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By Ray Hickson

12. Divine Bene has a proven heavy track record out of town and he coasted through the ground to score on a heavy 10 at Newcastle two weeks ago like an odds-on favourite should. He did fail on a heavy at Warwick Farm two starts ago but probably put that more down to the 1400m. Has a natural on pace style and first use of the track, should be hard to beat. 8. Against The Law has regained his form this time in and while run down at Canterbury on a heavy last time he was giving the winner 5kg and was a sitting shot. Has the weight relief in his favour and sure to run well. 5. Signor Tortoni scrambled in on a heavy track in a small field two starts ago before being no match for Glorious Moments a month back on a soft 6. Slight retreat to Midway grade is a plus and he’s worth including in the chances. 16. Close Encounter had a couple of handy Midway runs against his name prior to chasing home Divine Bene at Newcastle. Small weight swing in his favour though the margin was decisive. Each-way chance.

How to play it: Divine Bene WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds).

Such a tricky Highway this week. Can things go right for once for 3. Kreon? The gear changes suggest he is in good order feet wise and he raced without any luck at all through his whole campaign earlier in the year with 2.6 lengths his longest beaten margin. Yet to race on a heavy but he did trial comfortably at Goulburn recently. It’s a leap of faith but he has to be a starting point. 13. Winning Emotions was never a chance from where he wound up in the Highway at Rosehill three weeks ago on a very heavy track. He worked home without threatening and was somewhat in the market there after a win at Warren on heavy ground. Could surprise. 5. Neil is right back in class after not measuring up in an open three-year-old race a month ago at Eagle Farm. He did run well in a Class 2 prior to that and his last win was on a soft 7 on his home track. Happy to respect the Matt Dunn stable’s placement. 12. Dekadance is in-form with successive wins at Narrandera and Corowa off a year’s break. Showed promise in first preparation starting $3.80 against Highway Strip in a maiden. Likely rolls forward to be somewhere on the speed and while this is harder she could measure up.

How to play it: Kreon WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds).

1. Juja Kibo is quite easy to find on a wet track after his outstanding win at Rosehill three weeks ago where he was able to recover from a check in the straight to score looking particularly strong. He’s been penalised 3kg for that win but strikes another heavy track and shapes as though the extra trip won’t be an issue either. 9. Wuddzz has been a bit hit and miss but he does have a second on a heavy 9 over this track and distance from May against his name which is a major tick for what he'll encounter. Even effort at Sandown off a seven week break and can see him being competitive. 5. Bluestone is another Victorian and he brings consistent form on a variety of surfaces into this race. No match for the winner at Moonee Valley but worked home well and has to be considered. 2. Knights Armour won over 2400m at Rosehill two starts ago and while he does get through a heavy track the drop of 500m was probably against him last week. He’s an each-way hope.

How to play it: Juja Kibo WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

The proven heavy tracker here is 2. Kerguelen who makes his debut for Joe Pride and brings some handy form into the race around King Of Roseau, who he chased home when he last raced five weeks ago. All three wins are on heavy ground, he’s been kept up to the mark with a trial earlier this week and it’d be a surprise if he’s not somewhere in the finish. 9. Boltsaver has raced at Randwick once and that was back in May where he ran a closing third on a heavy 9 over 1400m. Placed once in four starts since then back in Victoria and coming back to 1200m probably suits given he’s yet to be successive at seven furlongs. 7. Lugh was a winner at that meeting and did fight back strongly when Starman loomed up around the 200m to win running away. Can put himself on the speed and if that’s the case he has a good chance to repeat. The map looks handy for 10. Harry's Bar so she's in the mix. Was scratched at the barriers from Kensington last week so went to Moruya to trial which explains the month's gap between runs.

How to play it: Kerguelen WIN ($4.20 TAB Fixed Odds).

2. Saltcoats has to go on top after his easy victory in the Prelude run last Wednesday on a heavy Kensington track. He settled nicely in the run and dashed away when the gap came. The extra 200m holds no fears and prior to his last win his other two local wins were on the Randwick course proper albeit on good ground. Right at or near his peak now. 10. Good Banter is badly weighted against Saltcoats but she is a proven wet tracker and has put two good runs together with a Rosehill win and a second there a month ago. Previous two wins were on heavy including one at this track. 6. Belvedere Boys disappointed in the Grafton Cup when right in the market but he does tend to relish the sting out of the track so there’s a case for him to improve. His close second to a promising import in Elamaz has to be good form and he’s entitled to another chance. 9. Hasty Honey is up in grade but she’s racing in excellent form at the moment, narrowly denied a hat-trick by Investment here last month. She will get the chance to lead and capable of giving some cheek.

