Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Belmont Preview

RACE 1

SUNBRONZED dominated from the front last start and finds a race without a lot of speed or pressure again here. They may have figured out the best way to ride him and with all the market attention likely to be on Bondi Plunge and Keep Attacking he might just sneak out to a bit of a price. Should be in front for a long way. BONDI PLUNGE has returned bigger and better this preparation as she attempts to make it three consecutive wins. She rises to 59kg here but she’s drawn to get all the favours. KEEP ATTACKING just can’t buy any luck. He’s had genuine excuses at nearly every run this prep. PATRON OF KINGS next best.

Numbers: 5 – 2 – 3 – 4

Suggested Bet – SUNBRONZED WIN


RACE 2

BLUE ROCKET sat wide first-up over 1000m and then second-up ran into sharp stablemate and debutante Perfect Chant. This looks like an ideal set up for her to park right over the speed and gun them down late. MEAN MACHINE has a tricky gate to overcome but he’s backing up off 7 days from another honest effort when beaten by the older horses. Last time he raced in 3 year old company he sat there deep the trip and finished third behind Arcadia Park and Jackpot Bingo. ACROSS GENERATIONS put the writing on the wall first-up with a huge L600. JACKPOT BINGO is improving with racing.

Numbers: 4 – 1 – 5 – 8

Suggested Bet – BLUE ROCKET WIN


RACE 3

HANG GLIDER could not have trialled any better recently. He burst clear for an emphatic trial win and you only need to go back a couple of preparations to re-watch his enormous first-up 1000m win at Ascot to sell yourself on his raw ability. Plenty of speed in this and will look to pounce late. MISS FLIRTACIOUS ran some cheeky races in this grade in her last preparation and has speed to burn. PIN DEEP is accepted on Thursday at Northam and could be on the quick back-up with Pike? Alternatively if they scratch it’s an even bigger push. AHYEAHRIGHTO is an emerging sprinting type.

Numbers: 8 – 9 – 2 – 7

Suggested Bet – HANG GLIDER EACHWAY


RACE 4

CAPTAIN PLUTO has been very (very) costly to punters since his dynamite fresh win. Since that point he has been beaten at $1.85, $1.45 and $1.80. While he is being beaten he is still running solid races in defeat and no doubt he’ll go around artificially short again with Pike retaining the ride. Moral dilemma as to whether you go again! POMPEY hasn’t seen a ratings race for a long while and interestingly Grant & Alana Williams elect to carry the weight with CJP aboard. EEYORE WAYZ has put together two outstanding runs at Listed Level. ODINAKA was highly impressive at his return.

Numbers: 2 – 1 – 3 – 7

Suggested Bet – CAPTAIN PLUTO WIN


RACE 5

ARCADIA KNIGHT is an interesting galloper to assess. Ultimately he’s only the winner of a maiden handicap at York back in October 2023, however, he has also run a string of honest midfield efforts in these 60+ Graduation races including last start when a luckless fourth behind Trio, Miss Drakova and Amjaad. Racing like a mile will suit. MISS SKYHIGH similarly has picked up a stack of points from her 3 year old Fillies Features days and now cops 59kg as a C1 mare. She might be looking for ground and we find out a lot about her on Saturday. CHANTEL rolls to the top and gets things her own way. BORDER FORCE was huge last week.

Numbers: 7 – 2 – 5 – 8

Suggested Bet – ARCADIA KNIGHT WIN


RACE 6

SIMPLY won first-up, ran a fast finishing second to the highly progressive In Good Order second-up and then here last week hit a flat spot at the top of the straight and then came again over the last 150m and gave the indication he just wanted further now. He’s on the back-up, Pike sticks, he gets out to a staying trip, he maps to get the right run and most importantly there’s no In Good Order here. I LOVE YOUR SMILE and FILTHY HABITS are both tough proven staying types who get the runs they need: I Love Your Smile stalking the speed and Filthy Habits parking in the breeze outside a genuine tempo. SUPER ROMANI runs for Brad Parnham.

Numbers: 4 – 2 – 1 – 3

Suggested Bet – SIMPLY WIN


RACE 7

WATCH ME ROCK and TRIO give Grant & Alana Williams a potent two-pronged attack on this race. They’re drawn alongside each other and it could well turn into a tactical battle early before being decided on a bit of luck and the best ride late in the piece. Get the impression that WATCH ME ROCK will appreciate a more genuinely run race in time, but at this stage of his career he’s going to have to roll forward and set his own pace. TRIO will be saved for one late burst of speed. BELLINI MISS was very impressive at the provincials when crunched in betting. MISS DRAKOVA is always there abouts.

Numbers: 4 – 9 – 10 – 5

Suggested Bet – WATCH ME ROCK WIN


RACE 8

LACED UP HEELS was back to near her best last preparation at Ascot, including running a narrow second as beaten favourite in the Joey on Quokka Day. Her recent trial was soft, she maps to get a midfield run which suits her racing pattern and she’s going to go around at a juicy eachway price. She’s more than capable at this level. SEARCHIN’ ROC’S had the planets align for her last start – WFA, Heavy track, perfect map and was backed accordingly. This is outstanding placement – she’s dropping 1.5kg in weight at SWP! Makes her very hard to beat. PHANTA reminded us last start of his ability when allowed to roll. AZTEC RULER gets a lovely track into the race.

Numbers: 14 – 9 – 5 – 6

Suggested Bet – LACED UP HEELS EACHWAY

Same Race Multi – Laced Up Heels (Top 4) + Searchin’ Roc’s (Top 4)

Laced Up Heels resumes off the back of a soft trial and is a sharp get back sprinting mare who should get an up front speed to suit her pattern. She’ll jump nearly double figures so if she can finish in the Top 4 puts some value into our SRM. Searchin’ Roc’s is extremely well suited under the SWP conditions and is a tough mare who rarely runs a bad race.


RACE 9 

ROPE THEM IN trialled like a horse who would be winning fresh and be making his way through the grades towards some of the Ascot Summer Carnival features. He won 5 races as a 2 & 3 year old and looks to have come back even better as a 4 year old. This is a good test for him with 60kg against a hardened line-up but expect he’s got too much class on his side. He’s versatile and he’s got a bit motor. TOROPA is thrown a real curveball with the barrier. She’s very good and she’s got 4.5kg on Rope Them In. Always respect the unbeaten horse. SUPERSESSION drops back into a ratings race and wasn’t disgraced at Listed Level. PLANET CASH is always there abouts.

Numbers: 1 – 7 – 3 – 5

Suggested Bet – ROPE THEM IN WIN


Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,2,4

4,5,9,10

5,6,9,14

1,7

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