Ray Thomas previews a bumper Saturday of racing which includes the final group 1 of 2024 over in the west

The Daily Telegraph’s Ray Thomas previews a big Saturday of racing which features the final Group 1 of the year with the Northerly Stakes to be run and won at Ascot.

HALL Of Fame trainer Chris Waller is attempting to claim the final Group 1 race of the year with the talented Democracy Manifest in the $1.5 million Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot in Perth today.

Waller, who has had another hugely successful year and a sensational start to the 2024-25 season, is chasing a second win in the Perth weight-for-age feature after Moriarty scored a decade ago.

If Democracy Manifest can win the Northerly Stakes, it will give Waller a record 11 Group 1 successes for the season – and 16 for the calendar year!

Local star Super Smink is the $4.20 favourite with TAB Fixed Odds just ahead of Storyville at $4.80 with Democracy Manifest on the fourth line of betting at $6.50.

There are no stakes races on Waller’s home track of Rosehill Gardens on Saturday but the trainer has a typically strong entry at the meeting including Heed The Omens, the $4 favourite for the Precise Air Handicap (1800m).

The Rosehill opener, the Petaluma Handicap (1200m), is so stacked with promising three-year-olds it is vying for race of the day status.

There are six runners, five of them are last start winners, including boom colt Private Harry, winner of his only two starts in very fast time by an aggregate margin of more than 10 lengths.

READ: Mark Guest previews Ballarat Cup Day on Saturday

Private Harry’s rivals include another unbeaten three-year-old Theblade, who is closely related to all-time great sprinter, the undefeated Black Caviar, winner of all her 25 starts including 15 at Group 1 level.

Ballarat has a stand-alone meeting in Victoria with Poison Chalice the overnight favourite at $4.80 for the feature race, the Listed $500,000 Ballarat Cup (2000m).

At Eagle Farm, the Brisbane summer carnival is heating up with three stakes races on the program supported by the $300,000 The Gateway (1400m) where the winner earns a start in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap next June.

ROSEHILL GARDENS

Weather: Warm, partly cloudy day with the likelihood of showers and a thunderstorm storm later in the day. The forecast top temperature is 34c.

Track: Soft (6)

Rail: 4m out

BALLARAT

Weather: Warm, cloudy day with a very high chance of showers and thunderstorm. The forecast top temperature is 27c.

Track: Good (4)

Rail: True

EAGLE FARM

Weather: Warm, partly cloudy day with a chance of showers and a forecast top temperature of 30c.

Track: Soft (5)

Rail: True

MORPHETTVILLE

Weather: Warm, partly cloudy with the chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm. The forecast top temperature is 28c.

Track: Soft (5)

Rail: 7m out

BE WARY: Rosehill’s rail shifts out 4m today after being in the true last week. There was a lot of storm activity around Sydney late on Friday and early Saturday morning with the track downgraded to a soft 6 but should still play fairly. Ballarat’s rail is in the true and the track, with its long home straight of 450m, is in perfect order for the Ballarat Cup meeting.

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ROSEHILL GARDENS

THE BEST BET: Bullets High (r6 no1) is proving costly for punters but luck in running has been against him in recent starts. After beginning his campaign with a brilliant win at Warwick Farm, Bullets High ran luckless seconds at Rosehill over 1500m and Newcastle at 1600m. He then stepped out over 1800m on this track last week and got held up inside runners from the turn before finishing fast for fifth, beaten less than a length. The Joe Pride-trained Bullets High gets to 2000m here, has Nash Rawiller in the saddle and finds a very winnable race. Stick with him today.

READ: James Molony’s race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill, Saturday

THE NEXT BEST: Private Harry (r1 no2) has broken the clock to win brilliantly at both his starts. He ran 50.77s to score over 900m at Newcastle on debut, with a closing 600m sectional in a flying 32.17s. Private Harry then backed that up in a Hawkesbury 1100m win when he ran 1m 02.31s and again broke 33s for his final 600m despite easing down to win by more than seven lengths. There’s been huge money for Private Harry to maintain his unbeaten record including bets of $4500 at $2.15, $2655 at $2.15, $2000 at $2.25 and $2000 at $2.15.

VALUE BET: How Dare You (r7 no9) got into an awkward spot between runners at the back of the field when resuming at Canterbury before closing fast for fourth behind Captain Amelia. How Dare You ran into plenty of trouble first-up and probably should have won. The Godolphin mare has drawn an outside barrier here which should work in her favour as she needs galloping room. She’s over the odds around $8.

