All eyes are on WA this weekend with just three Group 1 races remaining this calendar year.
Two of them being run tomorrow at Ascot - the Railway and Winterbottom Stakes. The final G1 (the Kingston Town Classic) will follow at the same track in a fortnight.
As always the Best of the West will take on a strong contingent from the eastern seaboard.
Two of them being run tomorrow at Ascot - the Railway and Winterbottom Stakes. The final G1 (the Kingston Town Classic) will follow at the same track in a fortnight.
As always the Best of the West will take on a strong contingent from the eastern seaboard.
LOOKING FORWARD
Who's hot?
Since the start of this month Ascot based trainer Simon Miller has had just 18 runners but has produced six winners at a strike rate of one in three.
He has entrants in all three feature races tomorrow - Platinum Rocker in the Railway Stakes (Race 8 No. 13), Power Princess in the Winterbottom Stakes (Race 7 No. 13) plus two runners in the WA Guineas in Saint Bro (Race 6 No. 6) and Miss Rose De Lago (Race 6 No. 14).
He has entrants in all three feature races tomorrow - Platinum Rocker in the Railway Stakes (Race 8 No. 13), Power Princess in the Winterbottom Stakes (Race 7 No. 13) plus two runners in the WA Guineas in Saint Bro (Race 6 No. 6) and Miss Rose De Lago (Race 6 No. 14).
Ascot
*** As of 4pm today the track was rated a Dead 4. The forecast is for a mostly sunny day. ***
*** There are no early scratchings ***
Since the great Northerly won this race back in 2000 just three of the twelve winners have drawn double figure barriers so inside gates are a distinct advantage. Nine of the 12 winners in that same period carried 54.5kg or less and 10 of those 12 were trained locally with the only interstate winners being Sniper's Bullet (2009) and Gathering (2010). Three of the last four winners were double figure odds and the average winning price since the turn of the century is $9 with just two favourites saluting the judge.
Only four horses are under double figure odds here and all are interstate visitors. That's no surprise with many of the local hopes drawing horrible barriers - Mr Moet (20), Platinum Rocker (19), Luckygray (17), Rohan (16) and Playing God (13).
The best of the raiders looks to be Smokin' Joey. He's always shown he has ability but he's been a bit of a headcase. The move to Wez Hunter's yard and a certain operation appear to have done the trick. The stable is flying and his run in the Emirates was enormous because he was wide without cover for most of the race but still had the cheek to chime in at the end.
Fire Up Fifi has been contesting top quality races and it would take a braver man than myself to tip against Rob Heathcote and Damian Browne at the moment. Well weighted at 54kg on a 53kg minimum but she's taking on the boys now after contesting fillies and mares races and she has the visitor's draw to deal with too.
Conservatorium obviously handled the trip over well because he claimed the G2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at this track a fortnight ago. He was only a quarter of a length behind Fire Up Fifi in the Listed Centenary Classic at Eagle Farm during the Winter and meets her 2.5kg better off tomorrow.
Kerrific looks the best of the locals. Has three wins and two placings from six attempts at the mile and he is a winner with 13 victories from 39 starts. Has won six times here at Ascot. Will come into barrier nine if the emergencies come out and should be able to race in a handy position.
Mr Moet the best roughie. He has drawn the extreme outside but last start he was beaten less than a length and a half in the Mackinnon. Prior to that he has sixth beaten two and a quarter lengths in the Caulfield Cup.
Only four horses are under double figure odds here and all are interstate visitors. That's no surprise with many of the local hopes drawing horrible barriers - Mr Moet (20), Platinum Rocker (19), Luckygray (17), Rohan (16) and Playing God (13).
The best of the raiders looks to be Smokin' Joey. He's always shown he has ability but he's been a bit of a headcase. The move to Wez Hunter's yard and a certain operation appear to have done the trick. The stable is flying and his run in the Emirates was enormous because he was wide without cover for most of the race but still had the cheek to chime in at the end.
