Ararat Racing Tips for November 8 – Aftermath the one to beat in Ararat Gold Cup

Here are our best bets from the meeting, which features the Ararat Gold Cup and the Ararat Bowl.

Model Gigi can get the job done in Race 2. The John McArdle-trained filly has placed just once in four career starts and has finished fifth in both runs this preparation. She led them up at Mornington most recently before sticking on for fifth behind Regal Harry in a stronger maiden than this. Earlier in the year, she showed promise when narrowly beaten at Pakenham in a maiden that subsequently produced a number of winners. Model Gigi comes into this with the best last-start benchmark figures of any runner in the race and should settle on the speed. This looks a suitable opportunity for her to break through.

The late-maturing Southern Crescent took some time to find her feet before turning the corner earlier this year, putting together three consecutive wins. She closed that campaign with a victory at Caulfield before finishing eighth in Saturday grade at Flemington. The five-year-old resumed over 1100m at Hamilton last month, settling midfield before finding herself held up for much of the home straight. She appeared to have plenty to offer when finishing an untested third. Southern Crescent trialled well before that return, doesn't mind some give in the ground and draws perfectly in barrier three. She represents value at the quote in a race that is well within her grasp.

Aftermath can complete a hat-trick of wins in the Ararat Gold Cup. The Paul Preusker-trained galloper has won his past two starts by a combined margin of seven lengths, including an impressive all-the-way victory by five lengths over Breathless Spirit in the Mortlake Cup last weekend. He had defeated Saint Arnold at his previous outing and produced a performance nearly four lengths faster than standard benchmark figures last time, comfortably the best last-start rating of any runner in this field. Aftermath has produced solid figures on short back-ups in the past and should push across from barrier nine with Lyndon Meech aboard. He is clearly the one to beat.

Keen on Celsius Star in the Ararat Bowl. The veteran galloper is on the short back-up after finishing down the track in the Rising Fast Stakes at Flemington, where he led before being hampered as he began to tire. His previous two performances were much more encouraging, finishing runner-up in the Apache Cat Classic at Cranbourne before narrowly missing out again in a sprint on Geelong Cup Day. Celsius Star performs well on rain-affected ground and looks likely to get conditions to suit here, which could prove crucial to his chances. He has the early speed to cross from his draw, although Stonecoat and Black Storm may kick up underneath him. Provided he doesn't overdo things in the early stages, he is capable of giving a strong kick at the business end and returning to the winner's stall.