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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick on Saturday.

The rail is in the True and the form has been done for a good track.

1. Glamour Cat has had three runs for Joe Cleary (ex-Anthony Cummings) and is yet to run poorly. Her BM70 placing at Canterbury last start is perhaps a touch flattering given the depth of that field but she paired off with handy mare Buckin’ Beauty and the overall time wasn’t far off Oxford Tycoon’s 1100m win the race after. First up she powered through the line to win over 1200m at Queanbeyan before flattening off second up at the Sapphire Coast, albeit after racing in restricted room. James McDonald rides and although the barrier looks ugly on paper, midfield with cover in a three-wide running line would be ideal for her as back to 1000m she won’t want to lose momentum at any stage.

Dangers: Have gravitated towards the class runners at the top of the weights. 3. Depth That Varies is a one dimensional backmarker but get the blinkers on for the first time and has an excellent 1000m record (5:2-1-1) despite his style of racing. Will give away a big start but he ran well in a Highway the last time we saw him. As for a couple of roughies, 14. Look Only was a strong winner at Canberra last start while 20. Sanctuary Cove could sneak into the money at monster odds. Don’t discount Terry Robinson’s pair 6. Ri De Janeiro and 13. Foxie La Belle.

How to play it: How to play it: Glamour Cat WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Glamour Cat at Canterbury last start

8. Harmonium won a Gosford maiden over 1000m on debut but liked the manner in which this I Am Invincible filly scooted clear after doing everything right in the run. She bounced straight to the front from a wide draw before quickening to put the race away. Punters Intelligence shows she clocked 11.04s from the 400-200 (11.02s was the quickest) which gave her rivals no hope. That was before an 11.56s last 200m despite being idled down (11.29s was the quickest). She clocked a faster overall time than the older horses on the day, and back in fifth was Easy Campese, a colt that ran second to Prague two starts prior. A lot of the speed has come out of the race. Happy to gamble that she can take the giant leap in what looks an even group of fillies.

Dangers: This race did look to set up perfectly for 2. Stellar Pauline, getting the last crack but the scratching of two speed horses don’t help. Peter and Paul Snowden’s maiden has found one better in all three of her runs, the latest of those when second to Away Game in the Magic Millions. That filly subsequently wasn’t far off in the Blue Diamond. The form out of 5. Tilia Rose’s debut win over 900m isn’t very strong at this stage with the second horse Redoute’s Image well held in Queensland recently, but don’t underestimate her. Respect how hard 7. Hungry Heart was in the market on debut.

How to play it: Harmonium WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Can Harmonium make the giant leap from a Gosford maiden to winning a Group Two?@BradJGray puts her debut win under the Punters Intelligence Spotlight ahead of Saturday's Sweet Embrace @tabcomau @royalrandwick pic.twitter.com/TpWHBHnOcw

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 28, 2020

8. Argentus has been deep-ended making his debut in a Group Two but on the strength of his latest trial win, he deserves his shot. The Written Tycoon colt, which set James Harron back $900,000, looks to have been a work in progress for Peter and Paul Snowden but the blinkers went on at Randwick and he won his trial with something up his sleeve. It was a fast run heat over the 1050m and like the way Argentus coasted past the leader Time Is Precious still under a hold. Under more pressure in second was his well-credentialed stablemate 2. Aim. Drawn barrier 1, I’d expect jockey Ben Melham to hold a handy position from the draw, parking in behind the leaders. Gives away race experience but is in the right hands and looks worthy of a gamble. Monitor betting.

Dangers: 1. Prague has won two from two, the latest of those beating Global Quest. That horse subsequently ran second to Farnan in last Saturday’s Silver Slipper Stakes. That latest win was 1200m back to 1100m, adding extra merit. He clocked three lengths faster time overall compared to Away Game, despite the colts going two lengths slower in the early stages. That’s a big tick. Hard to beat, but well found all the same. Be forgiving when assessing Aim’s Magic Millions run on inferior ground. He gave Stellar Pauline a galloping lesson at Randwick prior to that. 6. Tommy Gold ran home strongly at the midweeks first up in an unsuitably run race and looks capable of taking this next step.

