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By Neil Evans

Showcase meeting on Good 4 and rail true so should play fairly even, with gradual trend towards the outside.

Competitive and wide opener at set weights, with plenty of first starters on show. Resuming Victorian colt 3. Dalaalaat is the one to beat finishing off nicely in a much stronger Listed race at Flemington back in early autumn. Has obvious ability and draws the fence, with the blinkers going on.

Dangers: Debutant local gelding 2. Blitzar (Deep Field x Breannon by Charge Forward) bolted in a heavy track trial on the Riverside, but was pushed out a little more than top selection, and draws very wide. Liked the debut run at Wangaratta of Albury filly 7. Bel Hot who chased the speed all the way, and draws to get a nice run, with the blinkers on. Was scratched from Warwick Farm on Wed. Expect Goulburn gelding 5. Rent A Rock (Fiorente x Rock Of Ages by Fastnet Rock) to be doing his best work late. Trialled quietly on the synthetic at Canberra, and is by a former Melbourne Cup winner; while include in exotics another Canberra-based filly 11. Stand Your Ground who found the line okay resuming at Moruya.

How to play it: Dalaalaat to win and trifecta 2,3/2,3,5,7,11. Odds and Evens (First 2): Split.

Thin and open affair over the mile. Local 4YO gelding 3. Jodhpur looks well placed third-up from a long break back on firmer footing, and only needs to get in from a wide barrier. Has been well in the market hitting the line on heavy tracks this prep, and only previous win was on good ground beating a handy maiden field.

Dangers: Canberra 5YO mare 6. Vellichor ran home hard to win her maiden three runs back before finishing okay in her last two, and draws well over a suitable distance. Expect improvement third-up from rival 5YO Canberra gelding 8. Manrique whose been unwanted in betting so far, but down in weight and this looks slightly easier. Watch for 4YO Goulburn mare 14. Rond De Jambe getting home at the business end. Raced over more ground in first prep, and this is the right sort of trip second-up. Tumbarumba gelding and last start Narrandera winner 4. Lennox Road draws to sit outside the lead, but facing more depth here.

How to play it: Jodhpur to win and quinella 3 and 6. Odds and Evens: Split.

Jodhpur runs fourth at Wagga on August 11

Doesn't get a whole lot easier here, again with plenty of chances. Improving 6YO gelding 4. Hail The Hero can take the next step for in-form Albury stable after charging home to win a BM 58 in heavy ground. Was very strong through the line that day, and carries less weight for this tougher test.

Dangers: Stablemate 5YO mare 1. Carano is promising, and skipped away through the mud to win a good quality race third-up, and make it two wins from her last three. Goes up sharply in weight but trainer has off-set that engaging a 4kg claiming apprentice. Canberra 5YO mare 6. Maid Of Ore is another who likes to drift back and find the line, and last couple of efforts in good company have been eye-catching. Albury gelding 3. Mr Trump improved significantly to win this grade at the Sapphire Coast before outclassed in a stronger Highway at Rosehill; while rival Canberra mare 2. Gypsy Miss will find this a shade easier than her last couple, and will also appreciate a 3kg claim from the wide draw.

How to play it: Hail The Hero each way and trifecta 1,4,6/1,2,3,4,6. Odds and Evens: Split.

Good class race. Warwick Farm 7YO gelding 2. Handfast who can go right on with it here after letting down brilliantly to win the BM 84 Bengalla at Muswellbrook, landing a big betting move. Up sharply in weight, but that was a deep race, and previous metro form strong for a race like this.

Dangers: Prepared to forgive 6YO Goulburn gelding 9. Treasure Boss who went down in a BM 81 at Moruya last start. Best form is on wet tracks, but has a smart winning strike rate, and draws to get a nice trail. Moruya-based 6YO gelding 1. Super Star Bob has a solid fresh record, and tuned up for his return with a dominant open trial win, and draws the fence. Two runs this prep from 6YO Queanbeyan mare 5. Our Revenue have been solid, and she draws to get a nice trail back in the field and finish hard. Wagga 7YO gelding 7. Snippet Of Gold is another who can rattle home off a decent tempo, and four of his five career wins have come on this track. Local 5YO gelding 10. Rock 'N' Roller continues to progress through his grades, and down in weight will be flashing home late; while 9YO Canberra gelding 3. Le Cavalier resumes with a good first-up record, but is a perennial back-marker and will need a hot pace on up front to run over the top of these.

