We ring in the New Year at Ascot on Saturday as the Perth Summer Racing Carnival continues with the running of the Group 2 Perth Cup.
This shapes up to be a massive day of racing from the country’s west and you can find our tips for all nine races below!
Tough way to start the day with very little exposed form, but it does look a winnable race for Storm Whisper to make it a double.
The Parnham-trained two-year-old burst onto the scene last month with a brilliant six-length win on debut over the same distance at Bunbury where he was backed into as short as a $1.35.
The inside draw is key to his chances and if he produces that same turn of foot, he should be winning this comfortably.
Keep Your Feet returned to the races in great order two weeks ago with a brilliant runner-up performance under William Pike.
He was no match for all-the-way winner Madam Torio, but he did manage to clock the fastest final 200m of the race with a dazzling run out wide from well back in the field.
Simon Miller’s three-year-old won second-up quite comfortably last time in work, and if Pike can find some cover nice and early, he should be adding to that record.
The Fugazi was the beaten favourite last time out over the track and trip where he finished fourth behind Phoneme, but he might be worth forgiving with the blinkers on for the first time.
The five-year-old son of Sebring has been racing consistently since returning to work back in October finishing no worse than fourth in each of his four starts.
He’s finally drawn away from the inside and Shaun McGruddy jumping back in the saddle might just prove the trick.
Leica Jaguar has won her last three starts only narrowly, so that run of luck is bound to end sooner or later and today might be the day from the rails draw.
Amelia Bedelia looks a great chance at upstaging the favourite after finding the money in each of her last three runs since returning from a spell.
The mare by Magnus rarely runs a bad race over this trip and she likely won’t know herself dropping 3kg off her last start.
She fought on well for third a fortnight ago at Pinjarra and might just surprise some of these with even luck.
Platinum Bullet put in a brave performance second-up to fend off Resortman for a narrow win at the line over the 1100m.
She likely would have won by more with an extra 100m in the race and again rates as a major player with William Pike replacing the suspended Mitchell Pateman in the saddle.
The mare by Shooting To Win is already a two-time winner over this trip and should be doing her best work late from the soft draw.
Naughty By Nature looks the value runner in this field based on the way she’s finished off her last two starts.
The mare by Trade Fair ran on well for third over the mile a fortnight ago in the Listed Starstruck Stakes and that looks to have been the hit-out she needed before stepping up to the 1800m.
She had a few excuses in her previous run finding traffic down the straight, but with a much more favourable inside draw, she should be much closer in the run.
Indian Pacific has been crunched in betting since the market opened and it wouldn’t be surprised if he was backed into odds-on favouritism.
Not surprisingly, the son of Zoustar is a 1000m specialist with three wins on the board over this track and trip.
He was luckless last time out among much tougher company in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes, but with a gap between runs, he should be bouncing back in a big way.
Truly Great has been nothing but class winning the Winterbottom and the Ted Van Heemst Stakes, but I’m happy to take him on carrying the top weight from a very tricky draw.
Neufbosc is the obvious danger on paper and the grey is well-weighted to produce a big performance from the Neville Parnham yard.
The six-year-old French-bred gelding finished second to Trap For Fools two runs back in the Listed G.A. Towton Cup before a brilliant two-length win last time out in the A.T.A Stakes on Boxing Day.
There’s lots to like about him racing on the short backup and the $5.50 on offer isn’t bad either.
New Perth trainer Hayden Ballantyne looks to have a great chance in this race with impressive four-year-old Sentimental Queen.
The mare scored quite comfortably two runs back at Pinjarra over the 2000m and was far from disgraced in her return to Ascot a fortnight ago when fourth to Adornment over the same trip.
She’s finally drawn an inside gate that leaves jockey Chris Parnham plenty of options to work with.