Fire Up Fifi has been contesting top quality races and it would take a braver man than myself to tip against Rob Heathcote and Damian Browne at the moment. Well weighted at 54kg on a 53kg minimum but she's taking on the boys now after contesting fillies and mares races and she has the visitor's draw to deal with too.
Conservatorium obviously handled the trip over well because he claimed the G2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at this track a fortnight ago. He was only a quarter of a length behind Fire Up Fifi in the Listed Centenary Classic at Eagle Farm during the Winter and meets her 2.5kg better off tomorrow.
Kerrific looks the best of the locals. Has three wins and two placings from six attempts at the mile and he is a winner with 13 victories from 39 starts. Has won six times here at Ascot. Will come into barrier nine if the emergencies come out and should be able to race in a handy position.
Mr Moet the best roughie. He has drawn the extreme outside but last start he was beaten less than a length and a half in the Mackinnon. Prior to that he has sixth beaten two and a quarter lengths in the Caulfield Cup.
Locky's Selections
4 Smokin' Joey
9 Fire Up Fifi
3 Conservatorium
7 Kerrific
*** There are no early scratchings ***
9 Fire Up Fifi
3 Conservatorium
7 Kerrific
*** There are no early scratchings ***
This race has been much kinder to the visiting trainers with Paul Messara, Tony Noonan, Joe Janiak, David Hayes and Lee Freedman all successful in the last decade. The favourites have fared better too with seven of the last nine winners paying $3.75 or less. Inside barriers are again crucial with only two winners since 2000 jumping from outside barrier nine.
Buffering really does pick himself here following successive Group 1 victories in the Manikato Stakes and VRC Sprint. As alluded to previously Heathcote and Browne have been in great touch these last few months and I really don't see barrier eight as a problem because they've got a 600m run before they have to negotiate the first and only turn.
Barakey cannot be dismissed because he has only been beaten once in 13 starts and that defeat came when he was injured in the Newmarket back in March. Showed with a first-up win that he has overcome that injury and is drawn to get the gun run tomorrow at a track where he has won six times including three over this trip.
The four runs produced by Spirit of Boom in Group 2 races this campaign have all been full of merit. Followed a close-up third behind Sessions and Aeronautical in The Shorts with a narrow second to Platelet in the Gilgai. Next start he claimed the Caulfield Sprint before flashing home from near last early to just miss behind Fontelina (final 600m 33.28) in the Linlithgow on Derby Day.
Power Princess is the track specialist with three wins and two seconds from six goes here at the Ascot 1200m. A winner of 12 races from just 28 starts including eight at this trip. Barakey is the only horse to have beaten her in the last 18 months. Stable is red hot at the moment.
Buffering really does pick himself here following successive Group 1 victories in the Manikato Stakes and VRC Sprint. As alluded to previously Heathcote and Browne have been in great touch these last few months and I really don't see barrier eight as a problem because they've got a 600m run before they have to negotiate the first and only turn.
Barakey cannot be dismissed because he has only been beaten once in 13 starts and that defeat came when he was injured in the Newmarket back in March. Showed with a first-up win that he has overcome that injury and is drawn to get the gun run tomorrow at a track where he has won six times including three over this trip.
The four runs produced by Spirit of Boom in Group 2 races this campaign have all been full of merit. Followed a close-up third behind Sessions and Aeronautical in The Shorts with a narrow second to Platelet in the Gilgai. Next start he claimed the Caulfield Sprint before flashing home from near last early to just miss behind Fontelina (final 600m 33.28) in the Linlithgow on Derby Day.
Power Princess is the track specialist with three wins and two seconds from six goes here at the Ascot 1200m. A winner of 12 races from just 28 starts including eight at this trip. Barakey is the only horse to have beaten her in the last 18 months. Stable is red hot at the moment.
Locky's Selections
1 Buffering
4 Barakey
2 Spirit of Boom
13 Power Princess
4 Barakey
2 Spirit of Boom
13 Power Princess
Other bets
NIL
LOOKING BACK
Who's hot?
