| What | Bunbury Cup Day 2022 |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, March 5, 2022 |
| First Race | 12:28pm AWST |
| Feature Race | Race 8: Listed Bunbury Cup (2100m) |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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Three Listed races will be run and won at Ascot this Saturday afternoon, with the Bunbury Cup and Bunbury Stakes headlining the nine-race card. HorseBetting’s WA racing analyst presents you with his best bets in all three feature races, as well as his best bets and quaddie numbers for the meeting overall. The track is rated a Good 4 and the rail is out 3m for the entire course, which should see the course play evenly across the program. Racing gets underway at 12:28pm AWST.
Listed Supremacy Stakes – Costume Party
In the first of three feature races, a field of nine two-year-old fillies will contest the $125,000 Supremacy Stakes over 1000m. We are with Costume Party, who is yet to miss the placings in four career starts. After winning comfortably on debut, this filly has been in the minor money in all three of her starts since. Clint Johnston-Porter replaces Chris Parnham, who hops aboard debutant Sentimental Belle, but nothing is lost with CJP, as he rode this daughter of A Lot in her first trial and is riding like a man possessed at the minute, with nine winners from his past 50 rides. Costume Party should be able to lead from barrier five and will take some serious running down over the 1000m journey.
Listed Bunbury Stakes – Clairvoyance
She’s back to her best now. After winning her first six career starts and then failing at her next two, there were fears that Clairvoyance may have lost her touch, but she bounced back in a big way in February, winning a Rating 72+ Handicap at Pinjarra and then bolting in by more than four lengths in the Listed Pinjarra Classic on February 20 over 1300m. The Darren McAuliffe-trained four-year-old has won two from five at Ascot, while it will be the first time she steps out to 1400m, but we expect her to handle it comfortably. The daughter of Nostradamus rated through the roof in her last win, and although she rises 2kg to 56.5kg, she should be far too good once again under Chris Parnham. She can make it back-to-back Listed wins.
Listed Bunbury Cup – Stafford’s Lad
Stafford’s Lad was sent out as one of the favourites for the Group 2 Perth Cup on New Year’s Day, and although he didn’t get the chocolates, he was pretty unlucky in running, so three lengths off Midnight Blue can certainly be respected. Prior to that, he came from last to win the Listed A.T.A. Stakes over 2200m at this track with 54kg on his back – the same weight he will carry on Saturday. After his Perth Cup run, trainer Daniel Morton freshened him up in the Pinjarra Mile, where he worked home well over an unsuitable distance, before going around over 1600m again on February 26 with 63kg. He drops 9kg to 54kg, gets Chris Parnham back in the saddle and now finds himself over 2100m, which he will love. The son of Demerit gets back in his races anyway, so barrier 15 is no cause for concern. Provided the speed is on early, Stafford’s Lad can return to the winner’s circle this weekend.
Best Bet at Ascot – Spin The Knife
In the second race of the day, Luke Fernie and Holly Watson combine with consistent three-year-old Spin The Knife. The son of Snippetson bounced back in fine style at this track on February 19, leading all of the way over 1000m to win by two lengths with 60.5kg on his back. Watson’s 3kg claim means that the gelding will drop to 57.5kg on Saturday, so he should appreciate the relief. From barrier three, Watson will look to copy what she did on the horse last time she rode him, by finding the front and running their rivals into the ground. The galloper is unbeaten over 1100m in two attempts, and we expect him to make it three from three on Saturday.
Next Best at Ascot – Phoneme
Six-year-old gelding Phoneme started his career off with Chris Waller in the eastern states, mixing form with a few quality gallopers and winning three races in Victoria, before heading to WA in the winter months of 2020. Since joining the Michael Lane yard, the son of Choisir has added another four victories to his name, including a last-to-first win at Belmont over 1400m on February 16. That was in a No Metro Wins Last Year race, and he now goes to a pretty weak Rating 66+ Handicap over 1400m again. Chris Parnham has ridden this galloper in his past four starts, so he knows the horse quite well now. From barrier seven, Parnham is likely to look for cover early before bringing this last-start winner to the crown of the track, where he can let down strongly and win again. It was an impressive win two-and-a-half weeks ago, and there’s no reason to suggest he can’t go on with it.
Best Value at Ascot – Wild Galah
In the third race of the day, Chris Stelmach will leg Lucy Warwick aboard his six-year-old gelding Wild Galah. The well-named son of Galah has had 63 starts, winning just three of those, but he rarely runs a poor race, finishing in the minor money on a further 17 occasions. In his four runs in 2022, Wild Galah has won once, finished second twice and third on the other occasion, starting at average odds of $12, so he is regularly missed by the market. Admittedly, he does do his best racing at Belmont, but one of his three victories did come at Ascot some time ago. From barrier eight, Lucy Warwick can be handy on him in the run and look to get the best out of him late over the 1500m. He looks a solid each-way bet.
Ascot quaddie tips for Bunbury Cup Day
| Ascot quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 1-2-4-7-10-11 |
| Leg 2: | 2 |
| Leg 3: | 1-2-3-9-12 |
| Leg 4: | 2-4-9 |
| Investment: | $90 for 100% |