How to play it: Saltcoats WIN ($2.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

4. Agarwood is the filly on the way up tackling the proven Group form of a number of her rivals and she has a Randwick heavy track win to her name which is a major plus for her stocks. She’s trialled well on a couple of occasions, will roll forward and most likely lead them and should give a good kick early in the straight. If on pacers are favoured she could start very short. 3. Savvy Hallie has a heavy track win over 900m first-up against her name which was basically a barrier trial for prizemoney at Newcastle two weeks ago. She has placings to Nepotism on a heavy and to Tempted at Group level last autumn and can’t be overlooked. 1. Within The Law was a bit of a revelation as a two-year-old as she kept stepping up to the mark. Recovered from a mishap in the Golden Slipper to give the Group 1 Champagne a big shake. Haven’t seen her on a heavy but she’s clearly the best performed. 6. Queen Of Clubs is another promising type who was rested after an impressive win at Rosehill in June. Only look at a heavy was a solid effort and they’ve found JMac to ride. Keep in mind.

How to play it: Agarwood WIN ($2.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

Tried hard to find a reason to oppose 4. Autumn Glow given the testing ground first-up but she’s given no reason to think she won’t handle heavy ground and kicking off at 1100m looks ideal. She did trial quite smoothly on heavy a couple of weeks ago which is some guide. The raps are huge on her and while it’s risky taking a short price she has to be the one to beat. 3. Manaal is a high class mare who is proven on a heavy track and while unplaced in three runs in the autumn she ran well in each of them without luck. She has drawn well on paper and that’s the place to be then she shouldn’t be too far away in the run and ready to strike. Genuine threat. 7. Cigar Flick lacks the class of a few of her rivals but she’ll make up for that with her wet track prowess which was on show when she scored easily on a soft 7 here a month ago. Down 5kg on that so gets her chance in favourable conditions to be a player. 11. Imposant could be a knockout hope, she’s rarely too far away and has handled heavy tracks okay previously. Worked home well in her latest trial, she has a light weight and a good fresh record and a placing wouldn’t shock.

How to play it: Autumn Glow WIN ($1.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

Not only does a heavy track throw a spanner in the works for the Group 1 but a distinct lack of speed doesn’t help either. Settled on 3. Gringotts who might be able to put himself in the first few in running given the likely leader has drawn just to his outside. He should have won his past two first-up attempts and he proved his class winning the Ryder. The heavy is the unknown but everything else about him says he’ll run well. 2. Ceolwulf isn’t a query in the heavy but his first-up record is a bit disturbing on paper. He hit the line fresh to be beaten just over a length in the Apollo in the autumn so that’s certainly not a failure and he worked home as you’d like to see in his latest trial behind Private Eye. His best is good enough. 9. Via Sistina is the logical favourite and overall very hard to knock as she’s put Group 1s away like they’re not as hard as they should be. Her European soft form is solid though that’s not Randwick heavy form. Wet or dry she was going to be vulnerable first-up but we could all have egg on the face if she outclasses them again. Which is possible. 12. Aeliana is the big mystery. No questioning her promise, she was way too good for the boys in the Australian Derby. We’ve not seen her on a heavy track, she won her maiden on a soft 7 which is a small lead but it’s really hard to tell.

How to play it: Gringotts WIN ($6 TAB Fixed Odds).

6. Corniche is a proven heavy tracker having his first run for Ciaron Maher and since his eye-catching third behind Romeo’s Choice on a soft 5 five weeks ago. The heavy will even that up and he meets the winner 3kg better for less than half a length. Just like to see him hold a position not too far back and he should be hard to hold off. 8. Romeo’s Choice has to be respected because while the weights are against him he’s also proven on a heavy 10 and is racing in career best form. 4. Lazzura should have won on a heavy track at Rosehill in the Emancipation then ran a gallant fourth in the Queen Of The Turf. She was excellent through that prep against some of the best around and while 1200m is likely just short of her ideal trip she can run a big race fresh. 1. Yellow Brick is an interesting runner given every time he’s raced at 1200m on a heavy track when resuming he’s been in the finish. Stepped up to Group 1 company and was gallant in the Stradbroke and while giving away weight he can be competitive.

How to play it: Corniche WIN ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

11. Narbold is hard fit and brings form around Amusing into this race from his two starts before he scored on a heavy track at Kensington just over a week ago. All three heavy runs have been this prep and he’s been right there in all of them, he’s down 2kg and this race could well fall away a bit numbers wise which would help his cause. 5. Glad You Think So looked good running down High Dandy to win a Midway over this track and distance last month on a track that was downgraded later in the meeting. He’d only have to repeat that sort of effort and he can be in the finish. 9. Kapakiri copped a 2kg penalty for his six length win at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and if he backs up there’s no reason to suggest he can’t win again. It looked very easy for him in that second-up win so keep him in mind. 15. Island Dream was scratched from Wednesday and she drops 7.5kg for the rise in grade on her fast finishing second-up win at Canterbury. On the way up and worth including in the chances.

How to play it: Narbold WIN ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

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