Races

Scott Embry’s Wednesday Belmont Preview

RACE 1

VRANYO was backed off the boards last start from $3.90 into $2.10 when leading them up running and fading late to be beaten over 2L into third. The form certainly held up Saturday with Beads winning a Saturday 2yo SWP and now she comes back to 1000m where she finished fourth behind Flying Missile and Acefire. Gets another chance. NIGHTS MYSTERY was electric in a 400m jump out. Mitch Pateman rides for Mitch Pateman and looks likely to let his speedy 2 year old roll. Takes running down. ISOLA BAY was strong through the line in a 400m jump out and worked home nicely in a 950 trial. CANNY JACK was far from disgraced on debut behind a smart filly in Ponyo.

Numbers: 8 – 5 – 4 – 1

Suggested Bet – VRANYO WIN


RACE 2

ASTRAPE has been a difficult watch for her loyal supporters at her last two outings. Sat three deep the trip two starts ago chasing a hot tempo in a strong form race (subsequent winners Ground Braker & Beads) and fought on bravely into fourth. Last start worked hard early to eventually find the breeze and was left a sitting duck to be run down. Finally draws a gate and gets her best chance to date. NO DICE will need a serious steer from Bradley Parnham but with even luck she’s a sneaky chance at odds. WUHAN WARRIOR will be sweating (pun intended) on a start. If he gains one, he’ll have plenty of admirers. AWESOME CHATTER may have run into a special one at trials. Drawn ideally for his debut.

Numbers: 7 – 8 – (11) – 2

Suggested Bet – ASTRAPE WIN


RACE 3

CELEBRITY MAN has not been a punters pal in his career, in fact there are bookmakers planning trips to Europe in 2023 on him, but this is a seriously thin maiden. As much as he has gone under at the short odds the form around him has stacked up. Second to Enticing (C1 winner) beating home subsequent maiden winners Zac Luvs To Fly, Bread To Flirt and Gold Merits, third to Sunsphere and subsequent winners Tena Koutou and Free Solo. Now or never. STEEL’S THE DEEL is green and raw but looks to have a motor under the hood. Just needs to do things right. CHOICE BID should find the front and walk them. Gets his chance in a sit and sprint. HOT BLOODED is triple nominated for various races across Wednesday and Thursday. Keep safe where he goes.

Numbers: 2 – 5 – 1 – 10

Suggested Bet – CELEBRITY MAN WIN


RACE 4

STYLAX caught the eye at trials when beating home first-up maiden and second-up 3yo 0MWLY winner Jedi Mind. Showed it was no fluke when rattling to the line in 33.66 last 600 at Pinjarra when settling in an impossible position in running from a bad draw. Better drawn here, blinkers on, looks a nice assignment for him. TAKEMEHOMETONIGHT was the target of relentless support in betting first-up. Ran well and takes up a prominent position in running here. COMANCHE CHANT was thrown in the deep end on debut into a 3yo 0MWLY and didn’t get any luck in the small field. Doesn’t have to snag back here. JUST PEACHY will need some luck from a poor draw but hit the line full of running fresh.

Numbers: 4 – 7 – 3 – 8

Suggested Bet – STYLAX WIN


RACE 5

REAL CHARISMA trialled like a filly who is about to go right through the grades. Had no blinkers on in her trial and yet stalked classy sprinter Prince Devoutly and went straight past him in the concluding stages. From the draw gets every chance, tracks up a moderate tempo and should prove to hold the sharpest turn of foot. Could be a filly worth following. WESTERN RHYTHM is rarely seen in C1 company and first-up last campaign arguably should have won a Westspeed Platinum 58+. Talented mare who relishes rain affected surfaces. SATURN BLACK has a senior rider engaged for the first time in her career and has ability. BLACK LIGHTNING can lead or box seat but clearly has some soundness issues.

Numbers: 4 – 6 – 5 – 2

Suggested Bet – REAL CHARISMA WIN


RACE 6

GHOBELLA looks very well placed by Steph Bakranich first-up. Winner of a 3yo 0MWLY when last in work defeating talented types Son Son and No Surrender. Finished the campaign with a luckless seventh in a Saturday 3 year old plate behind La Farola and The Spruiker. Hard to knock the form and the most recent trial was encouraging. Excellent use of the 3kg claim and looks hard to hold out. SKETTA gets an identical run to last start. Three back the fence and waiting for the cutaway. GOLD MERITS did a super job last start when tramping wide throughout. Improving type. PERFECT GEM was a touch stiff last start but the race was already over in front of her at that stage.

Numbers: 1 – 5 – 3 – 4

Suggested Bet – GHOBELLA WIN


RACE 7

SENTIMENTAL HERO resumes here off the back of two trials. No vision of the trial behind Dunbar but in the most recent trial made solid ground late without blinkers. Get back and run on type who should be competitive in this evenly graded affair. Highly compressed weights so the 3kg claim for Jett Stanley is a massive bonus and he’ll get last crack at them. EMPIRE REIGN also has a 3kg claimer engaged and is drawn to finally get an economical run-in transit. Hasn’t had anything go his way so far this campaign. COMEALILBITCLOSER has a nightmare map to contend with but the first-up run was encouraging. BEAU ZOOM is a head scratcher. His best and worst are 15L apart.

Numbers: 4 – 1 – 3 – 2

Suggested Bet – SENTIMENTAL HERO WIN


RACE 8

ARAGAIN looks to have found a suitable assignment fifth up into the preparation. Gritty effort last start in a 66+ behind Blackwater Bay, Born To Try, Black Shadow, Secret Pearl and All Man who made the form look good when filling the first four in a Saturday staying race a fortnight later. Aragain comes back in grade and finds a race where Brad Parnham can roll to the top and control the tempo. MISS DOMINICAN steps out in trip and while she hasn’t fired a shot so far this campaign she did run third in a WA Oaks. SHOWADDYWADDY can be forgiven for last start. Effort previous was sectionally impressive from a long way back. BARONOVA has burst onto the scene with back to back staying wins.

Numbers: 4 – 7 – 9 – 6

Suggested Bet – ARAGAIN WIN


RACE 9

ELAFELLA was a tough, fighting victory last start with 60kg and looks a progressive type who is finally starting to learn his caper. Flashed potential last campaign with a 6L win in the slop at Pinjarra and looks like winning a few more with his on-speed race pattern. Capable of going back to back. TRADEM IN was awfully stiff not to go close in the Apprentices Challenge. Just never got clear and balanced at crucial stages. FREE SOLO attacked the line hard to win his maiden and looks to be screaming out for further. SUNSPHERE looked good at trials and took it to the races fresh.

Numbers: 1 – 3 – 6 – 7

Suggested Bet – ELAFELLA WIN


RACE 10

SAID NO ONE EVER toyed with rivals last week winning by over 3.5L in style. Overall race time was 6L faster than C3 average and on the quick back-up from an identical position in running he looks hard to beat. Massive horse who looks a Saturday type in the making. STREET FAIR has finally started to win a few races. Is definitely dangerous up the cutaway but Chris Parnham jumps ship which hurts. CUBAN TWIST is suited to this grade and is never far from the action. BOLLINGER BOY gets the extra ground he needs to be competitive.

Numbers: 2 – 6 – 3 – 4

Suggested Bet – SAID NO ONE EVER WIN


Quaddie (Race 7 – 10)

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

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