Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

ROCKING IN VEGAS finished three quarters of a length off Bartime, Auto Cruise and Gold Maker in a Heat of the Westspeed Platinum Series and the run was good enough for Laqdar Ramoly to ride him ahead of regular ride Hammarmill in the $100,000 Final. Unfortunately nothing went right in the home straight and he was blocked for clear running from the top of the home straight until past the post. He’s going really well and drops back into a maiden. WESTERN ACE ran third on debut behind Don’t Wink and Bannered. Don’t Wink was dropping out of the Listed 3 year old series and Bannered who whilst flopping was crunched on Wednesday at Ascot. RADIANT LIGHT is continually finding one or two better than him and looks like he’s still floating and not letting down 100% to his true ability. ZALI’S GIFT gets a gun run.

Numbers: 1 – 7 – 6 – 10

Suggested Bet – ROCKING IN VEGAS EACHWAY

RACE 2

ARTICOLE was purchased by Steele Casey and connections for $45,000 through the Durrant Racing Dispersal sale and trialled up well enough to run a race on debut. He was no match in the trial for Backchatting but at least that galloper won first-up and this is clearly the weaker of the two maidens on Westspeed Day. BOSUN makes his debut in a $50,000 maiden and no doubt has been targeted at this. Liked the recent trials although the 4 year old+ trials can be a bit thin, so wary of what he’s trialled up against. EL ALAMEIN is speedy and will look to burn along with the 2kg claim. CASSENITE got to the line really well fresh but historically has been a 1000m horse.

Numbers: 6 – 2 – 4 – 8

Suggested Bet – ARTICOLE WIN

RACE 3 

HEAVEN SPECIFIED has found a really winnable (weak) $125,000 race. He’s only the winner of an 1100m Northam maiden and a seven horse 3 year old 0MWLY at Bunbury but he had to do it the tough way under 60kg and he was simply too good for his opposition. Now drops 4kg into a race that doesn’t have any additional depth to it and maps a treat. Looks very hard to beat. BABY PEARL is usually ridden by Troy Turner so you would have to assume that he’s on the stable’s best chance and so it’s a nice pick up ride for son Jordan. He was an improver last start with shades added. OUR NAUGHTY SECRET is coming out of C2 races at Albany and wants at least 1200. CALL ME FROSTY was just warming up late in his jump out.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 6 – 4

Suggested Bet – HEAVEN SPECIFIED WIN

RACE 4

ACE QUEEN SUITED won her trial winding up from the back of the field and then on debut was drawn sticky and endured a relatively tough passage (compared to the winner). She jumped well, went forward initially before being restrained, ended up three deep cover on the back of a 100-1 pop and had to sustain a run around them and just peaked up late. Better with race experience, better drawn barrier 1 and looks hard to beat here. HE’S A MACHINO is from the extremely powerful juvenile and strike rate stables of Sean & Jake Casey and like with undefeated stablemate Beatty they’ve gone straight to the top with W.Pike. He’s looked a natural in his trials. RED LARK won well at his second career outing and wasn’t disgraced on debut to Beatty. WOLF WHISTLE ZEL looked good at trials too.

Numbers: 10 – 6 – 1 – 9

Suggested Bet – ACE QUEEN SUITED WIN

RACE 5

JAZ SESSION just looks to have a bit on most of these and maps to get a lovely run tracking high speed mare Define Beautiful. If she can hold up leader’s back and get a nice flow into the race then she should be able to lump the 60kg. This Fillies & Mares restricted race is far thinner than the open 66+ races she’s coming out of. Got buffeted around last start and didn’t look comfortable. Hopefully a high speed gives her some air along the fence. LUCKY I AM was brave at her return. She was never afforded any peace and any stage and still went down fighting in the final stride. Super effort. SUPERNATURAL will sit back and if the leader’s overcook it, which looks a big possibility on paper, then she’ll be cutting them down late. DEFINE BEAUTIFUL won well first start for the stable and then was a late scratching and sent back to trials.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 2 – 7

Suggested Bet – JAZ SESSION WIN

RACE 6

SUMMER’S LEGACY was extremely easy in late betting and then didn’t get the rub of the green late. William Pike had her sitting last and at stages a length or two detached from the rest of the field and then in the home straight she was winding up under no riding as she attempted to weave a passage through tiring horses. This looks like a target race for her and expect she’ll be put into the contest this time around. GRAND RESERVE is a one paced, grinding stayer who actually did a good job to still show some level of acceleration after they absolutely walked in the middle stages. EMERALD TRADER has had an interrupted prep but his best is good enough. ROCKING SOCIETY isn’t the same horse we saw 12 months ago.

