Ascot Preview & Best Bets – Wednesday 21 February

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

Ascot Tips 21/02/2024

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 2 No. 14 SO NATAYA – ($2.65)

We’ll be hoping for a few more scratching’s to the inside of SO NATAYA who caught the eye of video watchers when racing at Belmont Park. Ascot trainer Luke Fernie had the filly racing on debut with punters keeping her safe in the market following two handy barrier trials. Chris Parnham asked So Nataya to come back off a similar wide gate with plenty of ground to make up as the tempo slowed mid-race. Parnham attempted to save ground by picking his way between horses into the straight. The first two horses into the straight were the first two home with Western Australian race caller Darren McAullay remarking the effort of So Nataya who finished third. She was still a little green and would have taken plenty of benefit from her race day experience.

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 10 No. 2 A LOT OF GOOD MEN ($4)

We felt that Trevor Andrews was on track to pull off a big win over the carnival with his 3yo A LOT OF GOOD MEN. The horse wasn’t beaten far when not finding much room into the straight in the Belgravia when racing second-up. Didn’t find much space either when stepping up to the 1400 metres of the Fairetha before running on strongly as the gap opened by the furlong. We wrote A Lot Of Good Men into the #WABlackbookers file off that Fairetha run. He then finished second at double figures in the Guineas with his next start over 1600 metres. He had one more run where he wasn’t disgraced against the older horses at G1 level before going for a break. A Lot Of Good Men blew the cobwebs out over 1200 metres in Listed grade at Bunbury and he can improve again as the winkers go on second-up.

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 6 No. 3 OUT OF AFLICA ($23.50)

Newcomer to the Western Australian racing ranks OUT OF AFLICA turned a few heads early in her career. Jumped sharply before drifting back to last when racing on debut in 2yo race over 1050 metres at Morphettville. Out Of Aflica swamped them into the straight to record a fairly soft win in the end. The heads were turned for all the wrong reasons as she jumped similarly before drifting back again next start. She showed little in the straight while getting rolled as the $1.40 pop and subsequently being spelled. Out Of Aflica had been off the scene for twelve months before returning with a fast-finishing second at 20/1 as a 3yo over the same track and trip. Wary punters halved her quote as Out Of Aflica stepped to 1100 metres second-up where she again ran second in town. Out Of Aflica clearly has been a management horse who has struggled to put a prep together whilst displaying some ability.