Races

Scott Embry’s Thursday Northam Preview

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

RACE 1

CHAMPEZE was  costly follow at times last preparation but still ran honest races in defeat. She’s finished second to Millstee, second to Stylish Lord and run third behind Always Awesome and Lombadina. She’s trialled well for her return and provided the fence is alright she should get every chance under regular rider Brad Parnham. SAFEKEEPER resumed in a C1 and endured a torrid run in transit. Forgive, forget and follow up on the impressive trial. MIGHTY MELBA ran well fresh behind Kraken Time and that form is on show at Pinjarra on Wednesday. DON’TTHINKJUSTDRINK is speedy but doesn’t seem to have a whole lot once tested.

Numbers: 6 – 9 – 2 – 10

Suggested Bet – CHAMPEZE WIN

RACE 2

JUST FAMOUS split Princess In Red and Deferred at Ascot in a 1200m maiden back in February. If he can bring anywhere near that form to this race he’ll be hard to beat and his recent trial win suggested he won’t be a maiden for long at all. Maps a treat and looks hard to beat at his return. MAXINE’S WISH stepped out to 1400m last start and that simply looks a furlong too far for her at this stage of her career. Back to 1100 – big tick. Expect sharp improvement. DESERT WHISPER will no doubt be on a jump and run mission. She’s quick and she’s only got 53.5kg as a 2 year old taking on the older horses. CRYPTIC JOY trialled well behind Kimberley Currency and looks like he’ll enjoy a strong tempo.

Numbers: 3 – 12 – 14 – 10

Suggested Bet – JUST FAMOUS WIN

RACE 3

ANTIQUE STAR looked to have a race wrapped up at Belmont back in February before Kiss A Princess jumped out of the ground to nab her late. She then went to Pinjarra and ran a moderate fifth albeit in a race that did look a handy form reference at the time (Beach Pad, Miss Wall Street, Sandfire Rose). Trialled well for her return and maps ideally from the draw. DELICATE RULER will roll to the top, control the tempo and kick hard into the corner. By race 3 we’ll have an understanding of whether the fence is good or the fence is bad. IMAROCK GOD beat home Antique Star in the Beach Pad race and has shown promise. PLAYBALL was plunged first-up last preparation but never got a crack at them.

Numbers: 10 – 4 – 5 – 3

Suggested Bet – ANTIQUE STAR WIN

RACE 4 

FOXY RASCAL was very impressive first-up in a race that was dominated out in front by Teabiscuit (goes around in a quality C1 on Wednesday at Pinjarra). He got back, he got held up and he had nothing to take him into the race. Hard to ignore the way he savaged the line once clear and thinking here second-up he can get the job done. Great to see the Pontiff in some form. BOLD HERO caught the eye at trials but the outside barrier on debut is not an easy task. WESTERN POWER is the full brother to Western Empire and will always race with an expectation on his shoulders. Should be breaking his maiden this time in you’d think. MEDIA DEAL found the line well on debut. Query on the form with Venturo going woefully last week.

Numbers: 3 – 8 – 2 – 6

Suggested Bet – FOXY RASCAL WIN

RACE 5

CORRECT CHOICE ran third behind Teabiscuit and Foxy Rascal first-up over 1200m and hopefully after race 4 that will look like an enhanced form reference! Blinkers go on and Pike goes on but he’s also up 400m and drawn barrier 1 on a day where the fence could be questionable…proceed with caution if he gets too short. LIKE A LEOPARD has been finding the line well and now steps out to 1600m. Liked his final 100 last start but will need a lot of luck from the draw. CHOIXRISKA showed glimpses of staying ability last preparation and is now starting to get out to a more suitable distance range. MILYEANNUP was scratched last week with a virus. That’s an obvious concern.

Numbers: 2 – 4 – 3 – 7

Suggested Bet – CORRECT CHOICE WIN

RACE 6

EXTREME LOVE goes from a maiden into a C3 which is usually a big step but this race has a lot of unknown elements to it and horses who haven’t won or raced for a long period of time. She was very impressive and maps to get a similar run under Pike. BORDER FORCE hasn’t raced since February 2023 (523 days between outings) but he has trialled really well including matching motors with sharp 3 year old Insyde Success recently. Watch. AUDREY GRACE is similarly hard to line up. First start in WA and hasn’t raced in almost a year. KING’S FLIRT is going better than it looks.

Numbers: 6 – 3 – 5 – 7

Suggested Bet – EXTREME LOVE WIN

RACE 7

PLAY THE BLUFF could not have been more impressive on debut. He came through a very quiet trial where he wasn’t fully extended and then on race day when Jarrad Noske pressed the button he exploded away from them quickly. This is a deep C1 with some quality form to it but he looks the kind of horse who can go on with it. KINGS CALL ran second in a C3 at his first outing for Brandon Fiore and then finished 2.5L off Deferred in a 3 year old 0MWLY. Ready to win. VERGREY has done it tough since breaking his maiden. KING SICARIO is nicely placed back in grade.

Numbers: 3 – 1 – 5 – 2

Suggested Bet – PLAY THE BLUFF WIN

RACE 8

UUKHAI was caught three deep the trip last start without cover and now drops 5kg coming up in grade. Never easy for the C1 animals to win outside their grade but have a bit of time for the horse and from the ideal draw he looks to have claims. ENTICING is an out and out wet tracker and if you trust the forecast he’ll get conditions to suit. Has run well over trips short of his best first-up and second-up. ESTIMATOR stretches out to 1300m and is drawn wide but if he can get across into a spot from an awkward draw he looks to be going good enough to figure. GIFT OF THE HEART is better than what he produced at his first run for Neville Parnham.

Numbers: 8 – 11 – 3 – 2

Suggested Bet – UUKHAI WIN

RACE 9

MOCHA DREAM is going super at the minute. His second placing to Under Influence was better than it reads considering he was in the worst part of the track and then he backed it up with a fourth placing to Siberian Siren and Deamber when making strong late ground. Wide should be best by the last. GAGE ROADS hasn’t won a race in a long while but Steve Wolfe has him going well and he clearly runs for Tash Faithfull. RULING DAME ran well first-up and then comes through the Birds The Word / Ginger Green Westspeed Platinum Final. She’s a live chance in this with even luck. SENTIMENTAL BELLE isn’t an easy mare to catch but the likely run on conditions suit her.

Numbers: 2 – 6 – 13 – 8

Suggested Bet – MOCHA DREAM WIN

Quaddie (Race 6 – 9)

3,6

1,3

2,3,5,6,7,8,11,12

1,2,3,5,6,7,8,13

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