Best Bet Ascot r4 Three Votes; Very progressive short course sprinter who did too much work first up then atoned second up. Drops to the minimum weight and looks best on ground by a big space.
Ascot r3 Jestajingle; Absolutely smoked them first up last prep then had no luck in stronger company. Trialed like a good thing recently.
Ascot Early Quaddie; r1-4; fld,fld,13,11
Best Bet Pinjarra r2 Lorentinio; Trainer Jim Taylor very rarely travels to the provincials unless he is super confident. This runner is dropping to maiden grade after running 3rd on debut at Ascot. The other fancies are on debut so factoring in the race experience.
Pinjarra r8 Yeah Dardy; This prep has won a maiden and placed in a 3yo handicap, both at Ascot at overall starts 2 and 3. Main danger Vandemonian who's last run was good enough, has a poor strike rate (1 from 19). Head clash will probably lead and is improving for novelty players.
Best Bet Flemington r8 Northwest Passage. Waterhouse 3yo against the older horses. Has won 5 out of 6 including two very soft wins in Tasmania. (Guineas and Derby). Last start looked in trouble before fighting them off. The older stayers in this have run big races in big races but very rarely seem to win.
Ascot r4 Keeper Keen; Supremacy Stakes for the 2yo's heading to the Karrakatta. This unbeaten fellow has trialed very nicely to show he is ready for this 100k race. Clearly has the best form lines and although giving a fair bit of weight to rivals should prove too classy.
Best Bet Bunbury r6 Perfect Rose; Smashed them in a maiden at this track and distance first up then jumped straight into a class 5 over 1420m. Started very short on that occasion but got too far back and rattled home beaten less than a length. Back to 1700m and class one looks the goods and I dare say would be odds on if Pike was riding.
Sandown r7 Castelo; Beat all bar the promising and in form Dusty Jack last start. Meets same class of field with 2kgs less after claim and I really like the form from last start.
Best Bet Pinjarra r7 Great Shot; In Honor of the Aussie Cricketer's stunning demolition of India I'm tipping Great Shot over the fav Man Booker. Great Shot won the Cyril Flower first up after placing in the Carbine Club and Asian Beau last prep, just failing to qualify for the Railway Stakes. Former Guineas winner Man Booker also bounced back last start after a disappointing previous campaign. Great Shot beat a stronger field and will race right on top of the speed.
Best Bet Doomben r2 Quatronic: Record of 5 from 8 indicates it is ready for open company and in my opinion better races than this one.
Caufield r2 Derryn; Finished alongside Hey Doc first up where they went too slow in front. Was racing against the cream last prep and can handle these.
Caufield r4 Fuhryk; There seems to be a strong push for Jennifer Lynn who was unlucky same race and is out to pet distance but Fuhryk couldn't of done it any easier and am happy to stick.
The group ones will provide great viewing but are mostly wide open. My heart will be with Black Heart Bart but not my wallet due to price. Ocean Embers can run a race at a silly price in the Oakleigh Plate but will need a ton of luck from the horror draw.
Best Bet; Flemington r6 Hey Doc; Good effort first up, has excellent 2nd up record and has raced competitively against the best.
Ascot r8 Majinka; Defied betting drift to win with authority first up, has built a very solid record and is drawn to sit right on the leader and pounce. Wouldn't want less than the $2.50 currently on offer, may get out a little.
Best Bet; Pinjarra r6 Miss Sondrio, runs on hard and should of won last start. With other chances first up or inconsistent, $5 looks overs as very confident it will at least place.
Caufield r3 Catchy : Untapped, Unbeaten including coming from last to beat main danger on debut.
Caufield r7 Black Heart Bart; The champ's fitness was lacking first up but stuck to his guns and finished off late to run a clear 2nd. Now steps up to Caufield 4: 3,1,0Distance 11: 6,4,0 trk/Distance 2:2 vs Malaguerra track: 3: 0,1,0. The value for a saver might be Ecuador who races on speed and is in the zone.
Best Bet Ascot r7 Thunder Boom: A record of 4 starts for two wins and two 2nds suggests he will handle the step up in class today against this lot. Especially at the weights.
Ascot r8 Paradini: Has been finishing off it's races nicely in much stronger company. Will need plenty of luck from barrier 1 but if it gets it will be very hard to hold out.
Sandown r8 Cassadee; Forgive it's last start where it was three wide no cover into a strong breeze. It's debut maiden win was very impressive and if it handles 60kg's will be very hard to run down.
Best BetBunbury r5 Chin Strap; Things went amiss before a freshen up but before that had very strong form for this maiden. Should go very close if back to best.
