Racing Tips & Best Bets – Saturday, December 13, 2025

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Ascot Betting Tips for December 13, 2025 - Gold Rush Day Betting Guide

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: Fri 12 Dec 2025 02:14

Alex Marsh 12 Dec 2025

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Ascot's Saturday lineup features The Gold Rush and Starstruck Classic
Highlighted picks include Smooth Chino, Machine Gun Gracie, and Hez Got The Safe
Expect a mix of rising stars and established talents on race day

Expired

The Gold Rush, a $1 million 1400m feature, headlines Saturday’s Ascot card. (Getty)

Ascot stages a strong Saturday program with multiple feature races shaping the card, highlighted by The Gold Rush and the Starstruck Classic.

Ascot Tips December 13
Pkf Perth Handicap Tips (Race 4)
Black Heart Bart Stakes Tips (Race 5)
Tabtouch - Starstruck Classic Tips (Race 8)
The Gold Rush Tips (Race 9)
Share Bets With Tabtouch Bet Loop Tips (Race 10)

Punters get a good blend of emerging types and established performers across an even lineup, and the WA summer pattern should ensure genuine tempo and fair racing throughout. Several key betting races anchor the afternoon and set up a solid platform for the meeting.

Ascot Tips December 13

Pkf Perth Handicap Tips (Race 4)

Ascot Roughie - Race 4 No. 9 No Peer

It was a strange move to scratch from what looked a much easier assignment at Pinjarra on Thursday.

However, this shapes as a bit of a nothing affair.

The fresh effort from No Peer was better than it reads, with nothing expected from the six-year-old in that November 15 return when sent out at long odds.

Her strike rate around the mile range is solid, which includes a winning hat-trick last summer.

And while her second-up stats don’t read all that well, her latest second-up run produced a runner-up finish behind Arcadia Park, who won his next two races at Listed level.

Black Heart Bart Stakes Tips (Race 5)

Ascot Best Bet - Race 5 No. 2 Smooth Chino

The unbeaten galloper has won all five appearances.

He progressed through the grades sharply when taking out the Three-Year-Old Magic Millions at Pinjarra to round out his first campaign.

He has since added two 66+ victories in November and easily carried the 2kg penalty in the latest when a popular favourite.

This is clearly harder now in Stakes grade, but he finds a pretty thin Listed race where the second favourite is also rising in class.

Repossession is suited dropping in grade, but the Ganjimi-trained galloper hasn’t quite come up this prep, and Smooth Chino can keep the winning streak rolling.

Tabtouch - Starstruck Classic Tips (Race 8)

Ascot Next Best Bet - Race 8 No. 2 Machine Gun Gracie

It’s disappointing that we didn’t get to see her earlier in the carnival, with Machine Gun Gracie not coming up in time for potential tilts at the Railway Stakes or even the Northerly.

While she is first up here with 60kg, she still brings a genuine class edge to this Listed race against her own sex.

Her two trials have been excellent, with a quiet third in a Belmont heat on November 24 before a more than six-length Larkhill win on December 1 where she wasn’t asked for much.

Several key rivals have already had their Grand Finals earlier in the carnival and may be tapering off.

This looks a mare to follow heading out of the Starstruck Classic.

The Gold Rush Tips (Race 9)

Ascot Feature Bet - Race 9 No. 11 Rope Them In

It’s a tricky race to assess with sprinters rising in distance and others dropping back from 1800m via the Northerly Stakes.

Rope Them In could be set to peak fourth-up at 1400m, having resumed with a 1200m win before splitting Watch Me Rock and Cosmic Crusader over this trip. That form has since been franked by both rivals becoming Group 1 winners.

From that Asian Beau Stakes clash, he now meets Cosmic Crusader 7kg better, a significant turnaround against the current market elect. The weight swing alone brings him right into the race.

He was completely unsuited by the Winterbottom Stakes shape, settling back and wide in a race that offered nothing for those trying to build into it. Even from that position, he was one of the few making ground late.

With a more suitable set-up and the rise to 1400m, Rope Them In profiles as a genuine improver. This looks the race where he can produce his peak.

Share Bets With Tabtouch Bet Loop Tips (Race 10)

Ascot Value Bet - Race 10 No. 6 Hez Got The Safe

Hez Got The Safe is far better than what we saw first-up on November 29 when he continually lost ground despite jumping well.

The big son of Safeguard never saw daylight in the straight and that run is a clear forgive.

He showed raw ability as a younger horse with a breakthrough win over this trip at Bunbury early last spring before placing behind Storyville, who was airborne at the time.

He will tighten up nicely with that recent outing under the belt.

This is also a slightly easier assignment than the fast-run affair he contested a fortnight ago.

Verdict

Ascot - December 13

Our Ascot tips for Saturday, December 13 are:

Smooth Chino

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Machine Gun Gracie

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Hez Got The Safe

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No Peer

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