This Saturday three Group features will bring Perth’s Ascot Racecourse to life for Railway Stakes Day, the first of which is the WA Guineas 2012 – betting tips and selections on the three-year-olds’ feature listed below for Races.com.au readers.

The $350,000 Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m) is due to jump at 3:20pm (local time) as Ascot Race 7 and the 16 starter field will now feature first emergency Apocalypse Now, prepared by last year’s winning trainer Trevor Andrews (King Saul), who has snuck into the field following the early scratching of triple figure roughie #14 Pasison Cantata.

In the latest WA Guineas odds it is the Grant Williams-trained Antique Belle who has firmed into the $3.50 favourite as she looks to become the third filly in the past five years to take out the race.

She is followed closely by former favourite Luke’s Luck ($3.60), also representing Andrews, who will jump from barrier 14 as they step back in class after their third to Luckygray in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) in open age company last time out.

Peter Snowden’s Sydney visitor Academus, fourth in a Listed feature on Emirates Stakes Day last start, is then the only other single figure fancy in the WA Guineas betting markets paying $5 to upstage the locals.

So is Races.com.au sticking with the top three in our WA Guineas tips?

Or do we have a longer priced hopeful rated special to win such as Fuddle Dee Duddle ($11) or Rebelson ($12) who both come of black type wins at the track?

To Win

#4 Rebelson ($12)

• Great value on the Darren McAuliffe-trained Snippetson gelding
• After their third win on the trot after a mid-week win at Belmont Park over the mile then their big one and three quarter length victory over many Guineas hopefuls in the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m)
• Drawn ideally in barrier four with Fairetha Stakes winning jockey Jason Whiting staying on
• The Fairetha has produced three of the past five WA Guineas winners with King Saul (4^th in 2010), Playing Gold (2^nd in 2010) and Megatic (2^nd in 2007)
• One of only three last start winners in the race
• Boasts the equal best Win Rate (50%)
• One win from two starts at the track
• Has one of the best records over the mile (2-1-0-0) with only three other rivals having won over the 1600m previously

To Place

#1 Luke’s Luck ($3.60)

• Prepared by last year’s winning trainer Trevor Andrews
• Was one-time favourite but eased out to a more backable price
• Third-up on Saturday and at their third run last time in they won the Group 2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) at the track from barrier 12 of 16
• Have a wide gate to overcome (14) but have proven they can do that before
• A dual Group winner having also taken out the Group 3 WA Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) back in April
• Regular rider Shaun McGruddy stays on
• Will appreciate coming back to three-year-old company after two good runs against the older horses when a first-up second to Power Princess in the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m) and third to Railway Stakes favourite Luckygray in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m)
• Boasts one of the best records at the track (8-3-2-1)

#2 Academus ($5)

• Classy raider from Sydney looking to bring it to the locals
• Good chance from barrier 7 with Kerrin McEvoy travelling over for the ride
• Three runs in and will be fitter after their opening two starts which were a first-up win at Hawkesbury and then a fourth to Eximus in the Listed Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on November 10
• Carried 60kg giving 3kg to the winner Eximus in their last run so will appreciate coming back to the 56.5kg set weights in the Guineas
• The extra 200m on Saturday should suit as they step up to the mile for the first time this prep
• Saw the mile during the winter when finished a very credible third behind Sizzling in the Group 1 TJ Smith (1600m) in Brisbane

Roughie We Like

#7 Dominating ($21)

• Rating the form of Rebelson’s Fairetha Stakes win and this horse ran second in that
• Very generous price considering the run before was also a credible third at the track and they showed nice improvement on that stepping up from 1000m to 1400m
• Has had a strange lead-up but if they improve again and handle the distance they are a genuine smokey

Whether you are backing or sacking our WA Guineas selections the Perth racing odds you will be searching for are available online at bookmaker.com.au – the only online bookie users the chance to Pick Your Own Odds!