One of Perth’s premier staying features, the $500,000 Schweppes WATC Derby (2400m), is set to take place this Saturday at Ascot and here the Races.com.au team have the best 2011 WATC Derby betting tips and form.
Scheduled as Ascot Race 7 at 7:30pm (AEDST) on Saturday afternoon, the 2011 WATC Derby has drawn a crack field of 16 three-year-olds.
Firming favourite to win is #13 Dreamaway, the Grant Williams-trained More Than Ready filly coming off four successive black-type victories this preparation.
Last Saturday Dreamaway claimed a smart win in the Group 3 WA Oaks at the same track and distance as this weekend’s Derby.
She drops back in the weights here making her open company assignment a slightly easier one but has drawn wide with barrier 13.
With plenty of space to come across from the gate, Dreamaway should have no issues overcoming her double-digit barrier as she did two starts back when she scored an emphatic 2 ½ length win in the Listed Natasha Stakes (2200m) here from barrier 15.
There is plenty to support Dreamaway’s favouritism looking at the WATC Derby form guide.
She has the highest Win Rate of the field with 56%, will be ridden by champion hoop William Pike, is one of only two last-start winners of the field and by far the classiest of the two and is one of the only Derby hopefuls to have run and won over this track and distance.
Ascot Race 7 Tips – 2011 WATC Derby Betting
- Races.com.au Favourite: #13 Dreamaway – Rated Special to Win
- Best Place / Exotic Bets: #14 Why She Left, #4 The Tenby Friar and #1 Playing God
We are tipping the same Exacta for the WATC Derby as the WA Oaks with market mover Why She Left to finish second behind Dreamaway again.
Vernon Brockman’s in-form Al Maher filly Why She Left has been very competitive this season and was a length away from Dreamaway in the Oaks last-start.
On Saturday she has drawn barrier 10, perhaps a little wide but likely where the pace will be at.
After opening at a quote of $14, Why She Left has been well backed now at $9.
Adding even more value to the Trifecta and a great Place Bet in the WATC Derby is $8 chance The Tenby Friar.
Jim Taylor’s Blackfriars gelding has finished second or third in his last three starts beaten less than a length each time.
Morst recently he came within a short-head of fellow Derby rival Rio Dane in the Listed Melvista Stakes (2200m) on March 19 and with the extra distance on Saturday should again come close.
Second elect in the WATC Derby betting is Playing God.
A Group 1 winner here last prep and a Group 1 placegetter in his two interstate assignments earlier this season, the Neville Parnham-trained Playing God is not without his claims.
However, the son of Blackfriars is as yet untested over the 2400m and in a big field like this he has drawn wide.
Playing God looked flat when finishing second as the beaten favourite when returning to Ascot last Saturday in the Raconteur Stakes (1500m).
Stick with Playing God for exotics only here as he’s not at his best.
