Ascot race-by-race preview & best bets | Saturday, November 20
| What | Railway Stakes Day 2021 |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, November 20, 2021 |
| First Race | 12:04pm AWST |
| Feature Race | Railway Stakes – Race 8 |
| Watch Live | |
Ascot is scheduled to host a bumper 10-race card on Saturday afternoon for Railway Stakes Day, and HorseBetting’s West Australian horse racing expert presents his best bets and free quaddie selections for the meeting. The track is rated a Good 4, the rail is out 3m for the entire circuit, and racing is set to kick off at 12:04pm AWST (3:04pm AEDT).
Race 1: RTG68+ Handicap (2200m)
We will be hoping to kickstart Railway Stakes Day on a winning note when our top pick, Pure Devotion, goes around in the opening event. Having strung together consecutive wins, including one at 2200m on November 6, the Sou You Think mare looks to have this field covered with a fair bit of ability behind her. She needs to lug 60kg and William Pike will have her settled close to the rear of the field, but considering she is armed with a strong turn of foot, we expect to see Pure Devotion finish right over the top of her rivals.
Selections: 1-2-3-4
Race 2: Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m)
The Crystal Slipper Stakes for the two-year-olds is up next and we are hoping the Dion Luciani-trained Revitup can build on her debut win and remain undefeated. The Demerit filly managed to lead all the way on debut, and from barrier four under Brad Parnham, we’re hoping it will be a carbon copy here. Given over half the field are debutants, it will be a race that you bet in with little confidence.
Selections: 6-4-8-2
Race 3: Graduation HCP (1800m)
Having sided with a couple of favourites in the opening two events, we are hoping the Greg Jones-trained Jarman can salute at a nice price. Having put together consecutive runner-up efforts following a win three starts back at Kalgoorlie, the six-year-old gelding is racing with enough confidence to suggest he will be primed to run a big race here. From barrier two, Lucy Warwick will have the son of Skilled lobbed in a handy position close to the speed, and with even luck he can salute at a nice price.
Selections: 6-4-1-10
Race 4: RTG66+ Handicap (1800m)
Simon Miller and Holly Watson will be hoping to go one better with Ginger Flyer following a runner-up effort behind Beret on November 13. Despite being outkicked by the leader and eventual winner last week, the Gingerbread Man mare still managed to put a fair space on Bragwell back in third. With Watson’s 3kg claim, the five-year-old will look to settle up on speed and hope to catch a break on some of her market rivals. With tactical speed on her side, we expect Ginger Flyer to be too hard to run down over the 1800m.
Selections: 2-3-9-8
Race 5: Placid Ark Stakes (1200m)
The Adam Durrant-trained Sparkling Blue will look to remain undefeated as she steps out at Stakes level for the first time. In her two wins to begin her career, the three-year-old Foxwedge filly has shown to be tactically versatile, as she settled outside the leader on debut and then look a sit off the speed last time out. From barrier 10, we expect Clint Johnston-Porter to roll forward and have her settled outside the leader. Second-up from a spell, we expect Sparkling Blue to be too hard to catch over 1200m.
Selections: 11-10-6-3
Race 6: Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m)
One of the better bets of the day comes up in the Listed Carbine Club of WA Stakes as the Lou Luciani-trained Hot Zed looks to bounce back into the winner’s stall. The four-year-old son of Red Hot Choice could only manage a midfield effort last week when chasing home Wilchino on the back of a tough run where he settled three wide with no cover. With five of his six career wins coming on Good tracks, he is sure to appreciate the firmer going, and from barrier five he should have no issue in finding cover and getting a tow into the race.
Selections: 10-9-11-4
Race 7: WA Guineas (1600m)
Simon Miller and Patrick Carberry are set to combine with last-start Fairetha Stakes winner It’sarayday, and we think he can claim the 2021 WA Guineas. Last time out, the three-year-old settled in the one-one under a perfect steer from Carberry, and the son of Winning Rupert looks set to gain a similar run in transit this Saturday. He showed a nice turn of foot at the end of 1400m to claim victory in the Fairetha, and with a similar effort here over the 1600m he looks to be a clear and obvious bet in the Group 2 race.
Selections: 2-10-13-7
Race 8: Railway Stakes (1600m)
The $1 million Railway Stakes is the first of three Group 1 races during the Ascot Racing Carnival. The Grant & Alana Williams-trained Western Empire is a short $1.80 favourite, with the trainers, jockey William Pike and owner Bob Peters all looking to claim their fourth consecutive Railway Stakes win. With no other runner at a single-figure quote, Massimo and Kissonallforcheeks are deemed to be the next best in the race, with Kaptain Kaos a chance at an each-way price.
See our runner-by-runner preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2021 Railway Stakes here.
Race 9: Jungle Mist Classic (1200m)
Sheza Chalmer managed a third-place finish behind the smart Wilchino and Triple Missile on October 30. The four-year-old mare managed to take a stack of ground off the leader and eventual winner on that day, and with neither of those two going around in the Jungle Mist Classic, we expect her to win this at a nice price. From barrier 11, Patrick Carberry will need to take Sheza Chalmer to the rear of the field, but it is hard to see how some of these match her turn of foot, especially given she is second-up from a spell.
Selections: 6-9-11-3
Race 10: RTG66+ Handicap (1200m)
In the final race of the day, we are going with the tried and trusted “Pikey in the last” play when William Pike teams up with Lindsey Smith aboard God Has Chosen. The four-year-old son of Playing God is yet to finish outside of the quinella in five career starts and has three wins to his name in that time. He smashed a One Metro Win field with Beret, who finished 2.66 lengths behind him in second, since coming out and bolting in at his next start. Look for Pikey to have his mount settled last in this field of 15 before putting them away with a barnstorming run down the centre of the track.
Selections: 11-13-5-8
Saturday quaddie tips for Railway Stakes Day 2021
| Ascot quadrella selections | |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: | 2-10 |
| Leg 2: | 8-10-16 |
| Leg 3: | 6-9-11 |
| Leg 4: | 5-11-13 |
| Investment: | $54 for 100% |