Best Bet Morphetville r3 Yulong Yongxing: Weir is a genius at placing his midweek horses in Adelaide. This horse won a Terang maiden impressively on his first dry track run and ran good races before that. Stable jockey has traveled with and black figures looks acceptable.
Caulfield r9 Duke of Brunswick; Has a good 3rd up record including a 2nd to Voodoo Lad and with 54kgs, barrier 3 and Olly riding looks tough to beat.
Randwick r4 Dal Cielo; Has recently changed stables with great effect. Simply one too impressively last start not to tip.
Best Bet Canterbury r5 Reach for Heaven; Ran a tough 3rd in Saturday grade first up in a race where the form has stacked up very well. One for One second up, drawn well.
Mundine v Green. My interest in this fight has dwindled immensely but from a punters point of view the $4 for Mundine by decision looks best value.
Best Bet Ascot r4 Pinzu; Looks a hot speed that will help him swoop past them like last start. Only worry is sharp rise in weight.
Rosehill r5 Australiana ; Always an ask to jump from a Newcastle maiden to 100k Saturday race but was so impressive bolting in what turned out to be a hot form race when well supported. I'm happy to back Waterhouse in.
Best Bet Mooney Valley r7 Black Heart Bart; The WFA conditions of the Group 2 Australia Stakes makes it very hard to go past the WA champ. Flies fresh including a nose 2nd in a Newmarket Handicap and has impressive distance stats of 7 goes for 4,2,0. One knock is he is yet to be proven at track with his only start a last in the Cox Plate but this is a completely different race. There looks to be enough speed on to swoop if they can make ground. Big strong weight carrier, multiple group one winner, meeting rivals at equal weights.
Gloucester Park r3 Ideal Alice; Has the gate speed to overcome tricky draw and is always extremely hard to beat back in mares company.
Best Bet Bunbury r7 Miss Sondrio; Very interesting clash between the up and coming fav and more seasoned horses in the feature race on the card. Miss Sondrio stats are 4 from 5 starts including2 from 3 at distance and 3 from 3 at track. Down in the weights to counter the jump in class can definitely make it 5 in a row and remain unbeaten this prep. Flytego is very well weighted after the claim, loves the track and distance and is dropping in class. Already supported from $10 to $6, worth a saver. Close 2nd fav Just Act Natural is a risk at 1200m in my opinion.
Randwick r5 Pumpkin Pie; Promising 3yo filly taking on older horses and 1400m for first time. Hoping the jockey settles much closer today considering it has the featherweight 50kg and the pace looks slow. Dead Calm looks likely to set the slow pace and with Bowman on looks hardest to catch if looking for a saver.
Best Bet Mount Barker r8 Candlelight Star; Mungrup Sprint and this grey sprinter is in career best form. 2 wins and 2 places from it's last 4 starts at Ascot, trained in the great southern and weighted to finish all over the top of them.
Best Bet Randwick r9 Deploy; Speed map has it sitting right behind leaders and will be very hard to hold out and make it three wins in a row.
Randwick r4 Clipper: They have yet to get near this unbeaten 3yo, the stable has a great strike rate in these highways and it will be on speed. (position not drug!) Not sure why it's drifting in market but hopefully just means we win more eway.
Mooney Valley r6 Big Duke; Weir import who is hitting his straps in Australia and only has to handle the Valley to thrash these.
Best Bet Cranbourne r1 Pretty Mamma; Did enough on debut to suggest it can win this maiden. Being out of Pentire would suggest the extra distance suits. The early money is coming for the Weir runner so Mamma is getting out to an attractive price ($3.20) in a field of five.
Gloucester Park r8 Gaz Wannabet; Was flying before it put on a rodeo performance last start. The start (as always in trots) is very important as equal fav Ultimate Major is drawn inside Gaz. I'm hoping something else can hold the lead as Gaz is more versatile.
Best Bet; Ascot r1 Keepers Tale: Today's fields are littered with odds on favs which I usually steer clear of. This one was slaughtered by jockey last start, has gone close numerous times and strikes a weak race. Using a boost option with either Ladbrokes, Sportsbet or Tabtouch makes it back
Ascot r4 Pagan Dancer: Blackfriars, LDR trainer (on fire), won it's maiden easily in a very weak field last start but this isn't much tougher and Pike rides.
Best Bet Pinjarra r3 Super Exceed; Exceed and Excel gelding who placed 2nd at this track and distance last start, is drawn the right side of the straight 1000m and trainer Jim Taylor doesn't travel to the provincials if he doesn't think it can win. $3.30 looks a fair price.
