Ascot Preview & Best Bets – 13/04/2024 

Our form expert provides Ascot tips for today’s horse racing at Ascot Racecourse and gives his best bets.    

Ascot Tips 13/04/2024 

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 6 No. 3 DESENNEA – ($6)

Karnup trainer Jordan Rolfe sent DESENNEA to Ascot Racecourse where the gelding resumed over 1400m. Desennea had been unbeaten while fresh going into this run and found his match in a muddling run race. The winner was set alight midrace to finally inject some speed into the race to help suit Desennea who was parked around midfield the fence. Desennea found a run through into the straight to get second in a bunched finish behind Hesket. Desennea is still only lightly raced and will not have taken any harm from the run as Rolfe will be aiming to get him out to a trip again this prep.

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 8 No. 7 HEMLOCK STONE – ($6)

The even tempo in the last at Ascot Racecourse did not help HEMLOCK STONE who was strung-up the fence from worse than midfield for much of the race. Clint Johnston-Porter tried desperately to gain runs on the four-year-old while the winner Exceltrain was able to break the race open after settling outside the leader. Porter had to take hold of Hemlock Stone on several occasions into the straight before the horse burst through a gap late. Hemlock Stone had put in a late dive to gain second placing from the fast-finishing Blazing Tycoon. The effort from Hemlock Stone follows two wins at the midweeks since his return to racing in a signal that the horses’ best is yet to come.

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 7 No. 6 ALASKAN – ($14)

The Neville Parnham trained ALASKAN raced strongly on the bridle throughout in a fast run 1800m at Ascot. Steven Parnham did find three-wide cover initially on the back of A Lot Of Good Men with Alaskan inclined to do more. Parnham lost that cover as A Lot Of Good Men was able to slot-in mid race which prompted Parnham to slide forward onto the back of Iceburgs. That horse too found his way closer to the rail shortly afterwards which left Alaskan without cover while racing up on the strong tempo. The winner Lord Vampi was afforded the sheer ride of the day from Lucy Fiore. Fiore sent her horse racing past with momentum into the straight with Alaskan coming again under Parnham in a gutsy display to run second. Winkers go on for Alaskan which may sharpen him up after finding little in the straight last time over 2200m.