Best Bets for Winterbottom Stakes Day
The Pinnacles continue this Saturday with the Winterbottom Stakes the feature event on a big day of racing.
As of Thursday, the track is rated a Soft 5 with plenty of irrigation being applied during the week, with the surface expected to drop back into the Good range on Saturday.
Like last week - I won't touch on the Winterbottom Stakes as 'The King' - Trent Crebbin - has written an eclectic preview of the time-honoured Group 1 feature, which you can read here!
Of course, it's all brought to you by Racing WA!
The SIre Ernest Lee-Steere Classic for the three-year-olds sees a number of formlines converge, and while we've seen plenty of good 3YO races this carnival already, it's one off the midweek's that finds herself at the top of the market.
That's no knock on Hot And High, bolting in at Belmont and she looks to have plenty of upside, being two-for-two and stopping the clock in good time. There's plenty to like as she gets in at the bottom of the weights and the map is perfect for her. She'll have to raise the bar, though a race like this looks well within her wheelhouse on what we've seen thus far.
Sherpa Express was huge when first-up in the Placid Ark and now out to 1400m is a big tick. While she'll get back from the draw, she'll be finishing hard with Pike remaining in the saddle and she too has plenty of upside. She comes in with a ratings edge on Hot And High, but how high are their relative ceilings?
Snitzalatte should turn in a much better performance today after going back from the draw in the Placid Ark as well and was rather unlucky not to win a feature earlier in the campaign.
It's a great race and we may see some of these line up in better races come the autumn.
While Overpass does look a good bet in the Winterbottom, I'll head elsewhere for my Best Bet of the day.
We get another chance to back the exciting galloper FAST HARRY in race three on the card.
The gelding was very impressive when winning a Graduation Handicap last start in some slick sectionals over this course and distance.
This is a tougher race, though he looks the type who can continue through the grades.
Fast Harry does meet a smart one today in Awesome Boy, who is on the quick turnaround after being gunned down late in a tougher race last week.
He rises in weight, though he maps for a similar run and that'll be a big advantage for Bruce Kay's gelding, though the upside with Fast Harry may just be too great.
Awesome Boy was ridden beautifully by Brandon Louis last start when collared late, and while improvement is expected again third-up, just how much actually is there?
There isn't a lot between the two on RAS Ratings, but the scenario for Fast Harry seems a more favourable one in my eyes, running to a new peak figure last time out and the sectionals suggesting he can go better again.
Heading over to Race 6 on the card, THE CRIMSON PIRATE looks well placed as a 3YO against the older horses as he lands here on the 7-day back up.
He was flushed out four-wide on the turn last start and sustained a long run, getting away from his rivals and only being caught late by a smart one over the mile.
The rise to 1800m doesn't look an issue off what we saw last start and the rating he produced last time out stacks right up to this field.
That makes plenty of appeal with further improvement on the cards and the race looks to shape nicely for him today. He's still a maiden galloper, though he looks to have found a suitable race to knock over his first victory.
The Racing WA Best From The West
Race 3 #8 FAST HARRY
Race 6 #14 THE CRIMSON PIRATE
The Winterbottom - Race 9 #1 OVERPASS
