Saturday’s Ascot best bets & quaddie tips | March 25, 2023
| What | W.A. Oaks Day |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, March 25, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:28pm AWST |
The Western Australian Turf Club will host its annual Oaks Day out of Ascot Racecourse this Saturday afternoon, with the highlight event on the nine-race program being the $300,000 Group 3 W.A. Oaks. The track is currently rated a Good 4, and with warm weather and no rain on the forecast, we expect to be racing on a perfect, firm surface for the entire day. The rail will go out to the +8m position for the entire circuit, which historically suits leaders and on-speed runners in the shorter races. The first race will jump at 12:28pm AWST.
W.A. Oaks Tip: Megami
The feature race of the day will be the Group 3 W.A. Oaks over 2400m for the three-year-old fillies, and the Takahide Ikenushi-trained Megami will be our on top selection after finishing second behind She’s Fit in the Listed Natasha Stakes over 2200m at this track. This daughter of Playing God has been racing in very good form this time in, recording four wins and three placings across 10 starts in her second racing preparation. As with all of her rivals in this race, this filly hasn’t ever raced at the 2400m, however, along with the winner last start she was running through the line strong and indicated that she was looking for more distance. Brad Parnham has ridden this filly at her last two starts and he will stick with her for her grand final on Saturday. If Parnham can settle Megami in the box seat from barrier one, she will be in this race for a long way.
W.A. Oaks
Race 8 – 
#2 Megami (1)
3yo Filly | T: Takahide Ikenushi | J: Brad Parnham (55.5kg)
Melvista Stakes Tip: Playhouse Patron
The Listed Melvista Stakes, run over 2200m for three-year-old colts and geldings, will be one of two co-feature events on Saturday at Ascot. Nine of the 10 runners have previously run in the J.C. Roberts Stakes, where the Bob McPherson-trained Playhouse Patron finished fourth after racing wide for the majority of the 1800m event. This Patronize son has only one win in his career, but the further this gelding goes in his races, the better he appears to get. Joseph Azzorpardi has ridden this horse in eight of his 14 starts, and he will be looking for his second win at the ninth ride on Saturday. With a lot of speed in this race, Playhouse Patron should have the race run to his liking, and look for him to rattling home down the outside in the final stages.
Melvista Stakes
Race 7 – 
#4 Playhouse Patron (3)
3yo Gelding | T: Bob McPherson | J: Joseph Azzorpardi (54kg)
Grandstand Cup Tip: Creator
The second co-feature will be the Listed Grandstand Cup over 1500m, and we will be backing Creator again after he finished sixth behind Burnya To Survive in the Listed Bunbury Stakes over 1400m on March 11. This six-year-old gelding has been very good this preparation, winning first-up, and he was very unlucky in his last two starts, finishing second and sixth in Listed races. This son of Redoute’s Choice has never won at the track and trip in two attempts throughout his career, but with the form he is in this campaign, he looks ready to break that duck. Clint Johnston-Porter will take the reins once again and if he can settle Creator on the outside and not too far off the speed, we should see him finishing strong over the top in the home straight.
Grandstand Cup
Race 6 – 
#7 Creator (9)
6yo Gelding | T: Chris & Michael Gangemi | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (54kg)
Best Bet at Ascot: Western Knight
Our best bet for the day will be Western Knight, a very smart gelding from the Adam Durrant yard who won first-up this preparation over 1400m at this track on March 4. This Ifraaj son has only finished second once in six career starts, and now that he has broken through and won in Saturday grade at this track last start, he looks ready to step up in grade and win an RTG 72+ this weekend. This gelding is well bred and should go on to bigger and better things this preparation as a full brother to the very talented Group 1 winner Western Empire. Six of the seven runners in this race prefer to race on speed, with this gelding being the only one who prefers to settle near the back of the field, so the race should suit him well. William Pike will retain the ride after winning on him last start, and we expect Pike to settle Western Knight in the one-one position from barrier three and let down with that blistering turn of foot he displayed last start to record a second win in a row.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#7 Western Knight (4)
4yo Gelding | T: Adam Durrant | J: William Pike (54kg)
Next Best at Ascot: Brooklyn Pier
The fourth race of the day will be an RTG 66+ Handicap over 1400m, in which the Neville Parnham-trained Brooklyn Pier returns to the track after a four-month layoff. With three wins from six starts first-up, this five-year-old gelding has a very good fresh record, and with him kicking off his preparation in an RTG 66+ Handicap, he should get another good chance to win first-up again. Luke Campbell will ride this son of Magnus for the first time, and with the help of his 3kg claim, he will get into this race very well in the weights and only have to carry 57kg. If Campbell can get Brooklyn Pier to jump well and settle outside of the leader, he should be difficult to catch in the final 300m.
Next Best
Race 4 – 
#1 Brooklyn Pier (5)
5yo Gelding | T: Neville Parnham | J: Luke Campbell (a3) (60kg)
Saturday quaddie tips for W.A. Oaks Day
Ascot quadrella selections
Saturday, March 25, 2023
- 1-2-7-8
- 1-3-4
- 1-2-3
- 1-4-5-12
Investment: $144 for 100%