Ascot Saturday Perth Racing Preview BY JOSH RODDER Track is a Good (2) as of Friday lunchtime; penetrometer is 6 (Perth measurements are different to those in the Eastern States, because of a different sand-based track). The rail is at the inside position for the return to Ascot. The warm weather has only just begun in the past week and the surface has really “ jumped out of the ground”. According to track manager Gordon Menzies the track is probably two weeks behind at the same stage as last year – it has been aerated twice and he could not be happier with the opening day surface. FORECAST – SATURDAY: FINE, HOT. MIN 15, MAX 33
Race 1– Slate Bourbon Welter [3YO+] [Open 80+] 1800m, 3:15pm [EST] Small field to contest the opening race of the Ascot summer season. Even tempo expected to greet these runners, with medium pressure. King Kool Kat (5) takes up the lead and tries to dictate terms to suit himself. Brunello (4) will put himself there, with Friar’s Touch (1) box-seating. Geyser Peak (2) was outstanding on Saturday at Belmont, zooming home from last when the race was all over. His final 600m section was 33.57. In the end he was fourth, only 2.5 lengths away from highly promising galloper Tudor Lad, and that form is solid for a race of this kind. Last start Geyser Peak was nearly a month between runs and went up from 1400m to 1650m in returning from a failed Kalgoorlie carnival attempt, with the track a genuine excuse. Third-up last spring at Flemington he was not beaten far by Accosta in a fast-run 1800m, so you would think the rise in journey would not present a problem. Drawn well and it appears he will find the 1 x 1, trailing Brunello, the hardest to beat. The former Victorian has looked good winning his past two starts and was never going to get beaten in the run last time at
Belmont. This is another step in grade, but his form before heading west included a 3.3-length defeat by Stokehouse and Exelltastic at Caulfield over 1800m. It has taken Adam Durrant a while to get this horse hard-fit and he now looks ripe to continue his good form.
beat the older horses in first month of season before doing what he had to at his past two.
King Kool Kat does not win (now one from 44) but he is a genuine animal who will lead and give his all. Striken (6) is another who does not win out of turn. Been ridden a lot more aggressively this time in work and last start he was posted three wide, no cover and was not far away from Geyser Peak at the finish.
Honest performer Test The Angels has returned from a spell in fine form and if he can just chill a little he will be very competitive in a WA Guineas-directed spring/summer campaign. Simply Mak (7) is crying out for a genuine 1600m and can be expected to be hitting the line with gusto. The last part of her last-start race, following a let-up, was black-book stuff.
VERDICT Bet confidently (2) Geyser Peak, with (4) Brunello the only danger. Include (5) King Kool Kat, (6) Striken and (1) Friar's Touch in multiples.
Race 2 – Johnnie Walker Hcp [Open 65+] [3YO+] 1600m, 3:55pm [EST] Good three-year-old race with some real potential in the line-up. Expecting a genuine tempo, with even pressure. Several different ways this race could pan out. I ended up with Splendid Sun (9) finding lead, Yabigorse (10) may be better suited allowed to roll, with Xaaravid (1), Test The Angels (4) and Southern Comfort (3) handy. Snug Buggles (8) could be used to find a handy position or, with her space between runs and a VRC Oaks campaign in the making, they may choose to go back, settle and whoosh home. Have tipped Snug Buggles at her past two, but she has been scratched on both occasions. The fact Paul Harvey rides at 53kg is a good sign. I really like Zentrate (2) as a horse. He’s still a work in progress, but there is a big engine there and a competitive streak. I’m going that way, on the back of three Belmont wins, all very different. He is just over a month between runs, but at this stage of his campaign, with two wins at the distance, this athletic type will be in the right condition. Zentrate looks to get a nice trail midfield and you only have to watch his recent replays to see that he loves to chase his rivals down. Ran high-class youngster Thorn Dancer to short margin first-up, then
Snug Buggles was ultra impressive winning her maiden at Northam and could very easily have doubled the margin. She is highly promising and a tilt at the VRC Oaks has been mentioned.
VERDICT Back (2) Zentrate, who will be over the odds with the early fixed-odds support for (8) Snug Buggles. She is the only danger and can be the saver. Include (4) Test The Angels, (7) Simply Mak, (3) Southern Comfort, (10) Yabigorse and (1) Xaaravid for wider exotics.
Race 3 – The Big Couch Handicap [3YO+] [62-74] 2200m, 4:45pm [EST] This race is very difficult – tread warily. Not a lot of depth to the first distance race of the summer season. Expecting a true staying tempo to be set by High Yiqi (3) with not a lot of exposed pressure. Bodgie Business (4), Blue’s Guitar (8) and (6) Armed Response can all be prominent in the run. Going to give Ten Aces (2) another chance. He trailed the genuine speed set by High Yiqi last time at Belmont and only whacked away in the straight. With that run under his belt and a 5kg turnaround for a fourlength defeat, I believe he can turn the tables. Was an Ascot distance winner earlier in the year at a similar stage of his preparation and nothing more has to be said about the form of the Jim Taylor camp. At peak fitness following four runs from a spell, and his win over subsequent winner Tenpin two starts back was outstanding. Each-way all day. High Yiqi again will bowl along and make his own luck from the top for inform veteran rider Danny Miller. His last start was his first distance try and it was a strong staying performance. Despite the