Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

ROCK IN WONDER sat in the breeze to win the Westspeed Platinum Cup back in December before a 3 month freshen. First-up 1800m was beaten 3L behind subsequent Pinjarra Cup winner Royal Toronado and subsequent Geraldton Cup winner Royal Law before heading into the Geraldton Cup himself when finishing midfield, beaten nearly 7L. He’s a previous 3rd up winner, he’s a 66+ winner, he’s a 2100m winner and he’s managed to find one of the weakest races at Ascot for the season. Rolls to the top and proves hard to run down. MACCIATEAU is on trial at the trip but has Pike and did fight on bravely at 1800m after doing it tough through the middle stages. ROYAL TROOPER needs things to pan out in his favour from barrier 1 as he lacks a turn of foot. DARK LOOKS nearly impossible to catch but her last run off the back of a surprise win was solid.

Numbers: 2 – 3 – 4 – 1

Suggested Bet – ROCK IN WONDER WIN

RACE 2

HEZANGELIC dipped out of the barriers and Holly Nottle did a great job to regather herself, rebalance and then guide him to an all the way victory. He concedes 2kg to Go Go Grommet and has to run down 1100m but if he can cross Bartime out of the machine and find the fence it could go a long way to helping him do so. BARTIME couldn’t get anywhere near the lead first-up and was left three deep cover. Second-up he follows the Westspeed Platinum race programming and drops back to 1100m. Even with a set of shades on for the first time, it’s a query back in trip? GO GO GROMMET is drawn really awkwardly in barrier 9/9. He’s versatile but he’s every chance of being three deep? SHOW THE WAY has now featured in the Stewards Report at 9 of his last 10 outings. Doing too much wrong.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 3 – 6

Suggested Bet – HEZANGELIC WIN

RACE 3

SCURGEOFTHEWEST finally makes his way down to Perth and confident he will more than measure up. He’s a prolific winner out of the Midwest, having put together 6 wins from 11 starts, including 5 of his last six, and the day he was beaten at 1600m the world conspired against him under the 60kg and everything went wrong. Last start he was 37 days between runs, 1600 back to 1200m and he still proved too sharp. He’s found a very nice race to break through at his first metro outing. MOONWALK is on the 7 day spin and comes out of a 3 year old 1400m where she was held up at crucial stages and still finished within 2L of Spell Born, God’s Rapture, Fiery Spark and Ladies Pro. She’ll get all the favours from the gate and should get every chance. SNIPPY WHICH has won two of his last five and they’ve both been in this 0MWLY grade. Carried 59kg to beat Snow God and gets it soft. BRAVE SPIRIT is better than what he’s been showing last 12 months.

Numbers: 3 – 6 – 1 – 2

Suggested Bet – SCURGEOFTHEWEST WIN

RACE 4

ROCK N THE JAM was crunched in betting at stages last start and seemed to really appreciate being put into the contest by Tyler Schiller. He monstered the line and beat key rivals Madame Magic, Antique Star and Bakeel in the process. That was the first time in the campaign that we had seen the same horse that went to the paddock as a 3 year old in Feb 2025 and if Rusty Stewart can keep him in one piece then he should be working his way right through the grades as a 4yo. Don’t think 1.5kg or 2kg respectively is enough for the second, third and fourth horses from that race to turn the tables so then the logical danger becomes MISS SKYHIGH who was scratched from that race and now comes into this event 31 days between outings. That’s twice this prep she’s been scratched so she might be working through some minor issues behind the scenes? MADAME MAGIC may even roll forward in a race devoid of speed? ANTIQUE STAR isn’t as dynamic as last campaign.

Numbers: 4 – 2 – 3 – 5

Suggested Bet – ROCK N THE JAM WIN

RACE 5

OURGIRLCANRUN has sustained speed and that’s an exciting characteristic for a lightly raced filly. She’ll safely cross, she’ll swing into the corner and she’ll be very hard to run down. This race has more depth to it than last start and she carries 2.5kg more on her back, so I wouldn’t be entertaining anything too short (market loves these types) but on paper it looks another nice stepping stone for her towards some winter features at Belmont. LIKE CLOCKWORK could not have been more impressive at Lark Hill trials. She was electric and from what we saw in her initial preparation of racing she’ll be another 3 year old filly to follow this preparation. On the 54kg minimum she’ll be rattling home late at Ourgirlcanrun. Very wary of her. EXCEED THE PLANET drops out of a WFA Joey having finished fourth. Copped 4 points for $7,800. Win this and you’d get 4 points for $32,880. GOD HAS DRIFTED has won his last three and deserves a crack in town.

