretched at 1400m but can box seat. GREAT FORTUNE historically needs a run first-up.

Numbers: 7 – 5 – 1 – 6

Suggested Bet – LOVA SESSION EACHWAY

RACE 5

SIXINCH HEELS has been a revelation this campaign. She won her trial by nearly 4L and then has won soft at each of four runs going from a maiden to a C1 to a pair of 3 year old Saturday events. 60kg at the end of 1400m is no easy task, however, Lucy Fiore can have her parked up close handy from a soft draw and she’s got the best turn of foot in the race. POND MASTER looms as the biggest danger. He finished less than a length off her last start at 1200m, gets a 1.5kg weight pull and found bad luck in that race too. RANYX didn’t beat a runner home in that event but looked to be bolting when held up the entire. MASTERLY leads uncontested.

Numbers: 1 – 4 – 9 – 3

Suggested Bet – SIXINCH HEELS WIN

RACE 6

AHYEAHRIGHTO was some sort of betting move last start when $7.50 into $2.30. Unfortunately for those punters involved he was caught three deep the trip without cover and faded late to finish fourth beaten 1.3L. Back in grade, out to 1200m and drawn an ideal barrier to sit forward of midfield with cover. This looks a good race for him and the volume of money that came for him last start says he’s ready to win. CAMERA ACTION is a capable mare and the booking of Tyler Schiller takes the attention. CANNY ROCK was scratched last weekend and is now 5 weeks between runs with bar plates on – red flags. CHERYL’S SHOUT a watch.

Numbers: 2 – 9 – 1 – 11

Suggested Bet – AHYEAHRIGHTO WIN

RACE 7

YES QUEEN is really good. She won the Crystal Slipper on debut by 1.5L and was immediately tipped out for a Karrakatta Plate prep. First-up in the Supremacy she sat in the breeze, hit the front before the corner and was left a sitting duck to be run down. Second-up the winkers came off, the tongue tie went on and they rode her back. She was sectionally enormous in the Gimcrack and now drawn a barrier she can settle forward of midfield. Exciting filly. TALKANCO beat her in the Gimcrack and gives every impression that the extra distance will be in her favour. CASTLE ROAD stopped the clock 1L faster than the girls same distance/same day. He’s a ripper. SNITZALATTE is undefeated and versatile.

Numbers: 8 – 7 – 1 – 11

Suggested Bet – YES QUEEN WIN

RACE 8

OVERPASS has been to Perth four times for four wins: 2x Winterbottom Stakes, 2x Quokkas and they’re all Ascot 1200m WFA. He’s been unbeatable so far in the West and on paper it looks like Josh Parr will be allowed to slide forward from barrier 10 to cross and find the fence. From there it’s daunting for rivals and the TJ Smith form is the superior form, with Jimmysstar coming out to win the All Aged ahead of Joliestar and Sunshine in Paris. Everything points to 5/5 for Overpass. HEADWALL was outstanding in the TJ Smith. With a clear passage through there’s a case to be made that he finishes right alongside (or even in front) of Overpass. He’s the danger. FRONT PAGE has to breeze outside Overpass which is a difficult ask. WEST STAR is the X-Factor. Raw and talented 3yo who can absorb pressure.

Numbers: 1 – 6 – 2 – 13

Suggested Bet – OVERPASS WIN

Same Race Multi – Overpass (Win) + Headwall (Top 3)

Overpass has won every time he has travelled to Perth: 2023 Quokka, 2023 Winterbottom, 2024 Quokka and 2024 Winterbottom – he’s elite. His first-up run in the TJ Smith was super and the barrier/map looks ideal: slide forward, take up the running and kick hard into the corner. He’s a huge chance of going 5/5 in WA. Headwall was the replay run of the race in the TJ Smith and with a clear crack at them he should be rattling home late. Win + Top 3.

RACE 9

SALOON BAR isn’t an easy horse to catch but his L600 behind The Boss Lady, Joker’s Grin and Genersoity was too good to ignore heading into the Joey. He ran the fastest L600, L400 & L200 of the Roma Cup and the trio that finished ahead of him line-up in the Quokka. He’ll be rattling home late. TWAIN’S ANGEL was 6 from 6 undefeated starting last campaign but it took her a while to find her feet. Didn’t win until the Scenic Blast Stakes sixth-up and then two starts later took out the Marjorie Charleson. Barrier 1 in a capacity line-up could get ugly. RIPCORD didn’t come up last preparation but trialled like he was back. SNOWDOME should get across and at his best is hard to run down.

Numbers: 5 – 13 – 2 – 3

Suggested Bet – SALOON BAR WIN

RACE 10

CLOSE AT HAND never got a crack at them last start. He’s been thereabouts all preparation and like the fact that Grant & Alana Williams have gone with the senior rider here and elected to carry the weight rather than claiming. He’ll need luck from three back the fence but we’re getting an eachway price in an open and even race. BOUSSAC has started under $5 at every run of his 9 start career. Market loves him and this looks the best set up of his preparation to date. GAGE ROADS is always there abouts but he lacks a killer instinct. Looms into plenty of races but doesn’t finish them off. BRAZEN EMPRESS is better than last start and can bounce back.

Numbers: 1 – 10 – 2 – 5

Suggested Bet – CLOSE AT HAND EACHWAY

Quaddie (Race 7 – 10)

1,7,8,11

1,6

2,3,5,13

1,2,4,5,10,12

Market Market




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