Saturday’s Ascot best bets & quaddie tips | April 8, 2023
| What | W.A.T.C Derby Day |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, April 8, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:42pm AWST |
This Saturday, the Group 2 WATC Derby and the Listed Old Comrade Stakes highlight a massive nine-race program at Perth’s Ascot Racecourse. The track is currently rated a Good 4, and with no rain predicted for Friday or Saturday, we expect to be racing on a perfect surface. Despite the fact that the club is hosting a Good Friday raceday the day before, the rail will be shifted from +13m to true for Saturday, providing over 10m of fresh ground to race on. The first race will kick off at 12:42pm AWST.
WATC Derby Tip: Awesome John
The $400,000 WATC Derby over 2400m will be the main event of the day at Ascot, with many of these runners meeting for the second or third time in a row. Awesome John, trained by John O’Shea, is the runner who is bringing different form lines to the rest of the field. This three-year-old gelding will bring Sydney form to Western Australia, having previously run in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes and the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes. His most recent race, a third-place effort in the Tulloch Stakes, saw him finish half a length behind Tapildoodledo and Major Beel, the latter of whom went on to win the ATC Derby last weekend. O’Shea chose to skip the seven-day backup into the ATC Derby and instead travel across the Nullarbor to compete in the WATC Derby, giving this son of Awesome Rock more time to prepare for his first attempt at the 2400m. The booking of William Pike is critical, and if he can find a prominent position from barrier eight, we expect Awesoem John to show his class and win the feature race of the day.
WATC Derby
Race 6 – 
#3 Awesome John (8)
3yo Gelding | T: John O’Shea | J: William Pike (56.5kg)
Old Comrade Stakes Tip: Em Tee Aye
The $125,000 Listed Old Comrade Stakes over 1600m will be the second feature race at Ascot on Saturday, and we will be backing Trevor Andrews’ Em Tee Aye to turn the tables and go one better than his last start second in the Listed Grandstand Cup on March 25. This five-year-old gelding has been very good this preparation, finishing seventh over 1400m in the Bunbury Stakes first-up before finishing second over 1500m last time out. This I’m All The Talk son has been working his way up to a win this time in, and now that he increases in distance while remaining in the same class, he looks very well placed to break through and record his first win at 1600m, as well as his sixth victory of his career. Chris Parnham will ride this gelding for the fourth time on Saturday, still looking for his first win after two placings in three rides. If Em Tee Aye can jump well from barrier four and settle in the first four, he will be in this race for a long time.
Old Comrade Stakes
Race 8 – 
#3 Em Tee Aye (4)
5yo Gelding | T: Trevor Andrews | J: Chris Parnham (55.5kg)
Best Bet at Ascot: Snowdome
We won’t have to wait long for our best bet at Ascot, as the Neville Parnham-trained Snowdome looks to win his fourth race of his career after finishing third first-up over 1200m here on March 25. This three-year-old colt’s race was ruined last start when he jumped second last and had to settle at the back of the field, which was far outside of his natural racing pattern in which he prefers to lead and run his races to suit himself. Even though this Rommel son will be dropping from 1200m to 1000m, he shouldn’t be concerned because this race appears to be significantly weaker than his previous start. This colt finished third behind the star filly Amelia’s Jewel in the Listed Belgravia Stakes last preparation, so if he can replicate that performance, he should be far too good for this small field on Saturday. If Snowdome jumps well and improves on his get away from last start, he should lead from barrier one and kick clear on the home turn to record a strong win.
Best Bet
Race 1 – 
#1 Snowdome (1)
3yo Colt | T: Neville Parnham | J: Chris Parnham (58.5kg)
Next Best at Ascot: Rusty Dreams
The fifth race of the day will pit two smart three-year-olds against each other, with the gelding Leniency taking on the filly Rusty Dreams attempting the 1400m for the first time in her brief career. We’ll be backing Rusty Dreams, trained by Michael Lane, in her third start after a strong win over 1200m at Pinjarra Scarpside on March 23. At her most recent start, this Universal Ruler’s daughter settled behind the leaders before peeling off their backs to work her way into the race. Chris Parnham pushed the button when she looked like she was going to be challenged with 200m to go, and she booted clear to put up a winning margin and win by just over a length on the line with relative ease. Parnham has chosen to stay with Rusty Dreams on Saturday, and after dropping 3kg to carry 54kg – 6kg less than Leniency, who carries 60kg – she looks very well placed to extend her unbeaten start to three wins from three starts.
Next Best
Race 5 – 
#9 Rusty Dreams (6)
3yo Filly | T: Michael Lane | J: Chris Parnham (545kg)
Best Value at Ascot: Spin The Knife
Spin The Knife, trained by Stephen Miller, will be our value bet of the day at Ascot, with the four-year-old gelding facing the 1400m for the first time this preparation. Last time out, this four-year-old gelding finished fourth in the RTG 72+ Handicap, losing by just over two lengths after leading the field up in a strong race. On Saturday, this Snippetson son will be ridden by Luke Campbell once more, and with the help of his 3kg, we should see him take the lead and control the race. Spin The Knife should take the lead from barrier two and run the race to suit himself, and if he gets a few cheap sectionals, he should be difficult to catch in the final stages.
Best Value
Race 7 – 
#1 Spin The Knife (2)
4yo Gelding | T: Stephen Miller | J: Luke Campbell (a3) (60kg)
Ascot quaddie tips for WATC Derby Day
Ascot quadrella selections
Saturday, April 8, 2023
- 1-3-6
- 1-2-5-6
- 3-9
- 1-2-3-4
Investment: $96 for 100%