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By Neil Evans

Track Heavy 9 and rail True

We start the transferred Narromine Cup meeting with a tough short-course maiden on a slightly firmer surface, although still heading for a rating deep into soft range. Resuming off a near seven month spell with gear changes, five-year-old mare 7. Are You Certain can strike fresh. No official trials, but gets in light after the claim, and this is weak.

Dangers: Capable mare 9. Ready Made Doll hasn't started for seven months, but stable likes to get them ready without publicly trialling, and he'll be running on. Watch the betting on Pride Of Dubai three-year-old 4. Outside Edge who debuts from a soft draw behind a quiet trial for a leading country stable; while Bianconi 6YO 1. Brogans Creek is also on debut off two improving trials. Include ex-Victorian three-year-old 2. Nannu in trifectas and first fours resuming for a new NSW country yard.

How to play it: Are You Certain to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Progressive Rubick mare 4. Rubi Air is ready to win third-up after finishing off well ridden quieter in a deeper maiden at Forbes. More aggressive and senior rider takes over, and she already has plenty of experience on rain-affected ground.

Dangers: Big watch too on four-year-old 1. Protostar who is having his first run in 14 weeks for a new Nyngan stable after transferring from the Freedman camp. Draws to get cover, trialled quietly and bred to handle rain-affected going. Included in all exotics 5. Candid third-up who is clear best of the rest.

How to play it: Rubi Air to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Another tricky maiden at set weights. Leaning now to honest mare 7. Boorowa Girl who has been finishing her races well. Gets back out to a more suitable trip, and one of the best country riders in NSW has been booked.

Dangers: Expect improvement from 3. Guzzler third-up from a better draw, with top country hoop back on. Both 9. Cuddles who is hard fit; and 11. Flying Justice second-up off a four-week break and drawn inside; can run into a place.

How to play it: Boorowa Girl to win
Odds and Evens: Odds a special

Very keen on talented four-year-old 3. Possibly So who should have won his last two when having no luck from awkward positions charging home late. Steps out in distance at the right time, drawn to get a soft run back in the field, and not surprisingly a change of jockey has been made. Suited at set weights, and will thrive on a heavy surface being by Star Witness.

Dangers: Capable five-year-old 6. Tintern Power will need luck from a wide barrier, but can finish hard if he gets the right sort of cover, and down in weight after the jockey's 3kg allowance. Include 4. Prince Of Tokyo and 5. Quest For Honour in exotics.

How to play it: Possibly So to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Another tough race, although weakened after scratchings. Last start maiden winner 2. Keep On Going has a tougher draw third-up, but is bred to relish rain-affected ground, and is still improving.

Dangers: Honest mare 10. Riders Inthe Stand is never far from the action, but doesn't win often, although reasonably well treated on the limit weight third-up. Expecting a much better run from five-year-old mare 3. Super Chance who gets significant gear changes third-up, including winkers back on. Keep safe last start maiden winner 6. Money Not My God fifth-up.

How to play it: Keep On Going to win and box trifecta 2,3,6,10
Odds and Evens: Evens

Plenty of chances in this one. Like underrated Dubbo mare 7. Silver Scissors who can peak second-up off a long break over more ground. Showed plenty of improvement in a progressive campaign late last year, and should be ridden a bit quieter here from a wider draw and allowed to hit the line.

Dangers: Stablemate mare 4. Coopella draws to get plenty of cover back in the field, and with clear room from the 400m can charge into the finish third-up. Local six-year-old 2. Deshawn has continued to find the line in two runs since winning a weaker maiden here five weeks ago. Keep safe 10. Our Blue Moon third-up from a soft draw.

How to play it: Silver Scissors each way
Odds and Evens: Split

The feature battle could be dominated by last start winners headed by progressive four-year-old 6. Island Press who tracked the speed and put them to the sword impressively in the BM 85 Dubbo Cup Prelude only a week ago. Bred to relish the wet, and the quick back-up is a key pointer.

Dangers: Canberra five-year-old 8. Dubai Centre is as tough as they come, and shoots for four wins on the bounce. This is his biggest step up in class through the prep and over 300m further, but drops sharply in weight. Grand campaigner, 10-year-old 1. A Magic Zariz travelled well & loomed up in that recent Dubbo Prelude but didn't finish off, although meets the winner of that race 3.5kg better; while 2. Wild Rocket can run into the minor end of the money.

How to play it: Island Press to win
Odds and Evens: Evens

We close over the sprint trip, and this shapes nicely for resuming four-year-old stallion 3. Antonio Giovanni having his first start for the new Gulgong stable since switching from the Chris Waller yard. Won a deeper provincial maiden in heavy going first-up last time before immediately tackling Group company in Qld, and has a real edge in class.

Dangers: A little drop in distance and weight will suit 7. The Big Seal who was disappointing when stepping up to BM 58 grade after his maiden win. Another one first-up, 1. Great Buy is back in grade but up significantly in weight; while 6. Hampton Cove off a last-start BM 58 win is in the each-way mix.

How to play it: Antonio Giovanni to win
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R4 3. POSSIBLY SO
R7 6. ISLAND PRESS

BEST VALUE:
R6 7. SILVER SCISSORS

All the fields, form and replays for Sunday's Cowra meeting