Saturday Horse Racing Tips & Best Bets for October 10, 2026

Ascot Betting Tips for October 10, 2026 - Fine Star Back in the Spotlight

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: Fri 09 Oct 2026 09:43

Alex Marsh 1 hour ago

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Ascot's new season begins Saturday, October 10, with a 10-race program headlined by the Listed Max Simmonds Stakes
Expert race previews highlight strong prospects like Ocean Goddess, Aberdeen Flyer, Bassett Hound, Snow God, and Fine Star
Fine Star is tipped as the best bet in Race 10, with solid form and favourable conditions for a winning return

Ascot opens its new season with a 10-race Saturday program. (Getty)

Ascot hosts its first meeting of the new season on Saturday, October 10, with a 10-race program marking the return of metropolitan racing to Perth’s premier circuit.

Ascot Tips October 10
Choices By Dallimores Handicap Tips (Race 4)
AFGRI Equipment Handicap Tips (Race 5)
Liquor Barons Handicap Tips (Race 6)
Swan Draught Handicap Tips (Race 8)
Yes Loans Handicap Tips (Race 10)

The Listed Max Simmonds Stakes over 1000m headlines the card, while a strong mix of benchmark and restricted races provides plenty of depth across the afternoon.

For the latest analysis, previews and betting coverage from all codes, visit Live Racing & Sports Updates.

Ascot Tips October 10

Choices By Dallimores Handicap Tips (Race 4)

Ascot Roughie - Race 4 No. 8 Ocean Goddess

Still lightly raced for a six-year-old, Ocean Goddess has done very little wrong across 11 career starts and has generally been competitive whenever she has gone to the races.

The Jessica Carbery-trained mare broke through over 1600m at Belmont on February 18 before being spelled after a fourth at Pinjarra, then returned at Northam on August 27 and found the better going out wide to score at a good each-way price.

She was unable to go back-to-back in a Class 3 at Belmont on September 16 when rising to 60kg, settling further back than ideal and finding herself awkwardly placed before Vampi Queen swept around her with momentum and put the race away.

Ocean Goddess meets that rival 1.5kg better at the weights this time and should be able to secure a more economical run from barrier five, while the drop to 56.5kg gives her 3.5kg less to carry than last start.

The main query is remaining at 1400m when she looks ready to get back to a mile, but she has enough versatility to be effective at this trip and there has always appeared to be a Saturday-grade race in her, making the double-figure quote appealing.

AFGRI Equipment Handicap Tips (Race 5)

Ascot Next Best Bet - Race 5 No. 7 Aberdeen Flyer

Resuming over 1400m against a BM78+ field is no straightforward task, but Aberdeen Flyer is the runner with the most upside in a race containing several more exposed rivals.

The Sean and Jake Casey-trained gelding was competitive throughout his two- and three-year-old seasons, with his sole victory coming at Listed level over 1800m in the J.C. Roberts Stakes at Ascot in March.

He backed that performance up with a runner-up finish in the Listed Melvista Stakes over 2200m before finishing fifth in the WATC Derby over 2400m, where he may simply have reached the end of his staying range.

Aberdeen Flyer has shown enough at shorter trips to suggest 1400m fresh is workable, while his September 29 trial should have brought him on nicely for this return and Chris Parnham takes the ride from barrier four.

Parnham has not missed the top three aboard Aberdeen Flyer and was in the saddle for his Listed victory, and while there should be improvement to come once he gets towards 1600m and beyond, his class can take him a long way first-up.

Liquor Barons Handicap Tips (Race 6)

Ascot Favourite - Race 6 No. 8 Bassett Hound

Race 6 shapes as an intriguing clash between two progressive sprinters in Bassett Hound and Like Clockwork, although the likes of Snitzalatte and the resuming Kings Court ensure it is far from a two-horse affair.

Bassett Hound has always carried a strong reputation and, after enduring little luck during his first campaign, put everything together through the autumn and early winter by winning all three starts of his second preparation.

The Mitchell Pateman-trained gelding showed his versatility across the shorter sprint trips during that sequence, including an Ascot victory before completing the hat-trick over 1200m at Belmont on June 13.

He returns from a break following a September 29 trial and may be better suited kicking off over 1000m than Like Clockwork, who was sharp winning over 1200m first-up on September 26 but now drops back in distance.

Barrier eight should not be a major concern given Bassett Hound is generally allowed to find his feet before winding up late, and by this stage of the Ascot program there should also be a clear indication of whether that pattern is being suited.

Swan Draught Handicap Tips (Race 8)

Ascot Value Bet - Race 8 No. 8 Snow God

This could be the right setup for Snow God, who arrives third-up with a 1400m run under his belt and drops 3kg from his latest appearance at Belmont on September 26.

The David Harrison-trained gelding arguably wins with a kinder draw that day, settling back from barrier 13 before finding the line strongly for fourth in a 13-runner field.

There was also plenty to like about his September 12 return over 1200m, where he hit a flat spot after settling off the speed as a well-backed favourite before warming up late to finish third behind Hurricane Harley and Champagne Crusader.

Snow God may now be more effective around 1400m, having rounded out his previous campaign with a deserved victory over this distance at Belmont on May 23 after a preparation in which little had gone his way.

A better draw in barrier five gives Patrick Carbery more options this time and, in a race where there are some queries around a few of his main threats, Snow God looks capable of producing his best third-up.

Yes Loans Handicap Tips (Race 10)

Ascot Best Bet - Race 10 No. 4 Fine Star

The daughter of Fierce Impact was spelled after a solid two-year-old debut when finishing fourth-of-nine at Listed level in the Supremacy Stakes at Ascot on March 29, 2025.

The Simon Miller-trained mare improved as her second campaign wore on as an early three-year-old, opening with back-to-back seconds before recording consecutive victories, the latest coming over this track and trip.

She then stepped into much stronger company in the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes, where she covered ground throughout in an unlucky effort, before coming from back in the field over a mile in the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes and recording some of the strongest late sectionals in the race.

Resuming from such a lengthy break is never straightforward, but it was hard not to be impressed by her Belmont trial win on September 29, where she worked stylishly to take out a 1000m heat and suggest she is ready to measure up in this relatively modest one-metro-win assignment.

Fine Star looks one of the most talented runners in the field alongside Kraken Time, who is down in grade but may need luck from a wide draw, and from the low alley she looks very well placed to make a winning return.

Verdict

Ascot - October 10

Our Ascot tips for Saturday, October 10 are:

Fine Star

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Aberdeen Flyer

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Snow God

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$4.40 - 2 Units

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Ocean Goddess

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$18.00 - 1 Unit

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