Big weekend of racing at Ascot bearing down as first day of the Pinnacles launches on Champion Fillies’ Day

The first day of the Pinnacles carnival has arrived and provides a chance for some of the best local young talents to rise to the top, headed by the Listed $500,000 TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) favourite Wind And The Lion. The dark, dashing son of Written By has been a longstanding fancy for the race since a three-length shellacking of his opposition in a Belmont event in July. In that event, he sat just off the speed before working into the clear 200m from home and roaring away to score. From gate three, the $3.50 TABtouch favourite seems likely to get a similar transit and be one of the horses to beat. He warmed up for this target contest with a first-up fourth when sitting three-wide at the back of the field before running on to be beaten less than three lengths by Repossession. Co-trainer Sean Casey was confident that whilst his horse was not 100 percent screwed down for that assignment, had the gelding switched barriers with the winner, he would have been fighting out victory. Despite drawing much better himself this week, the one constant is that his conqueror that day and $3.90 market danger Repossession has the pole position. From the inside barrier last start, the gelding mustered up to lead and packed too many guns for his opposition, eventually drawing on to win by nearly a length. Unbeaten gelding Magna’s Choice is likely to gain a start in the race despite being first emergency, which will only enhance the quality of the race. The Magna Grecia gelding flew home to score on debut before supplementing that with a length-and-three-quarter length triumph at short odds at his next start. The $4.60 third favourite draws awkwardly in gate 13 but has shown untapped potential and will prove difficult to hold out with even racing luck. Conversely, $8.50 fourth favourite Skull Bone And Pig is sweating desperately on a start being the fourth emergency for the race, meaning he needs four scratchings in order to find a position in the field. After a third on debut in June, Skull Bone And Pig was only beaten a length-and-a-half in the Placid Ark Prelude that exceeded even the lofty expectations trainer Luke Fernie has of his valued gelding. Placid Ark Prelude runner-up Madhi Girl shares the $11 line with Siren Assault, who is the second-stringer of the Casey team and must overcome the cruel blow of gate 20 (becomes 16 after scratchings). Whilst now being arguably overshadowed as the headline act of the day, the Group 3 $300,000 TABtouch WA Champion FIllies’ Stakes (1600m) boasts a fine line-up of fairer sex hopefuls. London’s Image, who claimed the conventional lead-up race of the Burgess Queen Stakes, has elected to tread a path towards the richer Placid Ark Stakes and is a $15 hope for that race. That may have reduced some of the speed present in the Champion Fillies’ given the breakneck pace she sustained when handing on grimly to win last start, though Diamond Dancer ($6), who was the only horse to remain within shouting distance of the winner in that race, is engaged. Flower Of Gold, a rocketing third beaten just a long head in the Burgess Queen, is the $3.60 favourite for the three-year-old classic. Her two previous runs were both wins and trainer Simon Miller is a previous winner of the race, scoring with Miss Rose De Lago in 2013. Miller also trains Diamond Dancer, but between those two in the betting is Dan Morton’s progressive filly Ron’s Finalflutter. Following a maiden win at Bunbury, the $3.90 fancy ran third two back before being beaten just a head into second place in the Burgess Queen Stakes. Morton was also a 2016 winner of the race with Samovare, though neither he nor Miller’s records can hold a candle to the dominance expressed by training duo Grant and Alana Williams. Grant won the race when training in his own name in 2014 and 2015 with Delicacy and Perfect Reflection, before Alana’s official addition to the partnership for Arcadia Queen (2018), Tuscan Queen (2019) and Keshi Boom (last year). This year, Team Williams will be represented by Storyville ($7) and Zouconi ($34), with the former having trouble gaining clear running last start. Though she might have something to find, the big filly has the backing of the state’s leading trainers who have an uncanny knack of getting horses to peak on the big day. Zouconi broke through for a win in a Bunbury maiden on Melbourne Cup Day and despite showing some signs of promise, would create a shock if she was able to salute. Team Williams also have the favourite for the Group 3 $200,000 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) with outstanding talent Western Empire. The $2.60 favourite is now being prepared as a sprinter and will resume after two cosy hit-outs at Lark Hill to warm up for this. Almighty Class, successful in two starts so far this campaign, is the $4 second favourite and will plot the same path as the market leader. Luvnwar, who zipped to the line with purpose to be beaten only three-quarters-of-a-length by Super Smink first-up, is the $3.30 favourite for the Group 3 $200,000 R J Peters Stakes (1500m) ahead of Yonga Lass ($4.40).