THE WHISPER: Iowna Merc (r9 no1) had trialled superbly leading into The Warra at Kembla where he ran only fairly for eighth to Headwall. He tried to make his run on the wrong part of the track and he deserves another chance. His second-up record is very good – he’s never missed a place in four attempts winning twice – and he’s not badly placed at the weights after the claim. Iowna Merc is way over the odds at $10.

READ: Mark Guest previews Ballarat Cup Day on Saturday

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BALLARAT

THE BEST BET: Pharari (r4 no4) looked unlucky at Caulfield last start, just missing behind Kin over 1100m. She has been up a while, starting her campaign during winter, but eight runs in she is racing as well as ever. Pharari has won at Ballarat previously and gets back out to 1200m which it seems she needs now. Drawn the rails barrier and will get every chance.

NEXT BEST: Dream All Day (r2 no3) was placed in each of her three starts at her debut preparation during winter then resumed at Ballarat over 1400m and came from well back on the turn to score a powerful win by a widening three lengths. She led down superbly in the straight to score a commanding win. The only reservation I have is that Dream All Day is staying at 1400m but she has had three weeks between runs and is a mare with plenty of upside.

VALUE BET: The Open (r10 no5) worked his way through the classes last preparation, winning four of his eight starts and running second three times. He resumed at Moonee Valley and didn’t have the best of luck before finishing, beaten just over two lengths. He will be fitter now and is well placed here. In a race of many chances, The Open is into equal favouritism at $6.50 but for such a consistent racehorse, that is attractive odds.

READ: Four-Play, Quadzilla: $200 betting strategy for Ballarat

THE WHISPER: Mrs Chrissie (r7 no9) was in very good form during winter, winning twice at Caulfield and Sandown, and finished third at Group 3 level in the Monash Stakes. Resuming here but she has won previously at Ballarat and is a renowned first-up performer, winning three of her five comeback runs. The smart mare is trained by Ciaron Maher, she has Craig Williams in the saddle, and has track conditions to suit.

TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS

ROSEHILL GARDENS

R1, Private Harry $2.50-$2.20 after bets of $4500 at $2.15, $2655 at $2.15, $2000 at $2.25 and $2000 at $2.15.

R2, Justela $5-$4.60, Cream Rises $41-$19

R3, In Summer $8.50-$4.80, Lambay $8.50-$5.50, Sunchyme $8.50-$7, Moritz Girl $26-$15 including a bet of $1000 e/w at $17/$4.80

R4, Gentileschi $11-$6.50, Brazil $8-$6.50

R5, Shangri La Spring $3.50-$2.50 after a $3000 wager at $3.10, Fiddlers Green $5-$3.40

R6, Bullets High $3.40-$2.90, Modesty $6-$4.80, Claim The Crown $11-$9.50 after a $5000 wager at $10

R7, Drift Net $4-$3.30, Infatuation $9-$8

R8, I’mintowin $4-$3.10 after a $3000 bet at $3.40, Konasana $6-$4.20, Bojangles $15-$8.50, Highlights $51-$14, Perfect Thought $26-$14

R9, Tristate $15-$6, Dollar Magic $11-$6.50, Boston Rocks $11-$8

R10, Midnight Opal $3.70-$2.90, Yiska $5-$3, Little Beginnings $6-$4.80, Scorch $6-$4.80

BALLARAT

R1,Neverenoughlego $4.80-$4.60, Hello Romeo $9-$4.80, Pafitis $31-$12

R2, Dream All Day $2.40-$1.95

R3, Cleo Cat $6-$3.80

R4, Miss Roumbini $4.80-$3.80

R5, Little Jack $5.50-$4.60, Deakin $6.50-$6

R6, Fickle $3.80-$3.20

R7, Mrs Chrissie $4.40-$3.50, Joyful Fortune $6-$5, Vagrant $26-$12, Acromantula $26-$14, Scuderia $41-$19

R8, Ruakaka Raider $7-$3.90, Savoir Faire $7.50-$7

R9, Globe $13-$9, Berkeley Square $15-$10 including bets of $5000 place at $4.40 and $5000 place at $4.20

R10, The Open $7.50-$6, Brazen Lady $8-$6, Is It Me $9-$7

INTERSTATE MAIL

Eagle Farm r7 no2: Transatlantic

Eagle Farm r10 no9: He’s Heaven

Morphettville r2 no11: Zenacity

Morphettville r9 no4: Bellinger

Ascot r3 no5: Nonesospicy

Ascot r8 no7: Democracy Manifest

PROVINCIAL MAIL

Newcastle r4 no4: Alice Mae

Newcastle r6 no2: Madam Instrife

#Good luck today and I hope you back plenty of winners

Originally published as Ray Thomas previews a bumper Saturday of racing which includes the final group 1 of 2024 over in the west