Australian horse racing picks for Ascot and Rosehill

Australia’s final Group 1 race of the year will take place tonight, when Ascot hosts the Kingston Town over 9 furlongs.

BetAmerica and TwinSpires horseplayers will be able to enjoy that venue in Western Australia, along with three other Thoroughbred meetings from the East tonight — Doomben, Rosehill, and Newcastle.

Here’s a pick for the Kingston Town, and another from Doomben, to get your night of Aussie racing action underway.

Ascot, Race 8: #4 Too Close The Sun

This 5-year-old son of Carlton House has been racing superbly this campaign.

Two starts back he was sensational, when he demolished the opposition in a listed race over the same track and distance of tonight’s race. He then stepped up to Group 1 company in the Railway over a mile, and was just run down late by superstar mare Inspirational Girl, who is the 9-4 favorite tonight.

Considering Too Close The Sun will start around 7-1 or 8-1, he is definitely the value in the race. The extra furlong makes me confident he can turn the tables on the favorite, particularly as she has drawn in the car park and Too Close The Sun is drawn in post 10.

Too Close The Sun will be racing on the lead, and if he can open up a break at the top of the stretch, he’ll be very tough to run down.

Doomben, Race 8: #8 Jonker

Jonker made his debut for leading Queensland trainer Tony Gollan last time out and couldn’t have been more impressive.

He is certainly entitled to improve in fitness. He is drawn well and has the versatility to either lead and dictate or race off the speed. He will be very tough to beat, and those 11-4 morning-line odds are attractive.

Good luck!