Ascot hosts a big 10-race card on Saturday with the $5 million The Quokka taking centre stage. The first race will jump at 11:19am (1:19pm AEST) and the track is currently rated a Good 4 with the rail out three metres for the entire circuit. Here are our best bets for the WA metro meeting!
Ascot Racing Tips: Saturday, April 26th 2025
Race 1: SCHWEPPES HANDICAP (1600 METRES) – 11:19am (1:19pm AEST)
(3) Trio raced below his best last time out when finishing sixth behind Without Reg and Deferred. He meets the winner better at the weights this time and getting back to the mile looks more suitable as he was a winner two back over course and distance. William Pike retains the ride on the four-year-old gelding and the smaller field should suit.
(6) Western Power is third up from a spell for trainer Michael Grantham and has the services of Clint Johnston-Porter once again. They combined to win over 1400m last time out and this natural progression to the mile looks suitable. Very strong claims.
(4) Blazing Emerald is racing in tremendous form with the mare finishing within a half-length or so at her previous five starts; she won three of those for good measure. This opening race is very competitive for a small field of six runners and the perfect way to open proceedings before the main event later.
(3) Trio WIN
$3.95 (2 units)
Race 3: BELHUS RACING STABLES 30TH ANNIVERSARY HANDICAP (1800 METRES) – 12:29pm (2:29pm AEST)
(4) Be Bardot settled second last over the mile before letting down strongly in the home straight to defeat Audio Boy by a length on April 12. Prepared by Grant and Alana Williams, the four-year-old mare was building nicely into her prep with that victory coming third up from a spell. She was luckless second up when eighth prior and the win was deserved. Expect her to settle back again and should once again prove hard to beat as she steps up to 1800m for the second time in her career.
(1) Memory Parade probably should have won the Good Friday Stakes (1800m) when beaten a half-length by Watch Me Rock. She didn’t have any clear running until it was too late, and she has very strong claims in this small field of seven runners. She does go up in weight which will be the query.
(7) Grand Reserve is three runs into his prep and he gets back out to the 1800m where he is a winner from three attempts. His previous two runs over 1400m and 1500m have been good and he should be around the mark again.
(4) Be Bardot WIN
$2.30 (3 units)
Race 8: THE KIA QUOKKA (1200 METRES) – 3:45pm (5:45pm AEST)
(1) Overpass picks himself and the defending champion has won both editions of The Quokka. The Bjorn Baker-trained six-year-old gelding is a perfect four-from-four at Ascot winning two Quokkas and two Winterbottom Stakes in 2023 and 2024. He returned to racing in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) when narrowly beaten by Briasa and the form holds up well with fourth-placed Jimmysstar since going on to capture the All Aged Stakes. Joshua Parr will press forward from gate 10 with ambitions of leading.
(6) Headwall was also placed in the TJ Smith Stakes and the Matthew Smith-trained five-year-old gelding is set to surpass $1 million in prizemoney. His class is evident being a runner up in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in March before his TJ Smith effort. Headwall will be back in the field but expect him to thunder home.
(11) The Boss Lady represents the local brigade, and the four-year-old Michael Lane-trained mare has won four-straight races, including the Group 3 Roma Cup (1100m) outright following a protest where the initial result was ruled a dead heat. She looms as a place chance with small knockout claims.
(1) Overpass WIN
$2.15 (3 units)
