Ascot Preview & Best Bets – Saturday 6 January

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

Ascot Tips 06/01/2023 

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 7 No. 3 PLAYZ WITH FIRE – ($3.70)

If you haven’t used the new feature of Steward’s Vision on the RWWA website, then do yourself a favour and watch the head-on of William Pike aboard PLAYZ WITH FIRE. His ride two starts back was one for the racing fans as he gave Playz With Fire a quiet run on the back of Forever Dreaming. That horse did not take him into the race as expected with Pike forced to sit quietly while searching for runs deep into the straight. Playz With Fire quickened when asked as a gap appeared at the eleventh-hour to the outside of Forever Dreaming. The Wizard pushed his mount out to the line under urgent hands and heels riding to score a memorable win over the carnival. The mare found herself a minute back under Chris Parnham to hit the line for third behind Civvy Street and Forever Dreaming last start. Pike comes back on board with Playz With Fire drawn to settle closer on Saturday.

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 8 No. 7 STARRY HEIGHTS – ($2.80)

Grant & Alana Williams have nowhere left to go but to open company with their winning machine in STARRY HEIGHTS. The horse is shooting for seven-straight wins as he has been placed to perfection by the experienced training duo. Settled close enough to an even speed first-up before getting shuffled back as the pace went on. Starry Heights had to overcome some difficulties in the straight that day before getting the job done in brilliant fashion. We thought he might be vulnerable over the mile second-up and so backed #WABlackbookers horse Billy Ray as our Best Bet at double figures. William Pike gave Starry Heights the run of the race in fourth, one off the fence while being tracked by Billy Ray. Starry Heights showed a turn of speed on straightening to deny that other horse in strong display. Starry Heights gets right down in the weights with the class rise on Saturday while drawing perfectly towards the middle under Pike. 

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 9 No. 8 HARMIKA – ($7)

Clint Johnston-Porter was content to settle towards the back of midfield aboard HARMIKA who drew poorly second-up at Ascot. The mare was buffeted by one to her outside as the start was affected yet showed good mannerisms throughout the race. CJP did have some cover despite racing three-wide the entire. He moved Harmika into the race on the turn to make his run together with the winner. Stormy Tawny found a more economical run in transit from her inside gate and was packing plenty late. We chose to be on Stormy Tawney as Harmika drew horribly again as the pair met over the same trip last start. A brilliant CJP ride saw us ruing that decision as Harmika split the gap to nail us on the line. There’s no way we are staying off of our #wABlackbookers horse two runs in a row; even if we are concerned about coming back to the 1000 metres at Ascot on Saturday.