As the Perth summer rolls on, Ascot Racecourse is set to take centre stage on Saturday, February 7, with the running of Cyril Flower Stakes Day, a nine-race programme that blends early speed, rising talent and Listed-class quality. From the opening jump at 9:59am through to the closing contest at 2:55pm, the card is shaping up as a layered and well-balanced raceday, headlined by the Bisley Workwear – Cyril Flower Stakes, a $125,000 Listed sprint that will bring depth, class and intensity to the afternoon.
The feature, Race 8, is expected to be the focal point of the meeting. Scheduled for 2:20pm over 1200m, the Bisley Workwear – Cyril Flower Stakes is a Listed 87+ contest open to horses aged two and above, and it has drawn a competitive field of 12. With $125,000 on offer, the race is set to showcase established performers and progressive types looking to stamp themselves in Western Australia’s sprinting ranks. The build-up to this contest will carry momentum across the card, with Ascot primed for a decisive late flourish.
The day begins with Race 1, the Mrs Mac’s Handicap, a rating 57+ contest for three-year-olds over 1100m at 9:59am. With six runners chasing an $80,000 purse, it sets an early tempo and offers a sharp introduction to the track conditions. That is followed at 10:34am by the Glenroy Chaff Plate, a 1000m dash for two-year-olds in Race 2, where 10 runners will test their early-season credentials for the same $80,000 prize.
Race 3 at 11:11am brings together a mixed-age field in the Stevie Litton 60th Birthday Handicap. Run over 1000m for rating 66+ horses aged two and up, this $80,000 sprint is likely to inject speed and tactical racing into the mid-morning portion of the card. The tempo then eases slightly in Race 4, the Tabtouch – Westspeed Platinum Handicap, a 1200m contest at 11:51am for rating 58+ runners, offering $40,000 and a chance for consistency performers to shine.
Staying power begins to feature from midday onwards. Race 5, the Andrich Cousins Reunion Handicap at 12:30pm, stretches out to 1800m for rating 58+ horses aged two and above, with 10 runners contesting a $60,000 prize. Race 6 continues that staying theme at 1:05pm, as the VT Plumbing Group Handicap over 2200m brings together another field of 10 in a rating 66+ contest worth $80,000.
Race 7 at 1:42pm sharpens the focus again with the Hamlin Bay Thoroughbreds Handicap, a 1400m race for rating 66+ runners, also carrying an $80,000 purse. This race is expected to serve as a natural bridge between the staying contests and the Listed feature that follows.
All roads then lead to Race 8, the Bisley Workwear – Cyril Flower Stakes. The contenders bring both depth and intrigue. Saloon Bar, partnered by Shaun O’Donnell for trainer Daniel Morton, lines up alongside Ghalib and London’s Image, both trained by Donna Riordan and ridden by Steven Parnham and Lucy Fiore respectively.
Triple Jay represents Daniel and Ben Pearce with Clint Johnston-Porter aboard, while Wind And The Lion carries the colours of Sean and Jake Casey under Chris Parnham. Almighty Class, with William Pike riding for Trevor Andrews, adds further weight to the contest, alongside Asphalt, Cold Shizzle, Miss Skyhigh, Oly’s Choice, Sky Duke and Wubin Gold, each guided by accomplished riders and stables. Over 1200m, class, positioning and timing are expected to define the outcome.
The day concludes at 2:55pm with Race 9, the City of Belmont Handicap. Run over 1600m for rating 72+ horses aged two and above, the finale brings together nine runners competing for $80,000, ensuring the meeting closes on a competitive and measured note.
With a structured progression from youthful speed to Listed-class excellence, Cyril Flower Stakes Day is set to deliver a full-spectrum raceday. Ascot Racecards 7 February promise clarity, class and competitive racing, with the feature sprint standing tall as the afternoon’s defining moment.
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