| What | Ascot Races |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, December 17, 2022 |
| First Race | 12:28pm AWST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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This Saturday, Ascot will host another bumper nine-race card, highlighted by the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes for the stayers. The surface is currently rated a Good 4, and with more warm weather forecasted for the rest of the week, we expect to be in the Good range on Saturday. The rail will go out to the +5m position for the entire circuit, which could prove to be advantageous to leaders. The first race will jump at 12:28pm AWST.
Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes: Steinem
The feature race of the day will be the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes, where five of the 12 runners come through the Group 1 Northerly Stakes last start, where the two market fancies, Steinem and Ironclad, finished second and third, respectively. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Steinem looks to be the one coming from the Northerly Stakes that will enjoy the step up to 2100m after running on from midfield last start. This five-year-old mare ran in the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington, finishing second, before going over to Western Australia and now that she is second-up and fitter, she should be ready to peak again. From barrier three, John Allen should have her in the one-one just behind the leaders, ready to peel off their back on the home corner and stake her claim. If she gets clear running room with 300m to go, she should be too good for this field.
Ted Van Heemst Stakes
Race 8 – 
#10 Steinem (3)
5yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: John Allen (57kg)
$2.70 with Neds
Listed Starstruck Classic: Alsephina
The Listed Starstruck Classic will see the race favourite and star Western Australian mare, Alsephina, rise to Listed grade for the first time in her career as she looks to record her fifth win in a row at career start number 10. This daughter of Star Turn has won seven of nine so far throughout her career, running second and third at her other two starts. This mare has jumped every hurdle that her trainers, Grant & Alana Williams have thrown at her, rising through her grades quite quickly. On Saturday this mare will have to go to another level if she is to keep that winning streak going, as she will be seeking her first black-type victory of her career. William Pike has ridden this girl at her last two starts where she has been carrying weight and winning with a level of arrogance. If Pike can have her settle in the first four on Saturday, she will be very hard to beat once again.
Starstruck Classic
Race 6 – 
#6 Alsephina (4)
4yo Mare | T: Grant & Alana Williams | J: William Pike (55kg)
$2.10 with Betfair
Best Bet: Bitofmerit
Our best bet of the day comes up in race four, where we will be siding with Bitofmerit from the Michael Campbell yard as she looks to record her fifth win at her sixth career start. First-up this preparation this daughter of Demerit raced out of her comfort zone and raced on-pace before idling past the leader and running away with a stylish victory over 1000m on November 26. This mare has only raced over 1200m once before in her career, which was the only time she was beaten, however, the track was softer than a Good that day and she didn’t enjoy the rain falling during the race resulting in a bad run overall. On Saturday she strikes a race second-up that is very winnable and with Lucy Warwick taking the ride again, she looks awfully hard to beat.
Best Bet
Race 4 – 
#2 Bitofmerit (11)
4yo Mare | T: Michael Campbell | J: Lucy Warwick (60kg)
$2.80 with Bet365
Best Value: Sockoff
The third race of the day will see the Dion Luciani-trained Sockoff compete in a Benchmark 66+ Handicap over 1200m, where she should find the lead uncontested, therefore, making her very hard to beat. This four-year-old mare has won two of her three second-up starts. She will be looking to record her third win second-up this Saturday, when she attempts the 1200m for the very first time. This weekend she will drop in grade to Benchmark 66+ Handicap and with the aid of Holly Watson’s 1.5kg claim, she will be well in at the weights at 56kg, less than what she carried last start in a stronger grade. Watson should be able to control this race from the front and if she ramps things up from the 500m mark and kicks clear, the rest of the field will have a job on their hands to catch her.
Best Value
Race 3 – 
#2 Sockoff (4)
4yo Mare | T: Dion Luciani | J: Holly Watson (a1.5) (57.5kg)
$7.50 with Ladbrokes
Saturday quaddie tips for Ascot
Ascot quadrella selections
Saturday, December 17, 2022
- 2-6
- 2-7-13
- 3-4-10
- 3-4-5-11-13
Investment: $90 for 100%
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