Numbers: 7 – 4 – 5 – 2

Suggested Bet – SUMMER’S LEGACY WIN

RACE 7

OUR PALADIN AL resumed in a 60+ Graduation without a barrier trial at 1400m under 59kg and was rattling to the line late. Second-up he drops 5kg, has a set of shades re-attached and should be right in the finish. He’s a lightly raced, progressive 4 year old who looks set to march his way through the grades this campaign. SILVER EYE was a tough watch last start. He was stepping out to 1400m for the first time in the campaign and looked to be bolting, just had nowhere to go. Once he got clear the race was all over and he should have finished lengths closer. TRIO was afforded every mortal chance last start by Nash Rawiller. This race is tougher and he’s back to 1400. WITHOUT REG wins a race each prep and will likely end up in the three deep line that contains most of the fancied runners.

Numbers: 10 – 4 – 1 – 2

Suggested Bet – OUR PALADIN AL WIN

RACE 8

SEVEN CANDLES will need to take a monstrous step from a maiden to a C1 to a 66+ but he’s raw and he’s exciting. He carried 60kg last start and in an ugly, messy race the saddle slipped at one point and so he actually did a great job (horse and rider) to still win. Gets down to the 54kg limit and Pike jumps on. Expect he measures up. REDBACK FLYER is an emerging 4 year old stayer of the future who was able to do it at both ends fresh at 1400. He’ll just keep improving and can be ridden forward or back to suit track conditions. AUTO CRUISE ran the fastest L200 on Railway Day and then won the $100,000 Westspeed Final impressively. Still getting better with racing too. RIGHT TO SILENCE has turned a corner and is back to her best.

Numbers: 15 – 4 – 9 – 14

Suggested Bet – SEVEN CANDLES WIN

RACE 9

ADMIRATION EXPRESS was arguably the best of the Van Heemst horses who are coming through the Northerly Stakes. She seemed to be doing her best late and through the line and now as a 6 year old mare looks like she’s wanting the staying trip. The run was good enough for Brad Rawiller to come back and she’ll be eachway. DIAMOND SCENE was put into the race and was found out late. He’s yet to run up to the same level we saw fresh but WFA and 2000+ are both his go. APUILIA will do no work along the fence line and then has the turn of foot (and the hoop) to get him out of trouble. IN GOOD ORDER won this race in 2024 and looks to be going better in 2025.

Numbers: 11 – 3 – 1 – 9

Suggested Bet – ADMIRATION EXPRESS EACHWAY

Same Race Multi – Diamond Scene (Top 3) + Admiration Express (Top 4)

Looks an open and deep edition of the Van Heemst Stakes, to the point where last year’s winner In Good Order will nearly go around double figures, and is arguably going better this time around! Going with Diamond Scene to finish Top 3 and Admiration Express Top 4, hoping that the Northerly form is the strongest.

RACE 10

KEEP ITA MYSTERY as the big blackboook run of the meeting when resuming and you just wanted to be with and on this horse where ever he went off the back of that fresh performance however, 60.5kg and barrier 14 are both hurdles to clear. This race doesn’t have anything in as good form as Black Ora who he bumped into last start so hopefully conditions allow them to get back and charge home late. CHARINO didn’t get the right run second-up and the beaten margin was very exaggerated. His fresh run was luckless and he’s clearly back to near his best. SNIPPY WHICH went forward again last start but most of his big runs have been from off-speed. Versatile and capable at this level. KELVINATER was actually nominated for the Black Hart Bart Stakes last week so must be going well?

Numbers: 1 – 2 – 6 – 8

Suggested Bet – KEEP ITA MYSTERY WIN

Quaddie (Race 7 – 10)

1,4,10

4,9,15

1,3,9,11

1,2,4,6,8

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