Racing
Ladbrokes Blog: 2025 Idyllic Prince Stakes Day Preview
Belmont is the focus out west again this Saturday as the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes headlines the action in Perth. With wet weather set to play a big part in the Group 1 Winx Stakes action over in Sydney, Perth is following a similar script with the track rated a Heavy 8 at publish and the rail out nine metres. Our best bet comes up nice and early in Race 2, while there are a couple of each-way prospects going around in Race 5 and Race 7.
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To find out who we're backing in our race-by-race preview this Saturday at Belmont, keep scrolling below!
Race 1 – LAWN PRIDE AUSTRALIA PLATE (1200 METRES)
No. 2 Country God
Race time: 9:34 am, 23 Aug 2025
COUNTRY GOD (2) is worth sticking with fourth-up.
The Parnham-trained three-year-old has raised the bar so far this prep, winning his maiden well first-up at Pinjarra, and then improving sharply to win by nearly two lengths at Belmont in a driving finish.
He stretched out to 1400m last start in the Australia Plate where he found the front a long way from home, only gunned down late in a blanket finish.
Back to 1200m now and drawn an inside gate, he should run another big race.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 1
Race 2 – WESTSPEED PLATINUM HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
No. 4 Ginger Morpheus
Race time: 10:12 am, 23 Aug 2025
GINGER MORPHEUS (4) looks to take the next step now for Michael Lane and connections.
The Universal Ruler gelding was enormous second-up here over the track and trip a few weeks ago, knuckling down along the inside to fight back and knock off Niccimota by three-quarters of a length.
That form has been franked with the runner-up going on to win at Pinjarra on Wednesday, and from another inside gate with 2kg off at the weights, a similar performance looks to be on the cards.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 2
Race 3 – JACK MARKS – 2025 WA RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE HANDICAP (1000 METRES)
No. 3 Under Influence
Race time: 10:49 am, 23 Aug 2025
UNDER INFLUENCE (3) hasn't won for a while but that might not be the case for much longer based on his effort a couple of weeks ago at Pinjarra.
The Pearce-trained gelding was one of the runs of the day for mine, timing his run to perfection to get up along the rail over the final 100m to run a blazing second to recent hat-trick winner, Madhi Girl.
He's rock-hard fit now with three runs under his belt and with a stack of wet track experience, he should find conditions to suit.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 3
Race 4 – BEAU SOVEREIGN – 2025 WA RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
No.2 Yorga Pride
Race time: 11:28 am, 23 Aug 2025
YORGA PRIDE (2) has most of these covered in terms of talent and class I think.
Having won four of her five starts to date, the Williams-trained mare was outstanding winning over the track and trip last start, knuckling down into the turn to bolt in late after blowing the start.
She's still got big scope for improvement second-up and although this is tougher, the 3kg claim certainly helps.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 4
Race 5 – REG TREFFONE – 2025 WA RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE HANDICAP (1650 METRES)
No. 4 Rock In Wonder
Race time: 12:04 pm, 23 Aug 2025
ROCK IN WONDER (4) has resumed a treat for trainer Ryan Hill so far.
He was duly rewarded a win last start over the mile at Pinjarra, rolling forward to run the race on his own terms, where he quickly punched clear to put two lengths on his riavls.
This is harder again, but we've seen him hold his own at Saturday grade last year during the spring.
Drawn a soft gate in a race that doesn't feature a ton of early speed on paper, he could easily finish Top 3.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 5
Race 6 – DAMIAN LANE – 2025 WA RACING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
No. 8 Terratif
Race time: 12:40 pm, 23 Aug 2025
TERRATIF (8) hasn't put a hoof wrong this prep, winning nicely fresh at Bunbury, and then storming the line late for second on the Scarpside track at Pinjarra a few weeks ago.
She's been given a similar three-week gap between runs for this assignment and gets in nice and light at the weights from another inside gate.
Apprentice hoop Chanel Cooper has been in solid form of late, and she has a good feel for this lightly-raced mare having ridden her as a four-year-old last year.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 6
Race 7 – IDYLLIC PRINCE STAKES (1300 METRES)
No. 7 Fluro Neuro
Race time: 1:20 pm, 23 Aug 2025
FLURO NEURO (7) would be a well-deserved winner of this race.
The Williams-trained galloper has been the model of consistency dating back to New Year's Day, recently resuming in the Newmarket a couple of weeks ago where he stalked the speed and let rip down the outside to finish half a length of Phanta in the run home.
The fact he hasn't missed the money in seven straight runs is enough to make him a serious each-way prospect, but if he settles handy this time under Patrick Carbery with the rise in trip suiting, he should be one of the hardest to beat.
Bet Now: Belmont Race 7
Race 8 – VERNON BROCKMAN – 2025 WA SPIRIT OF RACING WINNER HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
No. 9 Shmoov Moova
Race time: 1:50 pm, 23 Aug 2025
Keen on SHMOOV MOOVA (9) here on the back of a total forgive run on the heavy track at Pinjarra a few weeks earlier.
Simon Miller's gelding was first-up off a decent spell, and I think the decision to race over 1200m may have been a stretch too far considering he won back-to-back starts over the summer to kick off his prep over 1000m.
He'll take plenty away from that run though as he gets back on a dryer track with 55.5kg on his back once again.
