Ascot hosts two big feature races this week, with the running of the Group 2 WA Guineas and the Group 1 Railway Stakes.
Prominent owner Bob Peters appears to have a stranglehold on both events.
The Guineas favourite looks very hard to beat and should atone from the luckless last start effort, when she clearly should have won.
Whilst in the Railway Stakes, it looks set to be the Bob Peters show again with an appropriately named gelding set to fly.
Both runners have already proved to be very popular with punters, and could start shorter as we approach start time.
Track Conditions
The Ascot track is currently rated a Good 4, with the rail out 3m for the entire circuit.
Fine conditions are predicted in Perth for the remainder of the week and on Saturday.
Ascot is a larger track, which typically presents plenty of opportunity for both on and off-speed profiles.
The Map
Champagne Dame (8) has a natural on-pace pattern and should roll forward to take up the running.
Stay Safe (7) and Itsarayday (1) are all likely to punch up in an attempt to hold positions just in behind.
Expect Buzzoom (11), Treasured Star (6) and Devoted (7) to all race back in the field and be saved for one last shot at the leaders.
The Favourite
Treasured Star ($3.05) is from the powerful Bob Peters operation and he has plenty of good 3YO's to choose from. If this is their best, expect her to be very good.
She'd gone back-to-back prior to last start, where she was badly blocked for a run here over 1400m in a complete forgive effort.
Her get back racing pattern can invite trouble, however given any luck here she should be in the finish.
I simply have to be with Treasured Star, who was very unlucky last start after being stood on her nose.
The Bob Peters team are very keen on winning these 3YO features and would have left no stone unturned in her preparation.
She just needs a touch of tempo to be able to get home hard over the top.
Pale Rider placed 3 of 9 here over 1400m, in a run that screamed he will eat up the 1600m in this event.
He should receive the perfect run midfield in the moving line with cover, and can present at just the right time.
Itsarayday won't spend a cent jumping from the inside barrier and can suck up just in behind the leading division for the entire trip.
He is from the big betting Simon Miller camp where if the late money arrived, you would expect him to be in the finish. Watch betting late.
Champagne Dame could receive on-pace favours as the likely leader if they let her get away with it.
She has come through all the key feature races and led in both, which should have her rock-hard fit and hard to run past.
Could hold them all off.
1st Treasured Star
2nd Pale Rider
3rd Itsarayday
4th Champagne Dame
The Map
Expect a genuine speed in this, with Too Close The Sun (2) rushing forward from the low draw and plenty of others (Valour Road (17), Dance Music (15), Massimo (11) and The Velvet King (9) carving across from their wider draws.
Western Empire (3) and Kissonallfourcheeks (1) should both receive the nice tag just in behind.
Notorius One (4) and Kaptain Kaos (10) are the two that should relish a hot tempo, and can be charging home from rearward positions.
The Favourite
Western Empire ($1.75) looks very hard to beat here and could be a moral.
He has won his past 5 starts in good grade and maps beautifully from gate 3 to receive the perfect run in transit.
He will have plenty of admirers and the William Pike factor will also drive down the price
Western Empire is very short in betting, however the current price looks justified and it will take a very good one to beat him.
His form is simply dominant and he could start much shorter by this time of day, when many cross sport multi tickets will have him in-play.
Kissonallfourcheeks also has a great map here and can tag the likely leader, Too Close The Sun, for most of the trip. From there he will attempt to angle clear over the final 200m.
She is up against a good one however given the dream run and a touch of luck, she could steal it.
Kaptain Kaos is racing well and should have no problems finding clean air and coming with a rush down the outside.
He has won 4 from 6 this preparation and has a lethal turn of foot, given the right run.
His last 400m sectional time last time out in the RJ Peters Stakes was outstanding.
Notorious One also likes to get back and run home hard.
He will need a good tempo up front, however should get that on this occasion. He was unlucky here last start in the Asian Beau, where he was held up at a vital stage, yet still managed to run 2 of 9.
1st Western Empire
2nd Kissonallfourcheeks
3rd Kaptain Kaos
4th Notorious One