Gold Coast based trainer John Morrisey is in a rich vein of form at the moment. Since 23 October he has had 22 starters for eight winners and seven placegetters (Win 36.4% / Place 68.2%).
He has three runners tomorrow in Primary Colour (Eagle Farm Race 4 No. 7), Evocative (Eagle Farm Race 6 No. 13) and Full Hammer (Gold Coast Race 3 No. 8). All unplaced.
Caulfield
Zipping Classic (Group 2, 2400m, w-f-a)
Last week I wrote:
"The wet track has me leaning towards Sertorius as he has two wins on affected ground. He's also got a win and a second at this track from his only two attempts and all five runs this prep have been super. Being a stayer he wasn't suited first-up in that mad dash down the Flemington straight they call the Bobbie Lewis yet he came from near last to finish sixth beaten less than two lengths behind the in-form Speediness. Followed that with seconds at Moonee Valley and in the Cranbourne Cup, that time behind the talented Pakal. Broke through for a win in the Bendigo Cup (over this trip) before a narrow defeat to Precedence in last Saturday's Queen Elizabeth Stakes."
Locky's Selections
2 Sertorius (1st) $3.70 win / $1.50 place
8 Queenstown (3rd) $1.90 place
4 Midsummer Sun (4th)
1 Precedence (6th)
Any 2 2-8 $3.50
"Paximadia got a soft lead in the Carbine Club (they ran the first 1000m in a tick under 1.04) before sprinting home and giving nothing else a chance. He meets Equator and Best Case a kilo better off too."
8 Queenstown (3rd) $1.90 place
4 Midsummer Sun (4th)
1 Precedence (6th)
Any 2 2-8 $3.50
Sandown Guineas (Group 2, 1600m, 3-y-o set weights)
Last week I wrote:
"Paximadia got a soft lead in the Carbine Club (they ran the first 1000m in a tick under 1.04) before sprinting home and giving nothing else a chance. He meets Equator and Best Case a kilo better off too."
Locky's Selections
4 Best Case (4th)
1 Paximadia (1st) $3.40 win / $1.60 place
6 Apollo's Choice (3rd) $1.50 place
2 Champollion (6th)
Any 2 1-6 $3.00
1 Paximadia (1st) $3.40 win / $1.60 place
6 Apollo's Choice (3rd) $1.50 place
2 Champollion (6th)
Any 2 1-6 $3.00
Other bets
Galah (Caulfield Race 5 No. 1) is an in-form horse in a race where there aren't many others who can say the same. His wet track credentials are solid (6:3-1-0) and 58kg isn't that bad on a 56kg minimum. His last two starts have seen him placed behind Boban and Smokin' Joey and they franked the form when they ran the quinella in the Emirates Stakes a week ago. Snowden and McEvoy to continue their great Spring. $3.90. 3rd. $1.50 place. Just OK.
Platelet (Caulfield Race 8 No. 10) loves the sting out of the ground with five starts on wet tracks for three wins and two seconds. This is her fourth run this prep and fourth-up last time in she won the G1 Goodwood. Was only a length or so off Spirit of Boom and Shamal Wind last start when conceding them weight and both those horses have since run well in big races over the carnival. Well backed early. $3.60. 11th. Rider suggested post-race that the mare didn't travel from the 700m mark onwards but an examination revealed no abnormalities.
She's Clean (Caulfield Race 9 No. 3) is just one of the many talented mares Chris Waller has in his stable at the moment (Red Tracer, Catkins, Arinosa). She was enormous last time out when 3rd beaten two lengths at Flemington on Cup Day. She was last of 16 at the half mile and still had just two behind her at the 400m yet managed to get into the placings despite the fact they sprinted their final 600m in 33.42 seconds after strolling through the first half mile in 49.25 seconds. $3.80. SCR.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Well don't look at me.
- Witch Doctor, Village next door to Krakatoa, 27 August 1883
- Witch Doctor, Village next door to Krakatoa, 27 August 1883
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