Handful of Albany gallopers to fly the local flag in Ascot feature races

Five Albany gallopers will fly the local flag in Ascot feature races on the opening day of the Masters carnival on Saturday. Leading Albany trainer Steve Wolfe will have a two-pronged attack in the Group 2 $500,000 Sky Racing WA Guineas (1600m) with the highly fancied filly Watch Me Dance and outsider Bragwell. Fellow top local trainer Roy Rogers will saddle up debutant Heavenly Waters in the $100,000 Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m) for two-year-old runners along with Luke’s Gold, which will contest the listed $100,000 Carbine Club of WA Stakes (1400m) against Wolfe’s Lordhelpmerun. After a thrilling victory in the Group 3 Champion Fillies Stakes last Saturday, Watch Me Dance rates as one of the main chances in the WA Guineas. However, Wolfe said there was nothing between Watch Me Dance and Bragwell in the three-year-old feature. “They are both going well and will be very competitive,” he said. “The filly (Watch Me Dance) is the class horse in the race but the other one is not far behind her. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if one of them didn’t win and I expect both of them to finish in the top half a dozen. “Having two genuine chances in the race certainly gets you up and about.” Watch Me Dance will be ridden by Shaun McGruddy from barrier one with 54.5kg and was an $8 chance on TABtouch yesterday. Bragwell will carry 56.5kg and has drawn ideally as well in barrier three with Peter Knuckey in the saddle and is a $29 chance. Heavenly Waters has only had one official trial, winning impressively in Albany and will make her race debut in strong company. Lucy Warwick will ride Heavenly Waters from barrier seven with 54.5kg on her back. Rogers and Warwick will also team up with Luke’s Gold, who has drawn the outside alley while McGruddy is booked to ride Lordhelpmerun from gate two in the Carbine Stakes.