Hoops Tips Ascot 14th December

Greg Hooper | Metropolitan Racing | Wed 14 December, 2011

RACE 1 -PERTH GLORY V MELBOURNE HEART DEC 17 HANDICAP 1400m

No. 2 CARNIOLAN. This is very ordinary line up to start the day with very limited exposed form to work with. On the strength of his first up maiden victory, CARNIOLAN looks the one to beat. He was strong late in that win over 1200m suggesting the 1400m will really suit and the Alan Mathews stable is on fire. BLACK UMA is very limited but he should find the front in this and if rated correctly he certainly has winning claims. STARTING OVER got the job done at his previous outing and should measure up in this field. The Pontiff goes onto WARNING SKY which will be a big plus. He lost sight of the bunny Bunbury but still worked home fairly.
Numbers 2, 1, 3, 9

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 2 - PERTH ICE WORKS HANDICAP 1200m

No. 7 ROHAN. Not much form to work with in this event. I'm going to speculate a little and go for the lightly race Blackfriars colt, ROHAN. His debut back in July was sound. He missed the kick, settled last and worked home fairly to run midfield. He trialled recently and put in a real eye catching effort finishing strongly under little riding. Hopefully he can make use of his good draw and to be strong when it counts. KARBA will be hard to beat. He won first up last campaign and then ran some solid races in better company. He recent won a trial in the quickest time of the day. ROBINHO has no luck last week when he was practically held up the entire straight. He has had ten starts and is yet to place so not really sure you dive into him, even allowing for the fact he'll beat the majority on ability alone.
Numbers 7, 1, 5, 2

Suggested Bet - Rohan small each way

RACE 3 - perthracing.com.au HANDICAP 1200m

No. 9 METALMAN. There is a bit of quality in this midweek event with some potential future Saturday winners engaged. In saying that I'm very happy to be on METALMAN who is four-year-old with plenty of upside. His maiden win was emphatic and his last start effort in Saturday company was a real eye catcher. He was one of the only horses on the day to make ground. Hopefully he'll land much closer from his draw, if so I think he'll win. Clear second pick for me is AKHEDASSET. He beat Modello first up last campaign with Paul Harvey aboard. He'll go forward and be the one METALMAN will need to rundown. YAMUNOTRI is a mare with ability and her recent trial win was exceptional. She looks a bank for the novelties.
Numbers 9, 7, 5, 2

Suggested Bet - Metalman win and multiples with Akhedasset and Yamunotri

RACE 4 - PERTHRACING ON FACEBOOK HANDICAP 1500m

No. 7 DURRAHMOORE. On paper this does look to be a very even mares' race with plenty of different form lines to work with. I was pretty keen on DURRAHMOORE first up at Pinjarra on the strength of a very good trial win and she didn't disappoint, parking three wide the trip and coming clear late. This is a step up in grade but William Pike goes on and she should get a lovely run from her draw, she should be in the finish. TALENT SHOW is a mare who has plenty of ability but seemingly lost her way there for a while. However, her last start effort was a real eye catcher, she made up plenty of late ground over 1200m. The step up to 1500m should be ideal. I think the big improver will be LOVABRUCHILL. Back to mares' company suits, she looks well weighted and she's drawn to sit right over the speed. AHOY CALYPSO has had a little freshen up, she should park close and has each way claims. There looks to be plenty of other chances for the novelties.
Numbers 7, 2, 1, 3

Suggested Bet- Durrahmoore each way if odds permit

RACE 5 - FOLLOW PERTHRACING ON TWITTER HANDICAP 1500m

No. 8 RANCHER'S GOLD. On paper this looks a very tricky start to the quaddie. I ended up going with RANCHER'S GOLD who I think should be able to settle in the first few and prove pretty tough to get over. Although beaten first up he ran well as he lost momentum early in the straight when looking for a gap between runners, it probably cost him the race. Shaun O'Donnell going onto MUSTERING looks a big positive, his last couple of efforts have been more than sound. OTTUMWA has major claims, he was terrific first up finishing strongly. However the negative could be the barrier as he appears to be a horse who likes to have to wind up with room to move. William Pike on though so I wouldn't be surprised to see him extricated off the fence early doors! You have to respect MODERN ART, he's having his first run for MB Reed and was asked for absolutely nothing in a recent barrier trial. Paul Harvey goes onto STATEMENTS and he won his maiden well last start, drawn well he needs to be included and THE KEY CUTTER should lead which is always an advantage in these events. A tricky race.
Numbers 8, 4, 3, 1

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 6 - CONTRUCTIVE MEDIA HANDICAP 1200m

No. 1 RIOBRESA. I'll tip RIOSBRESA but would be happy to let him go through to the keeper is he goes around at a short quote. He is the horse to beat after winning in a dominant fashion over 1200m two starts back and then running a nose second over 1000m after planting three wide over the speed for the duration. The draw makes it a little tricky as Renee Forrest will need to make an early call or risk being posted again. Still, if he gets the right run and performs to his best he'll be very hard to beat. IRMA LA DANE has big claims and if around the each way price could be the way to play the race. She appreciated the freshen up and the drop back to 1200m when she ran a fast finishing third to RIOBRESA on a day it was nigh on impossible to make ground. SCORN SAXON is another who hasn't been dealt any favours with the draw but she does have more than her fair share of ability, I've liked both her two race track starts. LA ANNAIS from a nice draw and W Pike aboard has serious claims. ALVARES was heavily backed on debut back in June but only plodded to the line. Still L Smith/P Harvey, watch betting! All in all a good quality mid-week three-year old event with plenty of live hopes.
Numbers 1, 2, 12, 11

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 7 - PERTH GLORY AT NIB THIS SATURDAY NIGHT HANDICAP 1200m

No. 7 WINGED ANGEL. I'm going to completely forgive Winged Angel for her tailed off effort last week when she got a big bump at the 500m and never recovered to run. She meets the older mares for the first time but this is not a strong event and I think she might be a bit too strong late. Her debut win was good and I suspect she has a touch of class about her when she is song. MISS DANDY has been going very nicely in provincial and it would be no surprise to see her take the next step. CROSELLE is always some hope in these midweek fillies and mares races. DISTINCTIVE DANE finally broke the duck at her most recent outing, she could go on with it now. MOONLIGHT MISS, DELTA JANE and WANNABE A ROCKSTAR are in the mix
Numbers 7, 6, 10, 2

Suggested Bet - Winged Angel each way if odds permit

RACE 8 - PERTH CUP DECEMBER HANDICAP 1800m

No. 1 CAMPOBELLO. Despite the fact he has to lump 59kg and is first up over 1800m I'm putting CAMPOBELLO on top. The Luciani team have a great fresh record with their gallopers. First up last campaign this bloke ran a slashing second over the same trip. He's clearly the best horse in the race and although he has plenty against hopefully class will carry him across the line. I think DARK VISION can be the big improver, she settled back in the field and was never really asked for too much in her first up effort. KIM ABILITY needs space to move so getting stuck on the fence never helped his chances last week. Shooter McGruddy back on is a big plus. LOVRE was a good winner first up beating Volumninous, who scored on Sunday, he has claims. COUNTER OFFER and GOOSE are also in the mix.
Numbers 1, 7, 8, 3

Suggested Bet - None recommended