Unbeaten three-year-old OSCAR’S FORTUNE headlines the $500,000 Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m), which kicks off the Ascot Pinnacles Carnival in Australia this Saturday.
Trained by Dion Luciani and ridden by superstar jockey William Pike, OSCAR’S FORTUNE has been a rising star on the Perth racing scene since making his debut at the end of August. The speedy son of Rich Enfuff remains unbeaten in four starts, all of which have been over 1000m to date. With this unblemished record, OSCAR’S FORTUNE holds favouritism in Saturday’s feature, priced at near even money.
The next contender in the betting line is trainer Simon Miller’s promising filly, AUGMENT. She appears primed to run a strong race, having secured two wins and as many placings from four attempts over 1200m. She is comfortable at this distance and enters the race with strong formlines in prior three-year-old races.
On the same card, quality seven-year-old RED CAN MAN is primed to claim the $200,000 Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes over 1100m.
RED CAN MAN is third-up this week and off the back of two promising runs since resuming on October 21. The evergreen gelding managed to score his ninth career win upon resumption before going on to run another bold race second-up when a narrow third.
The fast beginner should put himself early in the race from barrier 5 and should be relishing the rise to 1100m third-up under regular partner Shaun McGruddy.
Over in New South Wales, unbeaten three-year-old colt INVINCIBLE SPY can post a hat-trick of wins in the $250,000 Group 3 Spring Stakes over 1600m at Newcastle Racecourse.
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained son of I Am Invincible has been ever so impressive in two runs so far. On each occasion, he has shown tremendous gate speed to control his races from the front, which have resulted in two easy victories over 1400m and 1600m under jockey Tim Clark.
The potent combo of a Waterhouse-Bott-trained runner ridden by one of the best front-running jockeys in Clark can prove lethal again here on Saturday, with INVINCIBLE SPY expected to lead as he likes and prove hard to run down chasing the hat-trick of wins.
