Placid Ark Stakes 2016 Betting: Top Two Hard to Split

The bookmakers are having a hard time separating the top two in 2016 Placid Ark Stakes betting for one of the key support acts on the Ascot race card for Railway Stakes Day on Saturday.

Craig Williams rides Leitfaden in the 2016 Placid Ark Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in Perth this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Originally 13 three-year-old sprinters were engaged to face off in the $100,000 Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m), which is set to run as Ascot Race 5 at 3:00pm (WA time).

The early scratching of Akiko (13) who was drawn the outside alley leaves a dozen hopefuls and two are battling for top spot in the updated Placid Ark Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Sweet Ora ($3.20) and Caipirinha ($3.30) are drawn at opposite ends of the field in barriers three and 12 respectively but are rated an almost equal chance of taking out the set weights plus penalties clash.

Narrow favourite Sweet Ora chases her third win on the trot from the new outside barrier and has Perth’s best William Pike booked for the ride.

Pike continues his association with the ultra-consistent Oratorio filly who has won six of her 10 career starts to date including two from three at the Ascot track.

She is as yet untested over further than 1100m, but after saluting as the odds-on favourite at the track over 1000m and 1100m at her two most recent starts earns a shot over the extra meters going up in class.

Sweet Ora also drops back from 58kg last start on November 5 to 54.5kg so only needs to handle the wide alley to be a winning chance again.

Caipirinha meanwhile is drawn to get a gun run from her alley, Simon Miller’s daughter of Nicconi down in class off her fifth to Samovare in last weekend’s Group 3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m).

She also drops sharply back in distance looking for her first win since the victory over Saul’s Special in the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) on October 22.

Between that win and last weekend’s mile test the in-form filly finished runner-up to Ellicazoom – favourite for this Saturday’s Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) – in the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) so comes off the right lead-ups.

Just one other youngster is under double-figures for the win with Where’s Wally at $5 to carry the 56kg top weight to victory from a nice barrier four draw.

Jarrad Noske rides the Ted Martinovich-trained Rogano gelding who has won two of his three career starts to date.

His only loss so far was his last start third over 1300m at Belmont on September 17.

He has subsequently won a trial over 1000m at the track before his Ascot and Black-Type debut this weekend.

At more generous prices but still having genuine claims for the win include the likes of the Daniel Morton-trained Choisir filly Leitfaden ($11) who Craig Williams is booked to ride and Stratum filly Precious Memories ($14).

Check out the full Placid Ark Stakes 2016 betting odds below, fixed win pricing now open at Ladbrokes.com.au.