Simon Miller’s progressive young filly Fuld’s Bet has opened favourite to win her second black type when she lines up in the opening stakes race on Railway Stakes Day, the Placid Ark Stakes 2014, at Ascot Racecourse this weekend.

Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) jumps as Race 3 at 1:15pm (local time) on the ‘Super Saturday’ line-up in Perth and features a field of 11 three-year-old sprinters.

Heading the Placid Ark Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is I Am Invincible filly Fuld’s Bet at a current quote of $3.50.

Drawn ideally in barrier two with Peter Knuckey to ride, she runs in the race third-up this season with Knuckey having ridden her for all four of her career starts to date.

After a win on debut over 1000m back in late February Fuld’s Bet won her first black type when beating home Cadenza, Dan Morton’s Oratorio filly a $31 chance for the lucrative $400,000 Group 2 W.A. Guineas (1600m) on Saturday, in the $100,000 Listed Gimcrack Stakes (1100m).

Spelled after that win she returned on October 18 and ran a brave second to the undefeated WA Guineas favourite Disposition in the $100,000 Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m).

Her latest start was also her fourth at Ascot when Fuld’s Bet was fifth, beaten only 1.6 lengths, by stable mate Ideal Image in the $100,000 Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) on November 1.

Now she’s tipped to improve on that when stepped back to 1200m.

It’s an open Placid Ark Stakes betting market this year with four other hopefuls under $10 to win with:

• #6 Liberty’s Gem ($4.60) – Stable mate to the favourite, this lightly-raced Statue Of Liberty gelding has the inside alley for his opening stakes start and maiden Ascot run. His two previous starts were both at Belmont for a first-up win over 1200m in September and then a second last time out over the same distance, both times from barrier two. Knuckey is replaced by Ben Melham on Saturday and from the alley must be considered.
• #2 Django ($6.50) – Wide gate 10 draw for the Joe Byrne-trained Trade Fair three-year-old who has won two from five at Ascot Racecourse. Hasn’t won since opening two career starts back in February and needs to be improving after a seventh to Disposition last start in the Fairetha Stakes behind Disposition.
• #1 Hobart Jones ($7.50) – Honest So Secret colt, the young grey is yet to finish out of the money having won three of his seven starts and finished third in the other four. Won the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) over this track and distance as a two-year-old in March and finished third the next run in the Group 3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Third first-up on November 8 and should be improving off that.
• #3 Palace Intruder ($8) – Trevor Andrews-trained Oratorio gelding has won two from four starts at Ascot, but not since February. Sixth to the Guineas fancy first-up in the Belgravia Stakes last month and Damien Oliver comes aboard with a nice barrier four draw here.

Other notable hopes then include Stratum gelding Hold Your Tongue, the Neville Parnham-trained improver Malibu Style, Oratorio colt Mr Mowtown and last start Bunbury winner Mississippian to be ridden by William Pike – all on $13 to win.

See below for the full Placid Ark Stakes 2014 odds, fixed win prices open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au where you’ll find all the hottest Perth Summer Racing Carnival markets over the coming months!

2014 Placid Ark Stakes Odds