FEATURE PREVIEWS: THE QUOKKA

Slot Race | WFA, Three-Year-Olds And Up, Apprentices cannot claim | $5,000,000 | Rail: +3m | Track Conditions: Good 4

The third edition of the Quokka sees a familiar name at the top of betting, with Overpass looking to find the edge of Devon Malcolm and make it a hat-trick (hoping someone gets that analogy).

His recent record in our feature WFA Sprints (won the last 4 – 2 x Quokka’s & 2 x Winterbottom’s) is quite surreal for a raider and adds intrigue to a race without any huge betting edges.

Ascot has played as consistently well as I can even remember, though the light Easterlies forecast on the day should be a slight advantage to those settling on speed.

Overpass has won both previous editions of this race.

In 2023 the BSP was $14, which was 8.5% better than best tote after commission.

In 2024 it was $6.24, which held a 5.5% post commission edge over the competition.

The map looks an absolute gift for the two on speed visitors with OVERPASS and FRONT PAGE able to dictate at their own leisure. The only query with the pair and what makes it slightly more intriguing is that OVERPASS has drawn inside FRONT PAGE. Will FRONT PAGE be content sitting in the breeze or will they look to cross OVERPASS early, who in past visits to WA has shown a happiness to breeze and get himself out to the centre of the Ascot deck. I’d be surprised if they cooked it. CROCETTI and WEST STAR both draw just under this pair and will look to tuck under and follow them across in what should be position A. A couple of great backs to be on. WESTERN EMPIRE was ridden forward in a recent trial and I suspect, with the addition of the winkers, they’ll be semi aggressive out of the gates. The camp will be fully aware they can’t be giving OVERPASS too big a head start. HEADWALL draws awkwardly in 8. Will have all the above as well as the likes of the lowly drawn ROPE THEM IN, BRAVE SPIRIT and even MAGIFICENT ANDY in front of him. Very hard without an obvious back and seemingly a long way from the leaders.

When we have a race with such strong leaders who we know will take those mapped well deep into the straight, it can quickly become an impossibility for the backmarkers involved.

I think most of the Quokka previews you see this week will read pretty similar with OVERPASS the very common selection.  He’s already into sub even money with most corporates in the first 24 hours of final field betting and it’s not hard to see why.  You could just about argue this Quokka is the best setup he’s faced in any of his 4 victories out West.  A few people will point to the fact Maharba was unlucky in last years Winterbottom and perhaps goes close with equal luck, but we also need to remember OVERPASS drew the river with a stack of speed underneath him.  They simply had to be coming at him late.  HEADWALL is this races MAHARBA.  Has gone to another level this campaign and there will be those that say he would have beaten OVERPASS home with normal luck in the TJ Smith.  He’s a clear second elect, but as mentioned above, the map is horrible and we also haven’t seen him travel across the country and do it 4 times, like we have with OVERPASS.  The strong consensus is the Galaxy form is inferior, and that FRONT PAGE does his best work fresh, which means he’d need OVERPASS to be off his game to win.   In saying that, what a great map to do it relatively easily from the breeze (still think he’s a chance to cross) and be there for a long way.  From a local perspective those drawn well in a race with strong leaders look the obvious to perform best.  WEST STAR is the unknown X factor who would have jumped $1.50 in a Placid Ark 6 months ago had injury not struck, while WESTERN EMPIRE and GENEROSITY also have the draws to finish in the first 6.  I simply can’t go past OVERPASS, with it just being a case of what price is enough for a bet?  Just on map I’m putting FRONT PAGE in for second.  If they control it as I suspect they can out in front, it will make it awfully difficult with the potential conditions of the day for those behind to make the ground.

#1 Overpass
#2 Front Page
#6 Headwall
#13 West Star