Mount Gambier Preview & Best Bets - Wednesday, February 22
Ascot Preview & Best Bets – Wednesday, February 22
Our form expert provides Ascot tips for today’s horse racing at Ascot and gives his best bets.
Ascot Tips 22/02/2023
BEST BET 🏆
Race 5 No. 3 STARCHIENNE – ($2.05)
William Pike rides up-and-coming mare STARCHIENNE for William Lewthwaite as she gets out to the mile for the first time. She has shown herself to be the perfect sit/sprint horse after drawing inside barriers under Natasha Faithful. Starchienne sprinted sharply both times the gaps came when racing first and second-up. Troy Turner has jumped on board since to guide the flashy chestnut mare out to the middle of the track at Geraldton. Pike will face a different scenario from an outside draw at Ascot. Starchienne continued strongly past the post over the seven-furlongs last time out and may roll a little more forward early here.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 6 No. 2 DESERT VIXEN – ($4.20)
We cheered hard as DESERT VIXEN drove along the inside to score first-up over 1000 metres here for us when resuming. We did have slight concerns around the short trip, plus her stats at Ascot aren’t all that great. She does race well fresh though and had trialled nicely leading in, having us wanting to follow her this prep. Desert Vixen has been right in amongst it since finishing close-up to Born To Talk and Sir Mambo in deeper races than this. Desert Vixen has drawn okay here for Holly Watson while racing over what would seem a pet distance. Simon Miller has placed his mare perfectly and now would be a good time to jump back on board again.
BEST VALUE 💰
Race 8 No. 8 VONSNIP – ($6.50)
Cool headed apprentice Keshaw Dhurun produced a peach to score when strung-up and nowhere to go on VONSNIP. That was three starts ago in a slowly run maiden over 1300 metres at Pinjarra with Vonsnip letting down brilliantly once clear. Loved the way he pinged the ears back to attack the line for strong victory. They ran along a bit quicker when David Harrison sent him around the same distance at Belmont. Vonsnip did strike some trouble between horses early before dropping his head and running on okay for Dhurun late. Vonsnip flew the gates last start before racing keenly as Brad Parnham asked the horse to come back underneath him. We backed him that day when he finished third to See Ya Champ and we’ll follow for one more as Paul Harvey takes over.
