COMPETITIVE PLACID ARK STAKES HEADLINES THE FIRST DAY OF THE PINNACLES RACING CARNIVAL AT ASCOT

By Graham Potter | Thursday, November 12, 2026

The Pinnacles Racing Carnival, Western Australia's premier racing attraction which encompasses five feature race days offering just under $11 million in prize-money, kicks off at Ascot on Saturday.

While Saturday’s fare includes three Group 3 races, in terms of prize-money it is the $500 000 Listed Placid Ark Stakes, to be contested over 1200m, which takes pride of place with a full field of sixteen runners set to face the starter.

In the last two years, the winner of the Placid Ark Preview (1100m) went on to win the Placid Ark Stakes itself and this year the race will produce a rematch of the first three runners past the post in the Placid Ark Preview, which was won by the Chris and Michael Gangemi trained Levati Dimezzo, who upstaged the $1.40 favourite Afireofgidgeecoals that day, leaving the main fancy back 0.49 lengths in second place with Gaintree claiming third spot.

Levati Dimezzo did surprise at $12 when stepping up from Class 1 company, but the lightly raced son of King Of Comedy (that was only his fifth career start) clearly had scope for improvement after finishing second in three of his four starts prior to the Placid Ark Preview.

The chances are that win will have brought him on further … but, equally, he will have to find something extra if he is to keep Afireofgidgeecoals at bay again as the letter will enjoy a significant 4kg favourable turnaround at the weights.

The Daniel Morton trained Afireofgidgeecoals is certainly overdue as he has now finished in second place in all of his last three starts … the Group 3 Sires’ Produce (when beaten by the star performer Beatty), in the Max Simmonds (when beaten by Big Red Zoom) and then in the Placid Ark Preview.

He also has a notable victory behind his name having taken out the $500 000 Karrakatta, on that occasion getting the better of Beatty by 0.88 lengths at level eights over this Saturday’s track and distance.

Lucy Fiore, who has ridden Afireofgidgeecoals in six of his seven starts, will again be in the saddle. Brad Parnham, who similarly has ridden Levati Dimezzo in four of his five starts reunites with the Gangemi trained runner. He replaced Clint Johnston-Porter who partnered Levati Dimezzo to victory in the Placid ark Preview.

As was the case when these two runners last met, Afireofgidgeecoals is the main fancy, this time at $2.60, while Levati Dimezzo is currently quoted at $11.

Gaintree, who finished third in the Placid Ark Preview at a starting price of $19 remains out in the betting for Saturday at a quote of $18.

But Afireofgidgeecoals does have a market rival in the form of the Tassort gelding One Last Resort. who currently sits on the second line of betting at $3.30.

The plus factors for One Last Resort are … that he is trained by Sean and Jake Casey, an in-form stable who celebrated a feature race double at Ascot last Saturday with Beatty (in the Fairetha Stakes) and Aberdeen Flyer (in the Luckygray Stakes) … that he will be ridden by Willie Pike … and that he is a last start winner where he saluted by a clearcut 3.40 lengths.

Purely on form though, it would seem One Last Resort will need to find a few lengths to have a major say here. We will learn more about his potential on Saturday.

The Neville Parnham trained Achy Breaky ($9), who finished second to Beatty in the Belgravia Stakes, is the only other runner quoted in single figures in the betting.

Big Red Zoom could be the horse flying under the radar. The chestnut was two from two (including that Max Simmonds win) before coming up short when unplaced in the Belgravia. He is a $23 chance.

Harbour Rise ($26) might have to step things up a bit, but he is bidding for a hat-trick of wins, a fact which brings its own warning, while Perfume Princess also has outside claims having won two of her last three starts, albeit in lesser company. She is a $101 chance.