How to play it: Handfast to win and first four 1,2,9/1,2,5,9/1,2,5,7,9,10/1,2,3,5,7,9,10. Odds and Evens: Split.

Another very open race. Canberra mare 5. Zaromatic resumes to get the right run from a cosy draw, and was consistently in the placings around this grade last prep.

Dangers: Local 3YO gelding 7. Tocatchacod flew home to win his maiden resuming at Gundagai, and this isn't much harder. Goulburn 5YO gelding 3. Eaglehawk is only just out of maiden grade, but has shown sharp improvement this prep, and draws well for a modest affair. Another Canberra runner, 5YO gelding 1. Gretzky has plenty of ability on his day, but first up from a wide draw under a big weight will probably find this a bit slick. Albury 5YO mare 9. Peggy Rose broke through second-up this prep at home on a heavy track, and draws to get a lovely run on speed; while watch the market on local 7YO mare 4. Taraahse who hasn't started for 17 months and draws off the track, but bolted in a heavy track trial on the Riverside.

How to play it: Zaromatic each way. Odds and Evens: Odds.

Promising 3YO Goulburn filly 14. Glamour Strip steps up for only second start after convincingly winning her maiden on debut at Moruya, and draws to get a cosy run right behind the speed.

Dangers: Despite the big weight, 5YO local gelding 1. Tully Toff is smart fresh and has a strong record at home. Returns off a six month break after tackling stronger Highway and Country C'ship fields earlier in the year. Canberra 5YO gelding 5. Flight Commander only comes off a narrow Maiden win on the synthetic at home, but like him staying at the shorter distance. Queanbeyan 4YO gelding 2. Hard Core has been freshened up for this shorter trip, but also has to lump a big weight from a wide barrier.

How to play it: Glamour Strip to win and Tully Toff each way. Odds and Evens: Split.

Wide open again and big field for the progressive sprinters. Former Kiwi and 5YO gelding 9. Sco Mo Eagle has had one strong closing run for leading Goulburn stable, and looks well placed here with that experience from a good draw and down in weight.

Dangers: The winner of that race 4YO Canberra mare 10. Flora Bel was then fair to the line in a stronger metro Highway so the form-line is there. Smart Canberra mare 3. Polyxena has come back well this prep cruising home in a BM 65 on the synthetic at home, and gets in well at the weights after rider's 4kg claim. Queanbeyan 5YO gelding 1. Anchois has natural speed, and took some big strides last prep destroying a BM 66 field at Scone en route to a heat of the Country C'ships. Was even to the line first-up in a Randwick Highway, but has to lump 61kg from a wide draw. Watch for 6YO Albury gelding 12. Supplyzing getting home hard first-up. Was very competitive past the mile last prep, and has had two trials. Local 4YO gelding 8. Jaytee's The Fox bolted in a weaker race two runs back at Corowa before not far off them this track, but this is as good a field as he's met. Another Canberra visitor, 6YO mare ,b>5. Bella Amante has been freshened coming back in trip, but will be forced to go a long way back from the wide barrier.

How to play it: Sco Mo Eagle to win; and box trifecta 1,3,9,10. Odds and Evens: Odds.

Tough race to finish, but keen on 4YO Goulburn gelding 10. War Deck who comes back in trip after four runs this prep, but taking on weaker class here, with a stack of significant gear changes. Was no match for promising Succendam at Wyong, but was still backed into equal favourite, and draws to get a sweet run.

Dangers: Wagga 5YO gelding and first starter 9. Ustonova looks ready to go from the inside draw off a smart heavy track trial win on the Riverside beating Spinher who then came out and scored a dominant win at Albury. Liked the debut run on heavy ground of 5YO Wangaratta gelding 3. City Rogue who only just missed after trailing the speed; while Wodonga 4YO gelding 6. Spanish Poet deserves to break through at 10th start after knocking on the door last prep, and again just missing first-up at home.

How to play it: War Deck to win. Odds and Evens: Split.

War Deck runs fourth at Wyong on August 2

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