How to play it: Argentus EACH WAY ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

The latest trial from Argentus – Randwick, February 17

5. Rock has a wicked turn of foot and that sees him well suited with freshness in his legs over 1300m, with the Hawkes yard presumably eyeing off the Doncaster. The four-year-old has steadily improved each preparation before proving himself a Group horse over the spring. After two impressive midweek wins he won the G3 Cameron at Newcastle from last in running before boxing away into fifth in the G1 Epsom. Forget his G1 Cantala flop, as he was set an impossible task and had probably had enough by then. When the son of Pierro won first up at Canterbury last campaign he broke the track record. Drawn barrier 3, hoping Tommy Berry can settle him midfield giving him an in-run advantage over 2. Cascadian, who for all his talent, has a nasty habit of half missing the kick.

Dangers: 3. Imaging has looked very sharp in his two Australian trials, showing plenty of early speed. In the latest of those he went to the line hard held alongside Standout in fast time. The ex-Dermot Weld-trained galloper isn’t the typical profile of import we see hit our shores. He is a Group Three winner over 1400m and is only 16 weeks between runs. Big show. Cascadian signalled that he is in for a lucrative autumn on the strength of his first up run but he only gets an extra 100m second up and barrier 1 isn’t ideal given his barrier manners. Gets the winkers on but not an ideal set up to be backing him as the early favourite. 4. Quackerjack is as tough as he is honest and while 10. Vegadaze is up and running, he’ll have Group horses breathing down his neck late.

How to play it: Rock WIN ($5.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Rock winning first up last preparation

How do any of the mares that fronted up in the Triscay turn the tables on 4. Sweet Deal? They can’t, especially under the weight scale. What makes her dominant win even more impressive is after you add in the context that she’s never won first up before nor had she even placed on a soft track in the past, let alone won. Punters Intelligence shows her first 600m was only a length slower than Jungle Edge in the Southern Cross earlier in the day. She was humming along in front, before finding a kick turning for home. The five-year-old felt the pinch very late but she was entitled to. John Thompson has reported that Sweet Deal has improved since then. Should find the front again, with Blake Shinn replacing regular rider Nash Rawiller. Given how she ended last campaign and has started this one, there’s every chance she is a Group One winner by the end of the autumn.

Dangers: Of the nine other runners only two didn’t line up in the Triscay and 5. Con Te Partiro is the one to fear most. The blinkers go back on after they worked so well for her first up last preparation when fourth over 1200m behind Deprive, Trope and Bon Amis. That’s sharp form! Cascadian was behind her in fifth. At her first run in Australia she rallied after hitting a flat spot to beat Savatiano. Has trialled well for this and her two best runs in the country have been fresh. It was a non-event for 1. Reelem In Ruby in the Triscay. She was deceptively good with the third fastest last 600m (34.98s) despite never reaching top gear. She is such a consistent mare and will bounce back. She is much better placed here at the weights too.

How to play it: Sweet Deal WIN ($3 TAB Fixed Odds) and QUINELLA 4,9 Odds & Evens: SPLIT

BEST BET 🚨

"She can only improve, which is frightening for her rivals."

In a very similar field, @BradJGray expects this mare to win again @tabcomau @royalrandwick @JTRacingRwik pic.twitter.com/9RyovxkGPE

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) February 27, 2020

1. Flit was a dominant first up winner of the Light Fingers Stakes, having settled in behind the leaders. The blinkers went on for the first time and they did the trick. That tractability is a significant new addition to her artillery. She had been a touch one dimensional in the past, albeit she drew wide on a number of occasions. That signature finish was still too there despite settling much closer. Punters Intelligence reveals that Flit ran the second quickest last 600m (34.61s) and was just 0.01s outside of the fastest last 200m, despite being eased down late. Can’t see her being as close from the middle draw, having drawn 1 last time out, but she should settle midfield. Assuming the tactics on 4. Funstar are on the negative side, that’s a big advantage over her main danger. Flit looks set to deliver on the promise she has always shown.

Dangers: Went into this race thinking that only the barrier could beat Funstar, and we here are after she has drawn 14. It’s going to be fascinating to see what James McDonald does from there early but 8. Xilong won’t let her cross to sit on 3. Kiamichi’s shoulder. If they don’t beat her here there’ll be no beating her for the rest of the autumn. 11. Heart Of The Oak profiles as the best roughie, having beaten Positive Peace (won three straight since) last start. She has been hugely underrated by the market. 5. Probabeel tackles this a fit horse having won twice in NZ already this preparation. Drops back from the mile to 1400m but looked great in a recent Randwick trial.

