Saturday Racing Tips - Ascot Racecourse 09/12/23

Racing returns to Ascot this Saturday for a very solid card as the Group 1 Drummond Golf - Northerly Stakes is our feature race of the day, a WFA race run over the 1800m for a share of $1.5 million prize money. It is supported by another listed race a few before it and I am keen to get stuck into things so follow me below as I outline my best bets for Ascot on Saturday!

(Note: Odds provided by Playup)

Selections:
#8 - Queen Alina - $4.80
#4 - Black Fantasy - $1.70
#6 - Neufbosc (ROUGHIE OF THE DAY) - $15.00
#2 - Another Chino - $7.00

BEST BET - #8 - Queen Alina
I am backing Queen Alina to be able to roll the short price favourite here but she will also need a bit of luck. She last raced in the Scahill a fortnight ago where she was too far back to be a winning threat but the way she finished off that race with so much purpose was very very sharp and she clocked some great splits there. Going out another couple hundred meters in trip will give her more time and suit her run style better and she’s fitter now. Good chance.

THE DANGER - #4 - Black Fantasy
Black Fantasy is hard fit coming to this race fourth up and also comes out of the Scahill from a few weeks ago when getting an A1 ride from Tommy Berry but just not being able to finish the race off there and fading in the last couple hundred meters. He isn’t a front running horse traditionally so I think with some speed in front of him this time he will be a lot tougher late.

VALUE BET  - #6 - Neufbosc (ROUGHIE OF THE DAY) 
Neufbosc just keeps running well without winning and I think he is ready for this trip now after last racing here over the 2100m where he came from seventh and two wide to power home through the ruck of runners and looks set to peak now. I think he’s been wound along for this race, gets in super light, decent draw, can feature here no doubt.

Selections:
#7 - Playz With Fire (BEST BET) - $2.80
#1 - Forever Dreaming - $10.00
#3 - Climb On Top - $8.00
#6 - Kings Sicario - $7.50

BEST BET - #7 - Playz With Fire (BEST BET)
This is going to be a tight go between the top picks but generally the steering of Pike makes all the difference in races where that is the case so I am putting Playz With Fire as the pick but likely will be putting money on a couple horses here. She has been crying out for a win this prep and comes off a great effort when held up for a run until very late in the piece but once she got clear air she flew home to only narrowly miss. Just needs a gap in the straight.

THE DANGER - #1 - Forever Dreaming
I think I am going to have to have half a unit on Forever Dreaming who I think has almost the same chance of winning this as Playz With Fire and comes up at nearly 4 times the price. He last raced here two weeks back where he got home best in the field to win well. This shouldn’t be much harder than that was and he gets a good draw.

VALUE BET  - #3 - Climb On Top
Definitely have to give Climb On Top another chance here after being blocked the entire straight in his last run a couple weeks ago and not being able to do anything about it. His second up run, the start prior, was an electric win over the 1400m here where he clocked some of the best closing splits of the meeting and that race has seen two subsequent winners out of it. I think he can definitely hit back hard here.

Selections:
#1 - Zaaki (NEXT BEST) - $2.60
#11 - Alsephina - $6.00
#5 - Dom To Shoot - $15.00
#10 - Bustler - $8.50

BEST BET - #1 - Zaaki (NEXT BEST) 
I am just banking on the Sydney form of Zaaki to stand up here. I know his last two runs have come in Victoria in the Cox Plate and the Mackinnon and whilst both of those runs were fantastic efforts when not finishing far away at all and that alone would be good enough form to win this. The two starts prior were incredibly meritful placings in Sydney in premiere races. I think the form stands up here and his class sees him home. Just a bit short but the same thing essentially happened last week with Overpass.

THE DANGER - #11 - Alsephina
Alsephina is an absolute ripper horse for the Williams camp that has won nine from fourteen of her career starts and has not been unplaced in any of them. She’s had three runs this time in and all of them have been runner up placings but she’s had excuses from lumping big weights in G3’s to being held up but I think with any luck at all in running here he surely features.

VALUE BET - #5 - Dom To Shoot
Dom To Shoot has to be given a chance here. He steps out for the Casey stable after coming so close in the Lee Steere when resuming to racing and then last stepped out in the Railway where he closed off the race flying behind Bustler and recorded some of the superior late splits of the meeting there. He looks like he’s been worked specifically towards this race and I am keen on his chances here.

Plan on betting on the races this Saturday? Betting online is surprisingly simple these days, and our Best Bookmakers area is the simplest way to discover the best online betting sites to follow our expert’s tips.

Playup is my top selection for Racing this week as they are providing some of the best overall fixed odds amongst the Australian bookies at the moment for racing. They are also very generous, often offering a number of racing promotions such as money back in bonus bets for 2nd and 3rd for a selected runner in a race of your choosing. They cover all Australian thoroughbred racing and are quite comprehensive in their international racing markets.

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William Pike, the wizard in the West, one of the best jockeys of all time is consistently picking up winners and applying his magic touch to rides till this day and this year he has proven he still has the touch, riding over 1 in 5 rides to victory and almost one in two to place. I have outlined his whole list of bookings for tomorrow’s racing at Ascot below:

Rx - #2 - Pot Shot - $5.00
Rx - #8 - Rusty Spirit - $8.10
Rx - #9 - Wiley Girl - $7.00
Rx - #9 - Western Knight - $46.00
Rx - #12 - Revitup - $7.50
Rx - #8 - Romancing The Rock - $9.00

Ascot is a pretty tricky track and as such I have chosen runners that suit this track, generally being those close to the rail for the sprint distances and those that can settle just off the speed for the mid distance races. Follow me below for a fun bet to track over race day!

Ascot R5 - #7 - Playz With Fire -  $1.40
Ascot R8 - #1 - Zaaki - $1.45
Ascot R4 - #6 - Neufbosc - $2.80

Total Odds = $5.50
$50 Stake = $275.00 Return!

Odds provided by PlayUp, sign up for a new account here to get started.

Our experts have curated a bet type information page which delves into all the different types of exotics betting, check it out for clarification on the different types of exotics betting or just to brush up on your knowledge.

Ascot Racecourse Trifecta Tip (R5)
1st: 1, 3, 6, 7
2nd: 1, 3, 6, 7
3rd: 1, 3, 6, 7

$50 stake = 208% flexi

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If you are looking for the best promotions this week for Wednesday's racing I wouldn’t look past Unibet, often they offer odds boosts in addition to the money back promotions. Don’t forget to check your account as well for personal offers. 

Promotions often change so make sure you sign up at unibet.com.au to see what promotions are applicable to you and you may even be surprised to find some promotions that weren’t mentioned here!