Races

Scott Embry’s Thursday Northam Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

Race 1

POPPYS ROSES looked to have found her race last start but unfortunately, she was again denied at $1.75 when Forgot The Rock burst through traffic to beat her. That form is on show on Wednesday at Ascot as he heads into a C1 1600. She’s getting out to her preferred trip now, a distance that saw her run second to Wonderfully Made in a WA Oaks. She’s going to be stupidly short here (thinking ~$1.30?) but realistically she should out stay these. SAISOKU is a plodder (said with love and respect). He has a big awkward hurdlers type action and no turn of foot. He’ll pinch one eventually. MYSTACHEENO was allowed to stride last start and only tired in the last 400. SHE’S SOME CRAIC will whack away.

Numbers: 4 – 1 – 2 – 6

Suggested Bet – POPPY’S ROSES WIN

Race 2

PERFECT CHANT likely scratches for the Grad 1000 on Saturday at Ascot so it looms as a match race between WILUNA LASS and STAR MARTINI again. WILUNA LASS beat STAR MARTINI over 1000m at Belmont first-up and meets her 2.5kg better at the weights here care of the fact that Gemma Taylor claims 4kg and Holly Nottle doesn’t have a claim anymore in the provincial region. Gives WILUNA LASS a wonderful opportunity to be ridden for pure speed and notch a third straight win this prep. STAR MARTINI just allowed her to get too far away from the 400 – 200 that day. Expect that Holly Nottle will be under instruction to park up right outside Wiluna Lass this time around. NATURE’S RECKONING might want a touch further? MANTUA is proving to be on his mark.

Numbers: 3 – 4 – 1 – 5

Suggested Bet – WILUNA LASS WIN

Race 3

SNOW MONEY has run second to Aurum Belle in a 2 year old SWP, second to Aurum Belle in a Listed Supremacy Stakes and then gone around in a Karrakatta Plate at her three runs to date. She has trialled twice leading into her return to racing and is sporting a set of blinkers for the first time in her life, as well as heading into a maiden for the first time in her life. Gets in with 54kg in an All Age maiden and should prove too classy for these. FLYING SWAGMAN was green on debut in a race that contained Karrakatta Plate winner, WA Sires runner-up and Max Simmonds runner-up Afireofgidgeecoals. Will always attract the attention. LITTLEWOOD was well tried at Kal and ran honestly. THREE VIRGO’S can hug the rail and enjoy a soft run.

Numbers: 8 – 5 – 2 – 7

Suggested Bet – SNOW MONKEY WIN

Race 4 (Best Bet)

BLUE DESTINY could not have trialled any better. He won a 950m trial at Lark Hill in June by 3L and instead of going to the races they’ve taken the conservative and patient approach with him and after a spell he has returned with an outstanding and effortless 1000m trial win where he had key rival One Last Resort safely covered throughout. Holds a Placid Ark Stakes nomination and looks well above average. Love the way he travels and moves. ONE LAST RESORT has some solid form to his name including running second to his stablemate Beatty. Nice use of the 2kg claim. YAMANEX sees a maiden for the first time in her life but it’s the best maiden that Northam has seen all season. Stiff. BELLA ROCCIA ran well on debut back in June.

Numbers: 4 – 1 – 5 – 7

Suggested Bet – BLUE DESTINY WIN

Race 5

CLEAR ASSAULT is still very much a work in progress. She’s extremely wayward and green so like the addition of winkers to her race gear. She’ll only improve with racing experience but showed in her debut performance behind Lake Baikal and her recent trial behind Morikawa (who went super in the Max Simmonds on the weekend at Ascot) that she’ll be winning races. Likely to go around eachway and can lead or box seat. BUSTER’S BABE was in the wrong part of the track on debut at Bunbury when drawn barrier 1 on a heavy fence off meeting and then caught the eye behind Slip The Jab at her second career outing. KEPPEL GATE was no match for Juniper on debut but that filly is now 2/2 undefeated having won a C1 at her next outing. VON ROMMEL matched it with Buster’s Babe in his recent trial.

Numbers: 7 – 6 – 8 – 2

Suggested Bet – CLEAR ASSAULT EACHWAY

Race 6

RUTHLESS BLOOM looked to have that race wrapped up last start before the big shadow of Rory’s Revenge and William Pike worried her out of it in the final stride. She has put the writing on the wall at her last three or four outings now and deserves to break through and win one. Rock hard fit, drawn to get all the favours and none of the opposition bring a lot of fear factor. Looks the right race (again). DE LAGO’S ROCK is a lightly raced 3 year old taking on the older horses and while his returning run was really encouraging, it was only in a Kalgoorlie maiden where the winner sat three deep the trip no cover. COOL LU is getting out to a more suitable trip now. COSTA DEL DARLO was no match for Just Yes last start but it was a marked improvement from him.

Numbers: 6 – 8 – 11 – 1

Suggested Bet – RUTHLESS BLOOM WIN

Race 7

SHE’S A SPLINTER narrowly missed behind Consignment first-up last prep, won well second-up, was held up at crucial stages third-up and then fourth-up went to the line half a length off Swift Ruler in a 2 year old Saturday. Swift Ruler has now won 2x 2yo Saturdays, a 3 year old Plate and will likely go around a popular favourite in a 66+ 1800 at Ascot on Saturday. This filly returns off a handy trial in a C1 1300 and looks well placed. KANAS MTOTO couldn’t have done much more first-up in a C3 1200 when closing the gap to just over 2L behind Cosmic Treat. Like most of Summer Dickson’s has a bit of X-Factor about him. Back into a C1, just needs to carry the weight. EMPIRE OF ROME was scratched from a seemingly winnable race on Wednesday to save for this. Big market watch with CJP booked Thursday. QUICK COOKIE isn’t blessed with as much ability as these but she gives 110%.

Numbers: 7 – 1 – 2 – 6

Suggested Bet – SHE’S A SPLINTER WIN

Race 8

SHOW THE WAY got a confidence boosting win first-up in a C5 1300 and now second-up goes around same track, same grade, same distance and maps to get a near identical run in transit. He’s the kind of horse who had been really frustrating for punters because his ability level was far superior to his then 1 from 27 strike rate. Hopefully he can reproduce here because if he does, he’ll be really hard to beat. TOO MUCH TALK runs for Lucy Fiore. 5 rides for 2 wins and a minor. Jumps and travels better for Lucy than anyone else and that puts him into the contest. PURE OBSESSION was only fair last start, but at the same time, the run wasn’t too dissimilar to My Jimmy who came out to win on Saturday in a 60+ Grad. LIEUTENANT DUNBAR won a lowly race at Geraldton on opening day but the runners out of that race were nearly all plunged on Sunday at the second meeting.

Numbers: 5 – 1 – 8 – 9

Suggested Bet – SHOW THE WAY WIN

Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

6,7,8

6

1,2,7

1,5,8




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