Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Ascot on Saturday, January 4th.
The Group 2 Perth Cup headlines the first Saturday meeting of the year at Ascot in Perth! We've covered every race on the card with our tips and best bets below!
Ascot Racing Tips:2020 Perth Cup Day
Best Bet: Race 2 - (4) Indian Pacific
Best Value Bet: Race 9 - (2) Gunnago & (8) Lord Ludlow
Race 1
We kick off with a two-year-old race containing six horses on debut, and while trials are a helpful guide, they can often be misleading. Paul Jordan is a notoiously good trainer of juveniles and he saddles up (9) Januara here, who did win a 400m trial leading into this. While I would have liked her to have had a trial over more ground, I'm sure she'll be well prepared for her debut today and looks good odds at $9.00.
Race 2
(4) Indian Pacific backed up two good trials with a dominant debut win over this track and distance. This is obviously a big step up in grade but he looks well and truly capable of winning again. The horse he beat on debut was Holy Ghost, who then came out and won impressively at his next start, and he was 2L off Indian Pacific, so the form is obviously very strong. He's clearly the horse to beat and probably the bet of the day.
Race 3
(2) Megazone won here two starts ago and then didn't get much luck when narrowly beaten by Midnight Sky last weekend. Comes here on the quick back up and with any luck looks the horse they all have to beat. (7) Defiantly looked to be struggling first up but then really picked up late in the race. Second up at the mile looks suitable and he can run a good race at $10. (8) Over There looks ready at his fourth run back from a spell for a red-hot form stable in the Parnhams. Ran 2nd here last start so has to be included at each way odds.
Race 4
(1) Sentimental Gift carries the top weight of 60kg here but looks the class horse of the race. She was narrowly denied by British Bessy last start and British Bessy is set to go around in the Perth Cup later today so that looks the superior form line. Should get a gun run from barrier 4 and should prove too strong despite the weight.
(1) Sentimental Gift
$1.85
Race 5
Very competitive race. (10) Inspirational Girl will attract plenty of support given she's undefeated, has Pike on and represents the cerise and white colours. She's had two runs back from a long spell and just needs a good run from a wide draw. (9) He's A Gunslinger is flying and gets every chance from the good draw. (7) Rosebush can be included at double figure odds. She probably should have won last start but didn't get much go her way. Jarrad Noske is a big jockey booking today and will just need some luck from the inside draw. (1) Inflation can improve back to a suitable track and distance.
(10) Inspirational Girl
$3.10
Race 6
(3) Like A Butterfly doesn't win out of turn but she looks primed to run a big race again today after two 2nds to open her campaign. Third up, up to 1800m looks ideal and so long as she gets a good run from barrier 9, she should be flashing home late. (4) Snowchino will once again be the horse she has to run down after he led all the way to win the Starstruck Classic last start.
(3) Like A Butterfly
$5.00
Race 7
Terrific little race. (5) Fabergino is undefeated from five starts first up from a spell and she returns today over her pet track and distance. She should bounce straight to the front and take plenty of running down. (10) Undisclosed is flying this preparation and has to be included once again, especially with what looks a good tempo to set it up for her. (3) Profit Street is much better suited back to 1000m rather than the 1400m it ran over last prep. Normally goes poorly second up before bouncing back third up so expect him to run really well today at big odds. (1) The Celt is flying but I think the 1400m back to 1000m for him is a concern.
Race 8 - G2 Perth Cup
Happy to stick with the Peters horses here in the Perth Cup. (7) Mississippi Delta is a confident on-top selection. You could say she's dropping in grade after finishing behind the likes of Regal Power and Gatting last start. Drops to 53kg today, Pike goes on and even though she's drawn a touch wide, she looks the horse to beat. (1) Star Exhibit is the dual Perth Cup winner and carries top weight of 58kg. His two wins in the Cup make him undefeated over this track and distance and he actually finished ahead of Mississippi Delta last start.
(7) Mississippi Delta
$3.00
Race 9
Open race to close out the day and the quaddie. I've been burnt a number of times in recent weeks by taking on Pike in the last but he looks a good chance of winning again on (4) Festival Miss, who goes particularly well first up. Outside of her, there's a couple to throw in at huge odds. (2) Gunnago ran well first up and he tends to improve second up so $21 looks an attractive price. (8) Lord Ludlow is a similar story, having never placed from seven starts first up, but has two wins and a placing from six starts when second up. He's also placed in three of his four starts at the track and distance.
Value: (2) Gunnago $21 & (8) Lord Ludlow $51
