Races

Scott Embry’s Wednesday Ascot Preview

RACE 1

STORY BOOK bounced back to form down the 1000m straight at Pinjarra. Interestingly there are two last start 1000m straight winners in this field, same track, same day. Story Book won in 58:20 in a C1 and Oh Sophia won in 58:24 in a Maiden. No doubt Story Book will be the longer price of the pair and in an open and even 3yo 0MWLY gets her chance. OH SOPHIA trialled like she would be winning first-up wherever she went and didn’t let punters down. Toyed with rivals and won by a space. Looks the logical danger. SENORITA DOROTEA has had a number of preparations and trials leading into her debut. Most recent trial the best of them. HEAVENLY WATERS has a big weight to lump for a small filly. Will jump and run.

Numbers: 2 – 5 – 1 – 6

Suggested Bet – STORY BOOK WIN

RACE 2

BORDER FORCE put the writing on the wall on debut when finishing second to The Velvet Queen. That filly went around a hugely supported $2.30 favourite in a $125,000 Westspeed Race on the weekend after opening $5. On the other hand, Border Force drops in grade from a 3yo 0MWLY into a set weights maiden and drops 1kg. Very few opportunities to drop in grade and drop in weight in racing and accordingly he looks very hard to beat. RULELEE did nothing wrong in her initial preparation and returns to the races without a trial. LE GRAND JEU got to the line well enough on debut and should only improve. DALHOUSIE looked to be working home nicely in her recent trial with blinkers on.

Numbers: 5 – 10 – 4 – 13

Suggested Bet – BORDER FORCE WIN


RACE 3

PINK CARATS is probably likely to be the most popular horse in early markets. Simon Miller’s yard is producing winner after winner at the moment and with the 3kg claim for Holly Watson she gets in with a winnable 57.5kg. Versatile filly who can sit back or roll forward to be ridden according to track conditions and her recent trial was sharp. Won with her eyes closed and looks ready to go through the grades. GALANCY won his maiden like a horse who would be able to pinch a few this campaign. Won by 1.5L and won soft. GROUND BRAKER has some relatively strong 2 year old form to his name. SAASMIT went well at her WA debut and there’s no Bitofmerit’s in this field.

Numbers: 1 – 6 – 7 – 9

Suggested Bet – PINK CARATS WIN


RACE 4

BENJI’S looks ready to win. If the pattern of the day unfold similarly to Melbourne Cup Day then he’ll be suited by those conditions as a get back, run on type. Proved first-up he has no issue carrying the weight and his second-up run was better than it reads on paper. Never really got a look at them in the home straight and travelled into it like he was ready to play a big part. Back to a C1, third-up and should be right place, right time. UNI QUEEN won her maiden in style and the first-up effort behind The Velvet Queen is good form for a race like this. ELITE FIGHTER had conditions against him first-up, they should be with him second-up. Big improver. ALMAHER MAN broke his maiden in a C1 and looks to be getting better with racing.

Numbers: 1 – 8 – 6 – 3

Suggested Bet – BENJI’S WIN


RACE 5

MERCANTO find a suitable race to continue his progression through the grades this campaign. Burst onto the scene first-up with a strong C1 win and then backed it up on Melbourne Cup Day when he had to launch over the final 200m to get the better of subsequent winners Trevern (2-time subsequent winner) and Safety Bay. Since then has had no luck in a 66+ and then loomed to them in a 60+ Graduation when unable to get past Miss Vasari and Cristal Dane. Looks a great race for him. MEGAZONE is rarely seen in this grade. He has raced in tougher than this over the last 2-3 seasons and produced without a trial raises the eyebrows. LEICA JAGUAR has blinkers re-attached and like Megazone has raced in higher grade over the last 12 months. TREVELLO is never far from the action.

Numbers: 2 – 5 – 4 – 3

Suggested Bet – MERCANTO WIN


RACE 6

RHYTHM STAR is a super honest and consistent mare who tends to go round an eachway quote in the majority of her races. Always gives punters a sight and in a very even C3 1800 she looks as good a chance as any. Been carrying this sort of weight all campaign and provided she can find some cover from the wide draw she’ll be looming into it three deep on a day which is likely to suit those types of runners. She’ll be there abouts as always. DOOWAHDIDDY and TRISUEM both come from the same 60+ Graduation and both look ready for the step to 1800. BANDALERA MISS was well found last start and managed to get the job done after racing wide throughout. New stable, new horse.

Numbers: 2 – 4 – 5 – 12

Suggested Bet – RHYTHM STAR EACHWAY


RACE 7

PADDY’S SHADOW showed in the Towton Cup that she is building nicely towards a Perth Cup tilt. She ran the fastest L600 in that race and had a few traffic issues to navigate in the home straight. Like the way she hit the line, like the fact she’s drawn a gate to settle closer in what is likely to be a muddlingly run race and considering she’ll be double figures in betting think she’s worth consideration. PURE DEVOTION gets a 7kg weight swing on Black Shadow for beating him home two starts ago. Shades go on, drawn to get a soft run and did go around $2.50 in the Towton Cup. STAFFORD’S LAD was enormous in the Ascot Gold Cup, massive in the JRA Trophy and extraordinary in the Towton. Really hard to ignore replay after replay. MIDNIGHT BLUE has had a set back and now has bars added mid-prep. Few red flags.

Numbers: 2 – 7 – 8 – 3

Suggested Bet – PADDY’S SHADOW EACHWAY


RACE 8

SPEEDY MISS is a very consistent mare. Was given a 3 month let up between winter and summer and returned without a trial in a sharp 1100m 0MWLY at Ascot behind emerging front runner Trevern. Thought she finished off about as well as she could considering she’s unsuited at that trip and stepping out to 1400m might sneak under the radar at a double figure quote. Did run third at Belmont in a 69+ behind The Spruiker only five starts back. PICK YOUR BATTLES had been promising to do exactly what he did last start for a while. Great to see him win one and can go on with it now. GINGER BAKER is a talented 4 year old resuming. 60.5kg first-up, no trial 1400m is a task but he’s got super race form. HEART OF COEUR couldn’t have done much more than he has his last two.

Numbers: 6 – 9 – 1 – 5

Suggested Bet – SPEEDY MISS EACHWAY


Quaddie (Race 5 – 8)

2,5
2,4,5,11,12
1,2,3,7,8
1,3,5,6,9,11,12

Market Market