Saturday, December 13, at Ascot is shaping up like a celebration wrapped in horsepower. Gold Rush Day, the grand finale of The Pinnacles, will transform the racecourse into a charged mix of summer colour, festival spirit, and end-of-season anticipation, with ten races scheduled from 9:24 am to 3:10 pm.
A live DJ is slated to close the afternoon, and Christmas parties will spill across the precinct, promising an atmosphere that blends high-class racing with pure celebration. At the heart of the day sits the $1.5 million Gold Rush, the centrepiece of five weeks of WA’s showpiece racing carnival. Every moment on Saturday feels poised to erupt into something memorable.
Everything builds toward Race 9, The Gold Rush, a 1400-metre clash set for 2:28 pm with a staggering $1.5 million purse. Twelve runners, both seasoned and aspiring, will step onto the track knowing this is the moment that defines the entire carnival. The vibe around the enclosure is expected to be electric, as connections aim to make one last statement on the biggest stage of The Pinnacles’ closing act. Contenders include Overpass, Western Empire, Magnificent Andy, Comfort Me, Bustler, Iowna Merc, Oscar’s Fortune, Rey Magnerio, Cosmic Crusader, Rope Them In, Aztec Ruler, and Super Smink.
The undercard also promises fireworks, beginning with Race 5, the Black Heart Bart Stakes, at 11:58 am. This 1200-metre Listed sprint, carrying $125,000 in prize money, features eight runners and often sets the tone for the afternoon’s early energy. Contenders include Objectify, Cessation, Ice Pick Nick, Speed Dream, Yonga Lass, Tin Chooks, Smooth Chino, and Repossession.
Race 8, the TABtouch – Starstruck Classic, follows at 1:47 pm, offering another layer of class over 1600 metres for $125,000. Eleven runners will chase both the prize and a place in Ascot’s season-ending storyline, including Storyville, Machine Gun Gracie, Bonjoy, Luvnwar, Madame Magic, Zephyra, Noteworthy, Secret Attraction, Chollima, Amjaad, and Impressive Jewel.
Gold Rush Day is not just about headline races. The Christmas parties, buffet spreads, Flying Colours dining crowd, and the crescendo of The Pinnacles all contribute to a festival-style backdrop that elevates every race. The atmosphere is expected to swing between family-day warmth and carnival-day roar, with each result adding another note to the season’s final crescendo. Ascot’s mix of sport and celebration is set to deliver one of the most talked-about send-offs of any recent summer.
The remaining seven races provide structure and rhythm to the day. The morning opens at 9:24 am with the Bisley Workwear Handicap over 1800 metres ($80,000, eight runners), an rtg65+ race that traditionally sets the early tone. At 10:01 am, Mrs Mac’s Plate, a 1400-metre contest for three-year-olds ($80,000, nine runners), brings youthful energy, seamlessly followed by the MCA Polytrack Handicap at 10:41 am over 1000 metres ($80,000, nine runners), a rtg66+ contest anchoring Race 3.
The flow continues with the PKF Perth Handicap at 11:21 am, a 1600-metre Grad Handicap 58+ ($60,000, nine runners) that often sparks momentum heading toward the Listed features. Race 6, the Morley Growers Market Handicap, takes place at 12:35 pm over 1500 metres ($80,000, ten runners), returning to the rtg66+ theme, followed by the Swan Draught Handicap at 1:07 pm over 1200 metres ($80,000, twelve runners), a rtg72+ clash that tightens the competition.
Finally, the Loop Handicap closes the card at 3:10 pm over 1200 metres ($60,000, twelve runners), a Grad Handicap 60+ that wraps up both the programme and the entire Pinnacles series. Together, these races form a rising arc that guides energy from first light to the final roar.
With the stage set and the gates ready to open, Gold Rush Day is prepared to close The Pinnacles in style, sound, and spectacle. From the season’s last big Group race to the live DJ spinning through the celebration, Ascot is poised for a finale that will be remembered long after the summer dust settles.
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