How to play it: Flit WIN ($3.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Flit winning the Light Fingers Stakes

5. Fierce Impact was just 0.3L away from making it three Group Ones on the trot when second to Alabama Express first up in the Orr Stakes at Caulfield. This horse is one of the best milers in the country, yet he still doesn’t really get the accolades or market respect he deserves. Last campaign he won the Toorak second up and then the Cantala. First up last campaign he made a brilliant burst to go straight past Kolding over 1400m yet died on his run, having to settle for second. If he improves as sharply second up this campaign as he did over the spring, his rivals here, no matter how classy they are, will have one heck of a task in beating him. The middle draw gives Brenton Avdulla options but would expect the six-year-old to settle midfield, giving him every chance.

Dangers: The ‘blinkerless’ 4. Dreamforce experiment only lasted one run. They go back on here after he was pick pocketed by Alizee first up. Two factors, other than his blinkers, contributed to that. The soft track and not being able to dictate. He’ll get a good track on Saturday but whether he finds the front will be up to 7. Homesman. A very good horse in his own right, Homesman bolted in over the mile first up last campaign. The knock on 3. Te Akau Shark is the price. This is a crack field and he’s a skinny favourite despite having to go back to last in the run. No runner was closing off harder than 1. Avilius first up in the Orr. Probably needs wet to be winning, however. The more aggressive the tactics on 2. Happy Clapper, the better his chances of figuring.

How to play it: Fierce Impact WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Fierce Impact winning a Hawkesbury trial – February 20

6. Attorney was horribly outpaced first up but loved his work through the line. This is a much more suitable race than the one he tackled fresh yet he is double the price, albeit this is a deeper BM88. The Matt Smith-trained import clocked the second fastest last 600m but Punters Intelligence further reveals that his last 200m of 11.94s was a length faster than the next best. A further 100m past the line, he was in front. That was Jay Ford’s first ride on the horse and will have learnt plenty about the five-year-old. On that occasion Attorney flopped out of the barriers, relaxed and soon after was having to be niggled to stay in touch. We saw what this promising stayer was capable of last campaign, displaying a great turn of acceleration to win his first two starts in Australia. If he can stay within striking distance, he’ll be hard to hold out.

Dangers: 4. Mount Tabora is a Snowden-trained import enjoying a successful first campaign for his new stable. This is the son of Scat Daddy’s first test at 2000m, but it doesn’t look a problem. He was a strong all the way winner at Flemington over the mile last start, running along in the middle stages before still finding a kick. 13. Think It Over was expected to win at Canterbury last start when odds on but ran like a horse wanting 2000m. Gets that here and drops to 52kg. Ran third behind Nobu and Carif over this track and trip last campaign. 10. Chains Of Honour is first up over 2000m but won fresh over 1800m last preparation before winning a Group Three at Eagle Farm. Dangerously weighted with just 50.5kg after the claim.

How to play it: Attorney WIN ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Attorney doing his best work late first up

6. Yamazaki has been airborne since transferring to Warwick Farm-based trainer David Pfieffer. The worry is the start she’ll be giving away given her racing style and the wide draw. She’ll be at the mercy of those up front running along and bringing her into the race. Her Gold Coast win last preparation had to be seen to be believed. She spotted the leaders 12 lengths turning for home, hit the front at the 100m and won by 3.5L with her ears pricked. That saw her run hard in the market for the fillies and mares race on Magic Millions day but she found herself caught on the inside in the inferior going. First up for her new yard she went to the line with Inanup, a gelding that recently matched it with 1. Roheryn which ties the form nicely into this. Looked good winning a Hawkesbury trial suggesting she has held her form.

Dangers: Now we’ve spoken about the one that’ll be last in the run, let’s make a little case for the likely leader in 4. Goldfinch despite being one of the race outsiders. This speedy mare has only ever been tried once before at 1200m but she hurtled along out in front only to be collared late. Raced like she wants the extra trip when fourth to God Of Thunder last start. She’ll give cheek. 7. Trumbull trialled sweetly at Newcastle, albeit in a slow heat. Has the talent to win this but how forward will he be first up kicking off his Provincial Championships campaign? 5. Royal Celebration faded into fourth second up when more was expected from him. No excuses now third up. No knock on the way Roheryn has returned while forgive 3. Accession his first up flop on heavy ground.

How to play it: Yamazaki WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

Yamazaki winning a Hawkesbury trial – February 20

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting