Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Ascot on 29 March 2024.
Best Bet: FLY WITH CAUTION (Race 8)
Value Bet: JUSTAMIDDY (Race 6)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
1 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
4 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
8 | 9 | 4 | 13 |
|
| 11 |
|
|
| 5 |
|
Cost: R90.00
Race 5
MISS ESPRIT is a 4-year-old filly taking on the boys, but she has consistent formlines to her name and followed up her penultimate run victory over 1100M with a second-place finish next time out when stepping up to 1300M, just a neck back from the winner. She tried to go from jump to wire that day and from her wide draw eleven, she is likely to attempt similar frontrunning tactics today.
AHYEAHRIGHTO won over five furlongs on debut, albeit by just a head, but he overraced in the early and middle stages that day and had to be held up between the 300m and 200M mark, so that effort was encouraging. The form of that race has also been franked and whilst taking on stronger here, he has a handy draw four and may well be up to the task at hand.
CLOSE TALKER is a 3-year-old filly who has only had three runs to date and followed up her maiden win in her penultimate start over five furlongs with a fourth-place finish next time out over the same sprint trip, 1.8L behind the winner, but she did come three wide into the home straight in that event. She will have to negotiate a wide draw nine, but nevertheless, she should be included in all bets.
Race 6
The day’s value bet, JUSTAMIDDY raced three wide without cover, but stayed on well to finish fourth last time out over a mile, just over two and a half lengths behind the winner. He gets a useful draw two and will be looking to chalk up his third career victory today.
OCEANZARA is a 7-year-old mare taking on males, but she won over seven furlongs three runs back, finished sixth in his penultimate start over a mile and then third in her latest outing back over seven furlongs, just over a length and a half behind the winner. She came four wide into the home stretch in that event, but battled all the way down to the wire. The filly is drawn one outside the top pick and should be right up there when they hit the line.
HIS EMINENCE came the widest of them all into the home straight when ending up in sixth spot in his latest outing over a mile, five lengths adrift of the victor, but he gets gate five and will be having his peak run after returning from a 34-week spell.
Race 7
This looks to be a tricky race with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. LORD VAMPI goes for his hat-trick after victories over seven furlongs and the latest over nine furlongs by a length. The gelding came five wide into the home straight in that contest, but finished strongly for a well-timed victory. He faces a wide draw nine, but he should be doing his best work late.
A LOT OF GOOD MEN is seldom far off the action, finishing fourth last time out over nine furlongs, two lengths back from the winner, but he overraced in the early and middle stages that day, so he had his excuses. The gelding gets a set of blinkers re-fitted for the day’s run and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here, jumping from a kinder draw two.
ALASKAN raced three wide without cover throughout, but still managed to finish second in his latest outing over nine furlongs, just a length off the winner and on that effort, he should enjoy the extra ground on offer here. The gelding has pulled a wideish gate eight, but he should not be easily overlooked.
Race 8
FLY WITH CAUTION won over this trip three runs back, finished fourth in his penultimate start over the same journey and then second in his latest outing over 1300M, just a head behind the winner, when returning from a 17-week break and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding gets a cosy draw three and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card.
CHINA SPIRIT has finished closer to the winner in each of his last three starts, the latest when third over seven furlongs, 0.7L behind the winner. He tries to go from gun to tape in that event and from gate seven, he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy. The gelding could emerge as the biggest threat to the top choice.
PANDORA GIRL is a 4-year-old filly taking on boys, but she won her maiden race last time out over seven furlongs by putting 3.3L between herself and the opposition. She faces stronger here, but she jumps from a handy draw four and should be involved in the finish.
