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By Neil Evans

Track Heavy 9 & rail out 8m from 1400m to WP & 3m the remainder:

4. Azzucca is a talented filly well placed to strike second-up on heavy ground in only her second prep. Placed twice at Canberra late last year to start her career, and was a solid closer first-up at home on the synthetic 17 days ago. 1. Lunar Mojo is ultra honest having placed in five consecutive runs over the past 18 weeks, and reloads again off a three week break. Ridden much quieter from the wide barrier last start at Albury and worked home okay, but settles closer from this draw. 3. Quick Spell has shown solid improvement in two runs back from a spell over the border. Both 8. Miss Pepeha hard fit and trained on the course, and 12. Serenading, a locally-trained two-year-old filly by Written By on debut; can add value into trifecta and first four plays.

How to play it: Azzucca to win

Prepared to forgive home track three-year-old 3. Donegal Bay, despite going under in four straight runs both sides of the border as a short-priced favourite. That said, he copped some poor rides from a mile off the speed in his last couple, but still made up a stack of ground. Thrives in the wet, and settling closer this time importantly over a furlong further, he can finally open his account. 5. Bonnie Murringo is a very lightly raced home filly resuming off a steady trial. 9. Tassy Fox is over the odds at home well into her prep, and with some timely weight relief. Watch the betting on 7. Belnera, an ex-Victorian mare having her first outing for the new home stable, and took on much tougher metropolitan company last prep.

How to play it: Donegal Bay to win

7. Dantain’s Prize is a tough and still improving local filly who rates on top deep into the prep in a wide open race. Has hit the line nicely in her last two, beaten only narrowly, and she’s had an instant liking for this track and trip. 3. Pride Of Jezza has to overcome a wide draw, but she’s versatile on the speed map and been competitive enough this prep. 1. Bomerton charged home from last here third-up, and right at peak fitness now. Keep safe 4. Riverbend Unicorn who comes back to his best distance fifth-up, and has a 65 percent place record from 11 starts. 5. Broken Image is drawn to get a soft run just off the speed; while 10. Hardly Fortunate can improve further up in trip at her third start, despite drawing off the track. 12. Calpastatin is the best of the rest fifth-up.

How to play it: Dantain’s Prize to win

3. Special Prophet is a tough and improving four-year-old who can go back-to-back at this track deep into the campaign. Was grabbed in the last stride after leading over this trip at Narrandera before tracking the speed and going home best here 15 days ago after being backed from $4.80 into $3.80, and the second horse from that race then ran well at Canberra last Friday. 2. Miss Fennell is a progressive home track filly shooting for a second consecutive win third-up. Up sharply in trip, but has enough tactical speed to offset the outside barrier. Gap to the rest headed by home tracker 9. New York Missile who gets a handy weight drop from the inside draw, and at bigger odds stablemate 12. Freddy’s Shock also down in weight and coming off an all-the-way win in much weaker grade.

How to play it: Special Prophet to win

3. Hells Son is a genuine and still improving Victorian four-year-old who can claim a second win from his last four outings. Swept home from midfield to beat similar company at Wodonga before narrowly missing back in NSW, then running home hard from further back at Albury three weeks ago. Drawn to get to the outside, and right at home on wet tracks. 6. Hope And Glory reloads off a tidy barrier-to box fresh win at Nowra on a Soft 7, and can take some catching if he’s left alone over the same trip. 1. Galston Gorge is a strong each-way chance drawn low, and resuming off a dominant trial win. 2. The Wayfarer is a tough Victorian coming off an easy win in weaker grade over the border. 7. Rocket Rudee finds a more suitable race fifth-up at home, with a senior jockey taking over. 10. Beau Rock mixes his form, but capable of running into the minor money.

How to play it: Hells Son to win

4. Three Musketeers is a lightly raced four-year-old from the same Wangaratta stable as the previous on top selection, and well suited in an open race second-up behind a seven week freshen. Powered home to finish less than two lengths from the winner in deeper grade here 17 days ago, and the extra furlong is ideal. Naturally up sharply in weight, but owns the best closing 400m sectional in the race. 6. Choice Witness is a big threat also hopping back over the border off three strong closing runs this prep. 8. Missile Defence can improve sharply second-up after failing to run home in a handy CL1 at Dubbo. 5. A Book Of Days is over the odds second-up for an underrated Canberra yard. 9. Jordy Girl is another each-way chance fourth-up with gear changes. 1. Gobbo’s Mate has been up for a long time and drawn to get a soft run on speed, but best form is clearly on firmer ground.

How to play it: Three Musketeers to win

1. Brial Rose is a sparingly raced home track mare resuming with no public trials. Doesn’t always fire, but talented enough to strike here, despite carrying a big weight. Unbeaten from two starts in heavy going, and this is her pet trip. 4. Antisocial hops the border third-up behind a smart closing win in similar company, and has a liking for wet tracks. 9. Magnolia Star is hunting a second win from three starts this prep. Has tactical speed, but drawn the inside on chopped up ground late in the day is a likely disadvantage. Keep safe 7. The Other Straand coming off a barrier-to-box and runaway win at Gundagai in heavy ground in a weak maiden. 2. You’re On Mute dropping back from Highway class a month between runs, and 3. Climate Change, an ex-Victorian filly having her first run for the new leading Canberra stable; can both add value into wider exotics.

How to play it: Brial Rose to win

11. Sturty is an understated local four-year-old who can pounce here at big odds over 100m further and in her preferred conditions. Sparingly raced this prep, she’s continually found the line, and will find this more to her liking after being well back from a smart CL1 winner after covering plenty of early ground. 6. Wexford Miss improves sharply back on heavier ground after a disappointing effort in a provincial Class 1. 10. Darkley loves rain-affected going, and will relish further here after charging home into a place in three runs this campaign. 1. Chosen Venture has been fair at best against deeper opposition in Victoria in a lengthy prep, but unproven in heavy ground. 2. Rushford who is an honest weight carrier, and 8. Badhatharry coming off a front-running maiden win here; can both figure in the minor money.

How to play it: Sturty to win

BEST BETS:
R2 3. DONEGAL BAY
R4 3. SPECIAL PROPHET

BEST VALUE:
R6 4. THREE MUSKETEERS

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Wagga meeting