2025 The Quokka Day Tips & Preview

WESTERN POWER (6) should be racing with a touch of confidence after prevailing by nearly half a length over shorter last week.

The son to Iffraaj settled forward and was caught wide heading into the turn, but that didn’t stop him from knuckling down to get the job done in a brave effort second-up from a spell.

With fresher legs compared to his rivals and a 2.5kg drop in the saddle, I think he’ll appreciate the rise to the mile after winning well over this trip at Belmont last September.

WICKED VENOM (3) looks like he’s ready to rock and roll first-up based on his recent trial win. 

The four-year-old gelding by Sessions can mix his form, but he typically races well fresh, winning twice from three starts with some handy form to his name here at Ascot as well.  

These shorter sprint trips tend to be his go, and off a good break, I think we’ll see him settle in the back half of the field and look to pounce late. 

BE BARDOT (4) returned to the winner’s circle a couple of weeks ago thanks to a gun ride from William Pike over the mile. 

The Williams-trained mare got right back in the run and was forced to make up ground four-wide, eventually angling into the clear to win by a length third-up from a spell. 

She tackled 1800m last year where the wide gate was against her, but this sets up as a much more winnable assignment with Pike likely to adopt similar tactics from the low draw. 

Willy Pike sticks aboard LOVA SESSION (7), who so far, hasn’t done much wrong through three starts this prep. 

Her narrow win two back over the track and distance was strong, considering she had a bit of ground to make up after settling towards the tail before running on late. 

She was far from disgraced when a narrow runner-up to Knot Secret over 1500m in her latest, again forced to make up ground out wide carrying big weight. 

Dropping 2.5kg now and potentially set to peak fourth-up, she looks well-placed to go on with the job.  

She’s a little on the short side, but this feels like SIXINCH HEELS’ (1) race to lose. 

Simon Miller’s mare made it four on the trot a couple of weeks ago, finding herself four lengths off out of the turn before Lucy Fiore pushed the button and the pair raced away to win quite well. 

We saw her win just as well over 1400m the start prior, so the rise in trip presents no real queries with another low gate at her disposal. 

Unsure about the step back to 1200m, but this does look another winnable race for CAMERA ACTION (9) third-up. 

The Shooting To Win mare has been racing well without winning this time in, running a place first-up behind Deferred over 1200m where she finished within half a length. 

She went down swinging by a similar margin a few weeks ago over further, making up a decent chunk of ground from the tail of the field to run fourth. 

With a few weeks between runs and only 55kg on her back now, she can be expected to run well in an open race. 

TALKANCO (7) gets her first look at 1200m coming off a late win over shorter a couple of weeks ago. 

Brad Parnham had this filly in a lovely spot after a slow getaway, overcoming a four-wide ride into the turn for a brave dive at the line and a narrow victory ahead of Yes Queen, who lines up alongside again on Saturday. 

This is only her fifth start, so there’s still scope for improvement as she continues her rise through the grades. 

OVERPASS (1) has been installed at short odds as he hopes to collect top prize money for connections for the third year running. 

He’s clearly the horse to beat in this field coming off a massive run in the TJ Smith Stakes a couple of weeks ago behind Briasa, form that has held up well with that same mare going on to run fourth in the All Aged Stakes last week.  

Western Empire and Jokers Grin have claims, but in terms of class, he looks to have lengths on all of these. 

SALOON BAR (5) appears to be tracking nicely for this rise to 1200m third-up. 

He’s finished just outside the money in both the Rock Magic and the Roma Cup this prep, the victim of a slow start in the latter, where he was always too far back. 

He’d benefit from a handier ride closer to the speed this time, and after finding the line quite well last start, he looks set to peak and run a big race. 

I’ll give BRAZEZN EMPRESS (5) another chance after being swamped late over the track and distance here a fortnight ago. 

Peter Fernie’s mare led for most of the way before the swoopers came for her late, eventually finishing right down the order beaten close to two lengths. 

She’ll need luck early from the wide gate, but her previous form suggests she can bounce back if she finds a spot up on the speed nice and early.