Numbers: 7 – 8 – 2 – 3

Suggested Bet – OURGIRLCANRUN WIN

RACE 6

SNITZALATTE had to grit the teeth and dig deep to win second-up at 1000m. She was run off her legs in the middle stages and had to sprint hard to get the better of a very brave Swingman. She raced like a filly who was wanting 1200m and considering there’s only a 66+ 1200 next Saturday (she’d get 60) this does seem like the better option, even under 61kg after the claim for Holly Nottle. That weight for a filly is sure to divide opinion but she’s the class runner and the proven commodity. GODS RAPTURE backs up off 7 days (only win was off 7 days as a 2yo) and has been in solid form this prep. Back to 1200m – like, down 2.5kg start to start in the same grade – love, map – perfect. HURRICANE HARLEY is all X-Factor at the moment and showed last start if nobody wants to lead then he can. RIVA AQUARAMA has a sharp turn of foot and wasn’t disgraced at Black Type level last prep.

Numbers: 1 – 6 – 2 – 4

Suggested Bet – SNITZLATTE WIN

RACE 7

MORE THAN ENUFF nearly pinched two 60+ Graduation mile events last preparation but ran into a couple of Bob’s horses that were working through their grades at the time in Arcadia Park and Antique Star. This time around he has had three runs, wide throughout first-up at 1400m in a Heat of the NARS series and then midfield finishes in a pair of 66+ races under the stable apprentice. Fourth-up, back in grade, senior rider on and can be put into the contest. Big watch. BLAZING EMERALD never looked comfortable last start. Senior on first time all prep – just like More Than Enuff and prior to that was tiff in a 66+ behind Holler Nuff. CRUNCHY NUT has really found form since heading north to Ascot. He finished half a length off them last week in a 66+ and backs up off 6 days back into a similar race to what he won three starts ago. ARRANGEMENT is only a 3yo and has upside but not convinced of that Dark Looks form race and now a month between runs after being scratched last Saturday?

Numbers: 5 – 4 – 2 – 9

Suggested Bet – MORE THAN ENUFF EACHWAY

RACE 8

BEATTY is the one that most punters will be wanting to be with and back in the 2026 WA Sires. Since Showy Chloe back in 2015, the 9 of the last 11 WA Sires winners have finished Top 3 in the Karrakatta Plate at their previous start and so both he and AFIREOFGIDGEECOALS fit the profile. He missed away in the Karrakatta Plate (long pre-race delay, loading first, blinkers first time…pick your own excuse) and so fingers crossed that was circumstance and not characteristic. Should he jump here he’ll land a nice midfield position and if he reproduces his run in defeat then he’s a massive chance of turning the tables on AFIREOFGIDGEECOALS. Take nothing away from his Karrakatta win and do not forget that Danny Morton’s last two Karrakatta Plate winners (Bustling & Super Smink) both successfully completed the double. Massive respect. CLEAR APPROVAL can lead and is the only horse proven at 1400. VINNY NAY caught the eye on debut.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 5 – 8

Suggested Bet – BEATTY WIN

Same Race Multi – Beatty (Top 2) + Afireofgidgeecoals (Top 2)

The Karrakatta Plate quinella again go head-to-head at set weights over 1400m in the WA Sires Produce Stakes and considering the recent record of the race it’s very hard to go past this pairing. They were each individually outstanding in the Karrakatta and they’re drawn alongside each other to get similar runs midfield cover. SRM = Fixed Odds Quinella.

RACE 9

TOO DARN STORMY isn’t the same horse we saw early days as a 2 year old. He’s not as sharp and so the step to 1400m looks the right move from Team Morton. Cross-over nose band on, drops 2kg, maps to follow a moderate tempo behind horses like Prophet and Power and Litte Silver which means there’s absolutely no excuse here. He’s the one the market will want (again) but it’s time to stand up and be counted again. AUTO CRUISE is a nice emerging mare from Holly Taylor’s yard. Really put it all together at the end of last preparation and it was hard to miss her recent barrier trial. She’ll concede the 3yo a head start and weight but she’s capable of gunning him down. RALLY THE TROOPS went to another level last start and won completely against the pattern. He’s flying. CORRECT CHOICE can park up close handy.

Numbers: 12 – 8 – 2 – 4

Suggested Bet – TOO DARN STORMY WIN

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,2,3,4,6

2,4,5,9

1,2

2,8,12

Market Market



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