What | Ascot Races |
Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
When | Saturday, December 17, 2022 |
First Race | 12:28pm AWST |
Visit Ladbrokes |
For the seventh week in a row, Ascot will host a huge nine-race program on a Saturday, this time highlighted by the Listed ATA Stakes for the stayers. The track is currently rated a Soft 5, but with warm weather and no rain on the forecast for Friday and Saturday, we will be on a Good, firm track come raceday. The rail will be in the +8m position for the entire circuit, which we expect to play favourably to leaders and on-speed runners, much like last weekend. The first race will jump at 12:34pm AWST.
Listed ATA Stakes: Neufbosc
The feature race of the day is the Listed ATA Stakes over 2200m, where we will be siding Neville Parnham-trained Neufbosc after a third in the Listed GA Towton Cup over 2200m on December 10 last start. Even though, this seven-year-old gelding hasn’t won for nearly 12 months, he did win this race in 2021 before going on to win the Group 2 Perth Cup in early 2022, after running a second in the GA Towton Cup. This son of Mastercraftsman looks to be back in the same form he was in when he won this race in 2021, which indicates that Neville Parnham and his team have him ready to go for this race on Saturday. Brad Parnham will retain the ride once again after riding him at his last two starts, and from barrier three on Saturday he should be able to give this gelding a sweet run in transit and every chance to take out this race again.
ATA Stakes
Race 8 – #1 Neufbosc (3)
7yo Gelding | T: Neville Parnham | J: Brad Parnham (59kg)
$5 with Betfair
Best Bet: Rear Admiral
Our best bet of the day will be Sean & Jake Casey-trained Rear Admiral, who has won both of her career starts over 1200m by a combined 5.5 lengths at Belmont and Ascot. Her most recent starts was at Ascot on December 7, where she jumped as a $1.35 favourite with online bookmakers and won like so, sitting outside the leader and as the field rounded the home turn she kicked clear to win comfortably by over a length, eased down. This daughter of Astern has been impressive in her first two starts and she will now make the step up to One Metro Win Handicap grade, where she will have to step up and go to a new level; however, this girl looks to have a stack of ability and it shouldn’t be a problem. From barrier 10, Jordan Turner will look to cross the field to take up the lead and try to kick away on the home bend, much like she did last start.
Best Bet
Race 6 – #10 Rear Admiral (10)
3yo Filly | T: Sean & Jake Casey | J: Jordan Turner (54.5kg)
$3.10 with Bet365
Next Best Bet: The Velvet Queen
In the final race of the day, The Velvet Queen will be looking to record her second win this preparation after she had no luck at all last start, when she ran fourth behind Billy Ain’t Silly at Ascot on December 10. This four-year-old mare won very well first-up, where she flew home from the back of the field and won by a whisker on the line over 1400m. Now that she steps up to 1500m, third-up, after what was basically a barrier trial last start, this mare should eat the 1500m with only 56kg. Chris Parnham will be on board once again this Saturday and from barrier 11, he should have her further back in the field, looking to run on down the outside in the final 400m. This daughter of Universal Ruler has a blistering turn of foot, so if she is less than five lengths off the leaders on the home turn, she will go very close to winning once again.
Next Best Bet
Race 9 – #9 The Velvet Queen (11)
4yo Mare | T: Darren McAuliffe | J: Chris Parnham (56kg)
$3.40 with Bet365
Best Value: On The Full
Our best value bet of the day will come up in race three over 1000m, where we will be siding with On The Full from the Jim Taylor yard. This four-year-old gelding ran well in defeat first-up this preparation, as he finished fourth over 1000m at Belmont on November 30, when he lead and was pestered throughout, but only went down by 1.7 lengths. On Saturday, Laqdar Ramoly will take the ride on this son of Rogano after riding him at his last three starts without registering a win. There looks to be one other speed influence in this race, so if they can lead together without going too hard, this guy should be the stronger of the two now that he is second-up and only carrying 55kg.
Best Value
Race 3 – #9 On The Full (1)
4yo Gelding | T: Jim Taylor | J: Laqdar Ramoly (55kg)
$11 with Ladbrokes
Saturday quaddie tips for Ascot
Ascot quadrella selections
Saturday, December 24, 2022
- 3-5-10
- 7-9-12
- 1-8-10
- 4-7-9-12
Investment: $98 for 100%
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