Saturday is the final day of the Perth Masters carnival at Ascot, featuring the G1 Kingston Town Classic. The Pakenham Cup headlines racing in Victoria, while racing returns to Rosehill in Sydney for a nine-race card.
Trent Crebbin has provided his best bets from around the country below! If you'd like a race-by-race preview for any of those meetings, head to our dedicated horse racing website at www.racingbet.com.au.
Horse Racing Tips: Saturday, December 5th
Pakenham Race 5 (Market)
With any luck, (8) Tavidance will be winning here. He was beaten a long way first up, but never got out of 1st gear when held up the entire straight, and again was badly held up after getting into a terrible position in the Kilmore Cup. He ran on very strongly once clear there and looks primed here 3rd up. He’s got immense talent but hasn’t always put it altogether, but this looks an ideal race. He should get every chance in the small field, and if the rain does come, he’ll be even more suited.
Pakenham Race 7 (Market)
An incredibly open edition of the Pakenham Cup, but there’s one at big odds that could surprise. (9) Northwest Passage looks set to peak here up to 2500m. His run last start in the Kyneton Cup was solid when making decent late ground, and he does look to be approaching peak fitness. It was a while ago, but this horse is arguably the best horse in the race. He ran 4th to Avilius in a Bart Cummings, and 2nd in a Geelong Cup. I’m not saying he’s going to get back to that level, but he won’t need to to be winning this. At $51, he’s worth something each way.
(9) Northwest Passage E/W
$51
Ascot Race 6 (Market)
This is a mouth-watering clash between two very good 3yos. We’ve got (5) Western Empire coming out of a huge run in the WA Guineas, where he made up a stack of late ground from last, up against the winning machine (3) Chantorque who puts herself on speed and has won her last three. I’m siding with the cerise and white with Pike on board. Chantorque has done nothing wrong, but she steps up to 1400m for the first time here, whereas Western Empire is dropping back from the 1600m and will be very strong late. From barrier 5 I expect Pike to be midfield, one off the fence, and I don’t think anything will be able to hold him out late.
Ascot Race 7 (Market)
All things being equal, (10) Celebrity Queen will be very hard to beat here. She’s coming off a huge run in the Winterbottom Stakes last week over 1200m where she ran 2nd to Elite Street, and she comes here on the quick backup. She’s never seen 1400m before but off her closing splits and the way she went through the line last start, it’s hard to see it being an issue. Pike jumps back on, she should get every chance, and she’ll go close.
(10) Celebrity Queen
$2.10
