3 minute read
Ascot plays host to another competitive nine race card on Saturday, with the Miss Andretti Stakes at Listed level the feature race on the programme.
Summer racing continues at Ascot this Saturday with the mercury tipped to reach a sweltering 41 degrees.
The action on track is just as hot though with plenty of competitive racing right across the card, with the feature being the Miss Andretti Stakes at Listed grade.
We'll talk about the feature a little late on as the Value Play of the day pops up in the feature event, but the Best Bet of the day comes up in race four.
Having raced in tougher company this campaign, REAR ADMIRAL has bumped into some handy types that are in form.
He was solid behind Stormchaser last time out and bumped into Devine Belief on Gold Rush Day, stickin on strongly behind that galloper. The start prior to that, he ran into Playthatfunkymusic who had put three on the bounce and was progressing through the grades.
While there are some decent horses engaged on Saturday, there doesn't appear to be anything like her previous competitors and she's nicely weighted after the claim of Dhurun who is just beginning to find form.
ROCKET JUICE had plenty of fans last time out when jumping a 5-4 favourite and narrowly missing out.
Despite his narrow defeat, there appears to be something against the son of Bondi who had caught the eye in his prior start over this course and distance.
He ran right up to his best last Saturday when nailed on the post and beat Snippy Which (favourite at the time of writing) on December 23rd.
Rocket Juice has drawn to put himself right there on the speed once more for Steven Parnham and he broke his maiden on the seven day backup in November.
Whilst many others may have sacked Rocket Juice after last week, I'm keen to be with the three-year-old this time.
Like a good storyteller, lets tie things back to the top of the article where I teased my value play featured in the Miss Andretti Stakes (race 8), the main event on Saturday.
At the time of writing, Wild Belle currently holds favouritism at $1.95* after a desperately unlucky return in the Summer Scorcher.
Would she have won the Scorcher with clear air? Probably. But like any third umpire/ARC/TMO/Bunker decision (not including the bad ones), we need definitive evidence that she would have and to now take an odds-on quote about her because she was "unlucky" seems a bit... bleh.
She's priced up as though she's won the race when she well... didn't!
Yes, she does get "The Wizard" Willie Pike which would be factored into the price, but this looks as though it'll set up in a similar way to her fresh effort where she'll get back in the run and may find herself in trouble turning for home.
With the foundations to my selection now built, let me expand on why REAL DANGER is my Value Play of the day.
The Daughter of I Am Invincible will stuck on gamely in the Summer Scorcher after sitting up on the pace, which she should be able to do once again from the barrier.
So not only will she have the tactical advantage on her rivals, she meets them better at the weights and she loses nothing with Steve Parnham replacing Pike.
History says she improves with a run under her belt, and with the added fitness on her side I think she's a genuine chance to win the feature.
The bet365 Best From The West
Best Bet - Race 4 Number 1 REAR ADMIRAL @ $3.50* with bet365.
Next Best - Race 2 Number 4 ROCKET JUICE @ $5.00* with bet365.
Value Play - Race 8 Number 5 REAL DANGER @ $7.50* with bet365.
*Prices correct as of 5pm, Friday January 11.
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