WA Weekend Racing: Hour Of Power
Read what some leading WA racing participants had to say during the Hour of Power on TABradio’s The Sports Daily show regarding their chances this weekend.
CHRIS PARNHAM:
ASCOT R2 – TALKABOUTYOU ($2.75): “I’m not overly confident but I think the horse will run a decent race. The trial was not too bad so I’m going in there hoping we can run a good race. To be honest, I haven’t had a good look at the field. He did win a trial okay but I don’t know if there was a lot of depth in the trial. From the wide draw I should jump quick and go forward so I should get a good run.
ASCOT R3 – PHONEME ($5.00): “I think he’ll run a good race. It’s actually not a bad little race, to be honest. He’ll need to bring his A-game but he won good last start and he’s had a little freshen up so coming back to 1400 shouldn’t be a problem for him. Hopefully he can run a good race. It’s a small field but there’s definitely a bit of quality in there.”
ASCOT R4 – BRUCE ALMIGHTY ($8.00): “He was a much-improved run last start. I think he was suited by carrying 54 kilos, he’s not a very big horse. He’s going up a little bit in weight but he’s drawn favourably so he should be able to get a soft run from that barrier and hopefully he can run over the top of them late. If things don’t go his way he spits the dummy pretty easily, but if he gets a cosy run he has a good turn-of-foot on him.”
ASCOT R5 – KEEP YOUR FEET ($5.00): “I’m not too sure what the plans are with Keep Your Feet but it’s an awkward draw so it makes my job a little bit tougher. He is racing really well so hopefully if he gets a good enough run he’ll be right there in the finish.”
ASCOT R6 – THE ROAN RANGER ($9.50): “He was knocking on the door for a long time then finally he cracked it for a maiden win. I know it’s a step up in grade but I just feel that he’s the sort of horse that would be better suited in better company. I don’t think he’ll be out of place tomorrow. I’m not saying he can win but I definitely think he’s a very good place chance from that barrier.”
ASCOT R7 – LEICA JAGUAR ($5.50): “He’s draw good again. I’m not too sure if being drawn in one is beneficial to him but, nevertheless, he’s drawn to get a soft run. If the speed’s on, with the way he’s racing he’ll be attacking the line hard. He’s in career-best form so hopefully he can get another win tomorrow. I didn’t think a lot went right for him last start, they went really slow for a 1000m race and he got bottled up and didn’t get out until late and I just don’t think it really suited him. If things go his way, he can definitely win.”
ASCOT R8 – INDIAN PACIFIC ($2.35): “I haven’t ridden him since I won on him last start. Obviously he won really well the other day and stepping up to 1100 metres, he is deep into a campaign, I think he’ll run well. There is plenty of speed so he might struggle to find the top but, if he brings his A-game, he’s a definite winning chance. Hopefully he can be at his best and he should go very well.”
ASCOT R9 – ABERDEEN QUEEN ($4.60): “She’s looked to be quite unlucky this prep. She hasn’t got out when she’s needed to so barrier one’s probably not the best barrier for her, but we’ll obviously get a soft run. It’s just about getting out at the right time and, if we can do that, I think she’ll be very hard to beat. You can just put a line through her last-start run, I think.”
CHRIS GANGEMI
ASCOT R4 – THE FUGAZI ($6.50): “He’ll run well again. He hasn’t trained off from what we can see. He’s been racing well all prep without winning and deserves to win one so hopefully he can break through tomorrow. He’s probably our best winning chance.”
ASCOT R8 – SARACINO ($23): “He’s been working well all prep and he trialled super without the blinkers. Obviously he’s coming up against some better opposition tomorrow, but he never got out of second gear in the trial and didn’t have his blinkers on. Tomorrow from a little bit of an awkward gate he’ll hopefully just sit back a bit and hopefully run home. He’s probably a touch over the odds, I think. He put in some good runs last prep and in some good company over the Belmont winter in some stakes races. He’s probably better than a 20/1 chance tomorrow, I reckon.”
ASCOT R8 – SAMIZDAT ($11): “He just started to wind up through the line last start. He just got run off his legs a little bit over the 1000 and it may happen again over 1100 but hopefully the extra 100 metres will suit. The extra run under his belt will help him, but you probably won’t see the best of him until he gets to 1200 or 1400. It’s not impossible if the race shapes up to his liking tomorrow and he didn’t get too far off them. I’d like to think he could work home and run in the first few tomorrow, then third-up over 1200 and moving on to the Bunbury Stakes and those sorts of races will be more to his liking.”
MOUNT BARKER R4 – KENNEDY: “He’s just going there as a mate for Battle Hero but he’s struck a not-overly strong field. He’s got a big weight but he probably deserves it. If he wasn’t hard to beat in that race you’d be pretty disappointed.”
MOUNT BARKER R8 – BATTLE HERO ($9.00): “He’s second-up for 12 months over 1300 but we just thought this race probably suited him a touch better than the race on Saturday. They might be a bit sharp for him over 1100 on Saturday. He can find the front over 1300 on Sunday and hopefully he can hang on and run in the money.”
ASH MALEY:
ASCOT R2 – MEGA REWARD ($71): “He’s improved in both of his trials. He’s a half-brother to Megazone and he’s probably going to be more of a three-year-old than he is a two-year-old. He’s drawn very well and, with the two-year-olds, if you’ve drawn well you may as well run them. If you can get them away quick enough they seem to not change the pattern too much in those two-year-old races over the shorter distances. Hopefully he can ping the gates and be somewhere there at the finish, but we’re not expecting too much.”
ASCOT R3 – MAJINIKA ($8.50): “I think the race will suit Majinika. It’s a good field but, on his day, Majinika goes pretty well. From the gate he should find the top easy enough I would’ve thought. It’ll be interesting because his cruising speed is very good. He may just be found wanting at the end, but he’ll be right in it.”
ASCOT R8 – WHY CHOOSE HER ($8.00): “She’s been a super-consistent mare. Her final sectionals have been outstanding and she’s had to go around every horse in the field at her past few runs. She’s drawn well and she quite likes the rail. There’s plenty of speed in there but, the way she’s been finishing off, if she can produce those sectionals against those horses I think she’ll be right in the finish. Especially if she gets some sort of run up that fence, I think she’ll be pretty hard to beat.”
ASCOT R9 – PUSH TO PASS ($34): “He’s going super. I didn’t think there was much wrong with his last run. We nominated him for a 2200 and that got canned so we put him in a 1400 against those sprinters and I thought he did very well.”
MOUNT BARKER R8 – SKINNEN TINS ($3.80): “She’s a beautiful mare. She’s just been a little bit unlucky, there’s probably been 10 centimetres that’s cost her over the last two runs. She’s tough and she’s a good mare. I’d like to think at the weight she’s come in at, and she’s got a decent barrier and has Pikey aboard. She’ll suit Pikey as well with the way that he rides. I’d say she’d be right in it at 54 kilos.”