Races

Scott Embry’s Saturday Belmont Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

TOP OF THE POPS is two from two undefeated and really had to grit his teeth last start to get over a fairly nice 2 year old in Goddess of Giving. They were rolling in that race and he had to get into the clear and sustain a run from a fair way out. Thought he did a super job to reel them up and now stepping to 1400m and drawn to get a lovely box seat run looks awfully hard to beat. MISS DRAKOVA looks the logical danger on paper having finished third behind Tiffany Street and Lord Gannicus last Saturday. She looks to be screaming out for the 1400m. FINAL SERIES ran well on debut when catching the eye late. OPTIMAL has shown ability at trials.

Numbers: 1 – 5 – 2 – 4

Suggested Bet – TOP OF THE POPS WIN

RACE 2

GOD HAS CHOSEN looked only fair (at best) at trials and then was solid first-up. He was a sharp improver first-up to second-up and going off the comments from the stable think we can expect him to improve fitness wise each and every outing. He is classy and he is a winner. If he continues to improve into the campaign then he’ll prove hard to beat here. DOUBLE DIGIT looks almost ready. No doubt Ash Maley has a target race in mind in the near future but dropping down significantly in weight he could well bob up a start or two earlier than expected. WATCH ME DANCE will likely head for a Broodmare Sale in the near future because she’s at such a tricky rating position. This is a great race for her to pick up another one. FRIARESQUE is hard to catch but these 78+ ratings races suit him.

Numbers: 2 – 5 – 3 – 4

Suggested Bet – GOD HAS CHOSEN WIN

RACE 3

DEVOTED looks to have found a super race to kick start his Michael Grantham career. After breaking his maiden at Northam he went to a 3 year old Graduation and finished third behind Buzzoom and Hardly Ever, and then went to the Fairetha and got right out the back in a slowly run affair, reeling off some slick closing sections in the process before heading to the WA Guineas when third behind Treasured Star and Stay Safe. Meets Stay Safe 3kg better at the weights here in a handicap and has trialled super. Like this set up for him. MR DELEGATOR is a classy front running type but in this event with other noted speedsters he might need to take a sit. LA FAROLA was much more her consistent self last start. GUNNAGO will go round nearly 100-1. He is a Belmont horse and he wasn’t bad last start.

Numbers: 7 – 1 – 3 – 8

Suggested Bet – DEVOTED WIN

RACE 4

POINT TAKEN might just be ready to run a big race back at Belmont Park. She has well document feet struggles so the fact that there has been rain around Perth and the brand new lush track at Belmont Park might be two big positives for her. At this stage of her career these Westspeed Platinum races are her grade and if you’re going to catch her then opening day might just be the time. Goes round double figures and is going better than numerical form suggests. LORD LONSDALE has been huge in both of his runs this preparation. He looks ready to win and provided he isn’t caught three deep without cover then he’s a massive danger. KOLCHINO travelled into it boldly first-up but failed to finish off. Sure to take big improvement from the outing. RULELEE didn’t get much luck fresh when stuck in traffic.

Numbers: 3 – 7 – 6 – 9

Suggested Bet – POINT TAKEN EACHWAY

RACE 5

THE VELVET QUEEN resumed in a fairly deep 60+ Graduation against the older horses. By the time she got out the leader and eventual winner My Mate was off and gone and thought she did a super job to charge home in all the best closing sections and rip ground off him late. Back to her own age group she looks well placed to bounce back to the winner’s enclosure. MOSQUITO is a talented galloper. He still does a fair bit wrong but he was massive last start behind a very nice filly Hardly Ever. He’ll go round eachway and should be popular at that price. ZEPHYRA made a splash on debut with a barnstorming last to first win. Don’t think she ran past anything at all but it was still impressive to the eye. GALACTIC STORM got every chance last start. Is progressive and should be a nice Belmont horse.

Numbers: 6 – 4 – 12 – 1

Suggested Bet – THE VELVET QUEEN WIN

RACE 6

SHE’S ENCHANTED will be double figures in this and is more than capable of winning it. She didn’t really come up last preparation and yet still finished third behind Amasenus and then was a horror watch in a 60+ Graduation behind that same now multiple Black Type winning when caught up in a pocket bolting. Absolutely loved the recent trial under Hannah Fitzgerald (how good to see Hannah back at trials) when she looked really sharp and thinking here that Lucy Warwick could find the front underneath of Nowhiteflag and make a race of it. NOWHITEFLAG will be all the rage. Has a huge spruik about him and has been very popular with the big players in the market over his career. He’s capable of going through the grades. PREMIUM CHOICE finally broke through last weekend and can go on with it now. MADAM KISSES will smoke the pipe three back the fence.

Numbers: 8 – 1 – 7 – 11

Suggested Bet – SHE’S ENCHANTED EACHWAY

RACE 7

ATLANTIS BEACH is going to get me a few times this preparation I can already tell. His first-up run was excellent in a 66+ when working to the line strongly behind Kia Ora Star and Otheroneson and then last start in another 66+ he rattled home behind progressive 3 year old Otheroneson to put the writing on the wall. He now drops from a pair of 66+ races back into a 60+ Graduation and returns to the Belmont Park mile where he is 1 from 1. Maps to get the run he needs and will go around over $3.50. Attractive. MOJO RHYTHM took the huge step from a maiden and C1 into a 60+ Graduation last start and won with some authority. Looks like the long Belmont Park straight will suit him perfectly. THERE’S A CHANCE comes from Kalgoorlie and won’t get much attention. His fresh run over an unsuitable trip was great and he should find the front here. SLUICE BOX is becoming a tease.

Numbers: 5 – 11 – 7 – 1

Suggested Bet – ATLANTIS BEACH WIN

RACE 8

ELITE STREET beat the majority of these runners at SWP in the Northam Stakes with 59.5kg. He drops to 58.5kg at WFA and so meets horses better at the weights for having beaten them first-up at 1100m. He is a fresh gun, he is a Group 1 WFA winner and he set aside any queries at his return to racing with an electric win. One of the biggest mysteries of the universe is how he drifted from $2.40 to $3.80+ late in betting but the majority of the State seemed to fill the boots and will no doubt be following up with him again. He is quite simply an equine ATM at the moment. RED CAN MAN was huge in the Northam Stakes. He took Elite Street into the race and was brave in the finish when challenged. He’s back to near his best and at his best he tests them at WFA. CUP NIGHT can improve second-up considering he missed a lead up trial. AMASENUS is being tested at WFA but she’s a winner.

Numbers: 2 – 4 – 8 – 16

Suggested Bet – ELITE STREET WIN

RACE 9

MERCANTO was pretty good first-up at an unsuitable 1000m behind Timely Outburst. In a race which contains speed on speed (Timely Outburst, Cross Statement, Puli and He’s Gold) it might just set up for a horse who can sit off the back and zap them late. MERCANTO fits that profile and on his day he has a sharp turn of foot. Just needs to stay out of traffic and trouble. TIMELY OUTBURST won well at her return and no doubt she’ll come out running looking for a position. PULI has weight to carry but that won’t worry him. He’s always underrated and trialled super. SECRET PLAN is a back marking sprinter with a claiming apprentice aboard. Risk vs Reward for punters.

Numbers: 7 – 4 – 1 – 2

Suggested Bet – MERCANTO EACHWAY

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

1,3,7,8,11
5,7,11
2
1,2,4,6,7,8,10

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