Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Ascot on Saturday, December 28th.
Ascot hosts an eight-race card today as we continue the build up to next weekend's Perth Cup. There's a number of exciting horses going around on today's card and you can find all of our betting tips for the day below!
Ascot Racing Tips: Saturday, December 28th
Best Bet: Race 7 - (7) Prince Turbo
Looks a nice race for (2) Sannabreanna, who was a last-start winner of the Listed Lee-Steere Classic, where she gamely ran down the talented Massimo. Laverrod has come out of that race and won so the form clearly stacks up, and just prior to that Sannabreanna was close up against the likes of Kay Cee and Tuscan Queen. 3kg claimer Chris Graham takes over today and she looks clearly the horse to beat.
(1) Prim And Proper makes her return to racing today as a three-year-old, so it will be interesting to see if she can measure up after a very good two-year-old season, which included victory in the Supremacy Stakes and a narrow defeat in the Gimcrack. She's had two trials this time in, the first over 400m and the most recent over 1000m, and at set weights and penalties she appears well weighted. There does look some very good speed in the race so she'll need to be fit but she might be a bit too classy. (4) Amelia Bedelia looks the value at $6.50. She's won two from two this prep and even though she gives (5) Snippy Miss a little weight swing today, I think the price difference between the two is silly, especially given Amelia Bedelia had her measure last start.
Value: (4) Amelia Bedelia $6.50
(1) Prim And Proper
$2.30
(6) Midnight Sky was my best bet of the day last start and Pike couldn't have ridden her any better, but she just found one better in the form of Arctic Stream. This is probably a touch easier than that so with the plum draw once again, she goes on top. (11) Son Of Bacchus will look the winner at some stage, I guarantee it, but he just refuses to win at the moment. Craig Staples gave him an 11/10 last start, he loomed up at the 200m, pulled himself to the front, and then waited to be run down late. He'll travel into the race like the winner but it's the final 100-200m that is the worrying part. (9) Dickoletto gets a huge weight drop and can go close.
I was surprised we were getting $1.60 about (10) This'll Testya not long ago, but that's gone and $1.45 is the best we're getting now. She has been scintillating in her two career victory to date. She was scratched last weekend after a float mishap, which resulted in her taking some skin off. That's her biggest worry - getting to the track and getting in the gates. If she does that, she'll be too quick for this lot once again. She's a star.
(10) This'll Testya
$1.45
(7) Coming Around ran 6th first up behind This'll Testya. He was beaten out of sight but she could be a superstar so there's not much to read into that. Drops in weight to 56kg today, draws barrier 1, Pike goes on, second up and should prove exceptionally hard to beat. The big value in the race is (4) Mycroft who returns from a spell. He has a good first up record with two wins and a 2nd from six starts. First up last prep he ran 2nd to Snowchino, which is a very good formline as we saw Snowchino come out and win in Listed company last weekend. (5) Bel My Pago was given absolutely no chance with the ride last start. Jockey change today with CJP taking over from Peter Hall and she rates well. (10) Choice Command is racing well and can be included at each way odds again.
Staying out of this race. Incredibly open, the favourite (7) Lacevinsky drops from 1400m to 1100m which I'm not a fan of at all. The second favourite (8) State Attorney can win but resumes over 1100m having previously only won over 1200m. Two at each way odds you can include are (4) To Rise Again and (5) Don's Legacy.
No bet
Looks a two horse race, the ATA Stakes. (7) Prince Turbo is flying since moving to the stables of Jason Miller, winning three in a row before being nosed out by Taxagano in the Towton Cup last start. I think that's the formline to be with as Taxagano should measure up in the Perth Cup. The fact he's also had the run over 2200m leading into this is another positive for him. He goes on top. (3) Arctic Stream is also racing very well, with two wins in a row leading into this. They've come over 1600m and 1800m and he now steps up sharply to 2200m. That's the little query, especially given Prince Turbo has the run at the distance under the belt. Pike takes over the ride which is a huge positive though. Drawn well and will obviously go very close.
Tough way to finish the card. Something on (7) Baramagic for Brian Kersley and Brad Parnham. He's been running well all prep from back in the field and the form out of those races has been fairly sound. (10) Morning Song gets the blinkers applied for the first time and the nose roll comes off. Pike takes back over from Mollie Clark which is about as big a jockey change as you can get. The query for me is the drop in trip. (6) Barbie Will Do has returned in good order this prep, particularly good in her past two starts over this track and distance. Drawn a touch awkwardly in barrier 8 so won't get as cosy a run as she did last start but her form warrants her being highly respected. Backing Baramagic, saving on Barbie Will Do.
