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Brett Davis was introduced to Australian Racing by his father back in the early 1980’s when his family became involved in formulating “Thoroughbred Racing Syndications”. Brett worked from 1995 as a Professional Form Analysts and Race Broadcaster with an array of companies throughout most parts of the Australia Racing industry. He currently resides in Adelaide, his hometown in Australia, where he is Chief Thoroughbred Race Caller and Form Analyst for Tabcorp / SkyChannel / RadioTAB. Brett Davis also spent 2 years with the Singapore Turf Club and 13 Racing Seasons with the Hong Kong Jockey Club between 2006 to 2019 as a leading Form Analyst / Race Caller and was the HKJC Chief Race Caller from 2014, calling the last 5 Hong Kong International (Turf World Championships) race meetings and over 50 G1 races. Brett has immense passion for Australian Racing both personally and professionally. With his diverse knowledge and long standing industry relations he’s a valuable asset to racing and it’s enthusiasts. |
Ascot Racecourse – Track Analysis (WATC Derby):
Ascot Racecourse is the home of racing in Perth and has held race meetings for 175 years. Located around eight kilometres from the city’s CBD and alongside the famous Swan River, it hosts all the major race days in Western Australia like the Railway Stakes and Winterbottom Stakes in the spring, the Perth Cup in the summer and the WATC Derby in the autumn. Like racecourses in Victoria and South Australia, Ascot is a left-handed racetrack with a circumference of 2022m and a home straight of 300m.
The 2400m WATC Derby is for 3YOs and has been won by high class gallopers like PLASTERED, DELICACY and REGAL POWER this century. The race will start from the 2400m chute in the bottom left corner of Ascot, which will then take them on to the home straight for the first time. When the field races out of the straight, they will then climb the hill, go over the crossing passed the 1800m and head towards the back of the track, before then going to the Swan River side of the track with less than 1100m to run. The field has a lengthy run down that section of the course until they get to the long, sweeping bend that will bring them into the home straight for the business end of the race.
Based on the lead up races to WATC Derby, there is a strong chance that the tempo for this year’s race won’t be all that strong. Consequently, it could be worth trying to find a horse that will settle closer to the pace. In the last twenty years, only five horses have won the WATC Derby from double figure barrier draws, therefore, inside to middle gates are an advantage in this event.
Last year’s WATC Derby was won by ALASKAN GOD, who settled in the second half of the field and let down powerfully to record a dominant victory. PALE RIDER came from last to run second, while BLACK FANTASY was given every chance off the pace and finished third.
Dry conditions are forecast in Perth in the week leading up to the running of the WATC Derby, so it’s most likely that it will be run on a good surface. However, as the race will be run later in the card at Ascot, it could be worth paying attention to the earlier races on the day to figure out how the track is playing and what the latest weather conditions are.
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