Prominent Perth owner Bob Peters will be looking for better luck in the run for his two contenders Arcadia Prince and Perfect Jewel after they both drew awkward barriers in the Group 2 $500,000 W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Damien Oliver, above, rides Arcadia Prince in the W.A. Guineas at Ascot. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Perth’s leading jockey William Pike has the task of navigating a winning course for Perfect Jewel from barrier sixteen in the original draw that has one of the two emergencies drawing inside of the filly.
Peter’s other runner Arcadia Prince hasn’t drawn much better at barrier thirteen and has the services of three times Melbourne Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver.
Backmarker Perfect Jewel is coming off a last start fourth in the Listed $100,000 Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 7 with Pike getting the call up again, replacing Jarrad Noske.
Perfect Jewel is marked as the $4.80 second favourite for the W.A. Guineas with Ladbrokes.com.au just behind the top pick Money Maher at $4.
Arcadia Prince is also at single figure odds at $9 and heads into the W.A. Guineas on the back of a last start fourth to Money Maher in the Listed $100,000 Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 11.
Money Maher has also drawn worse than midfield but co-trainer Dan Pearce can see Jarrad Noske giving the Al Maher colt a quiet run back in the field from barrier eleven.
“We couldn’t be happier,” Pearce told The West Australian.
“He should be midfield or worse hopefully with cover and then come into the race late.
“Sometimes when you draw inside you can get held up. A couple of the fancies have drawn outside us.”
The Fred Kersley trained Debellatio ($11) has drawn the pole position for Daniel Staeck while the first emergency Hoodlum Thunder came up with the outside barrier in the final field of sixteen plus two emergencies.
Early betting for the W.A. Guineas at Ladbroks.com.au: $4 Money Maher, $4.80 Perfect Jewel, $8 Art Series, $9 Arcadia Prince, $11 Debellatio, $13 Achernar Star, Gaulois, Roganella, $15 Salubrious, Sophias Secret, $17 Three Secrets, $26 Private Dancer, $41 Reykjavik, $51 Vital Dancer, Brutus Maximus, $101 Hoodium Thunder, $151 Athlete, $201 Turbo Power.
Final field and barrier draw for the 2017 W.A. Guineas (1600m)
| # | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
| 1 | 1x122x712 | ACHERNAR STAR | Simon A Miller | Craig Williams | 3 | 56.5kg |
| 2 | 31531x31x7 | DEBELLATIO | Fred Kersley | Daniel Staeck | 1 | 56.5kg |
| 3 | 4x223x1161 | MONEY MAHER | Daniel & Ben Pearce | Jarrad Noske | 11 | 56.5kg |
| 4 | x62112x614 | SALUBRIOUS | Dion Luciani | Joseph Azzopardi | 2 | 56.5kg |
| 5 | 32x321x218 | GAULOIS | James Cummings | Damian Lane | 17 | 56.5kg |
| 6 | 6134×55243 | REYKJAVIK | Paula Wagg | Shaun O’Donnell | 7 | 56.5kg |
| 7 | 24×2321 | ROGANELLA | Daniel Morton | Chris Parnham | 15 | 56.5kg |
| 8 | 64x3717x98 | TURBO POWER | Neville Parnham | Steven Parnham | 10 | 56.5kg |
| 9 | 2×114 | ARCADIA PRINCE | Grant & Alana Williams | Damien Oliver | 13 | 56.5kg |
| 10 | 68×110 | ATHLETE | Neville Parnham | – | 6 | 56.5kg |
| 11 | 221 | THREE SECRETS | Steve Wolfe | Shaun Mc Gruddy | 8 | 56.5kg |
| 12 | 13×16 | VITAL DANCER | Brett Pope | Peter Hall | 4 | 56.5kg |
| 13 | x1111x3321 | ART SERIES | Darren Mcauliffe | Douglas Whyte | 9 | 54.5kg |
| 14 | 1×114 | PERFECT JEWEL | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 16 | 54.5kg |
| 15 | 5591512 | PRIVATE DANCER | Trevor Andrews | Brad Parnham | 14 | 54.5kg |
| 16 | 5×113 | SOPHIA’S SECRET | Daniel Morton | – | 12 | 54.5kg |
| 17e | 1x | HOODLUM THUNDER | Brett Pope | Mitchell Pateman | 18 | 56.5kg |
| 18e | 45 | BRUTUS MAXIMUS | David Harrison | Patrick Carbery | 5 | 56.5kg |