10 heavy-hitting Eastern raiders planning WA invasion for Pinnacles carnival at Ascot over next five weeks

Some of WA’s best were on show at Ascot on the weekend, but their job to defend the local spoils has been made harder with 10 eastern states-trained horses booked for the Pinnacles carnival. So, who are these raiders eyeing up our riches? Three of the four top trainers in Australia will jet horses over for the feature races, including the national leader Ciaron Maher. Light Infantry Man, who shot to stardom as one of the UK’s best three-year-olds in 2022, had been winless since his first two race starts until Thursday, when sitting midfield in the Chester Manifold Stakes (1600m) before winding up from the 400m to romp away with a taking two-and-a-quarter length success. The victory stamped him as a Railway and Northerly Stakes candidate, but Maher will also have Queensland Oaks winner Socks Nation aiming at the two races. She was a stout third in the Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), grinding home from the 600m to split Amelia’s Jewel and Alsephina, with the latter last year’s Railway runner-up. Second on the Australian Trainer Premiership is Chris Waller, who has popular gelding Democracy Manifest in the two events. The six-year-old ran on from near last and despite being bumped around in the early stages of the straight, zoomed to finish a close-up third in the Craven Plate (1800m). Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald will send three horses over, with Golden Eagle (1500m) sixth Port Lockroy looming as a Railway candidate after a workmanlike effort in the $10 million feature, beaten just over two lengths. Numerian, who won the Van Heemst before a Perth Cup fourth on January 1, will return for the Northerly and another tilt at the Cup following winter glory in the Hollindale Stakes (1800m) in Queensland. He made his run with Democracy Manifest in the Craven but couldn’t match his late dash, running a two-and-a-quarter length eighth. Lady Laguna, a Group 1 winner earlier this year over 1300m, over-raced in the Champions Sprint (1200m) on Saturday and couldn’t finish off. She was beaten four lengths, with early leader Overpass just ahead of her. Overpass, Bjorn Baker’s sprinting sensation, who is well known in WA after winning two Quokkas and a Winterbottom, will be back for a Sprint defence. Baker will also launch Belclare on Ascot, with the two-time NZ Group 1 winner leading all the way to claim her last two starts at Group 2 level over 1400m in Sydney. Grahame Begg’s Maharba powered home from centre field to clinch the Rising Fast (1200m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day. Last year’s Toorak Handicap (1600m) winner Attrition is slated to run in the Northerly after doing his best work late in Saturday’s Five Diamonds (1800m). He was badly crowded late and should have finished closer than his one-and-a-half length fourth. TABtouch markets: Railway Light Infantry Man $6 Democracy Manifest $8 Belclare $9 Socks Nation $18 Port Lockroy $34 Winterbottom Overpass $3.50 Lady Laguna $9 Maharba $15 Northerly Attrition $8 Light Infantry Man $9 Democracy Manifest $11 Socks Nation $21 Belclare $26 Numerian $41