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By Ray Hickson

1. Madrina carries a high rating into this race largely from her two-year-old season which included a city win. She’s now had three runs for the new stable and the form around her second-up placing, beaten half a length, has held up well then she was strong winning a Benchmark 64 at Kembla. She has the big weight but the way this race looks to map she should get a nice trail and have last shot.

Dangers: 7. Favour The Bold is an up and comer from the Rod Northam yard who scrambled home to dead heat in a maiden at 1000m but looked much more comfortable up in distance winning easily on the home track. This is tougher no doubt but again with a little early luck can map to get every chance. 5. Social Circle is back to Highway grade after disappointing at Warwick Farm a month ago. She led there and was safely run down over 1100m. Prior to that her Highway run over 1000m behind Petticoat was sound. Expect she can run well. 3. Lunaite might have some work to do from the wider gate but she did measure up to Benchmark 72 company was a Randwick placing last prep. Back in grade, question mark on whether she’d prefer more give in the ground but that might be looking for a negative.

How to play it: Madrina WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

No reason why 6. Oakfield Jupiter couldn’t repeat when she did first-up two weeks ago easily accounting for a fairly similar strength of field. She was first-up, rolled forward into a good spot and looked to have plenty left on the line. That extra fitness is handy from another tricky gate and up in weight but if she gets across, and there’s a big chance she will, she should take beating.

Dangers: 5. Motoscafo hit the line well to chase her home when resuming and she has a barrier swing in her favour if she can make some use of it. Lightly raced and honest mare and she looks the main threat. 1. Rolling Magic was a Midway winner over this track and distance first-up last time in from an inside gate and has the same set up. He’s had the two trials over 1030m and 1207m so fitness shouldn’t be an issue. Respect him. 19. Alabama State is suited with a big drop in weight after the claim and would just need some luck from the outside gate to put himself in the finish of a race like this. Form around him is excellent so well worth thought.

How to play it: Oakfield Jupiter WIN ($4 TAB Fixed Odds).

2. Thebudgiesmugla is shaping as a progressive staying type based on his two runs for Bjorn Baker. Found the line nicely first-up at 2000m on a good track before loving the deteriorating conditions at Rosehill just over a week ago and smashing a small field over this trip. Tougher test up in weight and back onto good ground but he’s the one with the upside.

Dangers: 3. Captain Maverick is bursting to win a race with seconds at his past two and he did look all over a winner at Warwick Farm last time before being swamped late. He’ll be up there on speed again, drops a touch in weight and Nash will give him every hope. 9. Sting In The Tail was the one to deny her stablemate a win when she swept home from the back to score in that race. She can be very hit and miss and goes to this trip for the first time but she’s in the mix if in the same mood as last time. 10. Presley was well supported second-up at Hawkesbury when running fourth behind Thebudgiesmugla. Does have a nice weight turnaround in his favour and is a winner at 2300m so the trip can suit.

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

5. Shady Thinker is arguably the most interesting runner all day coming to Sydney with three wins from four starts in South Australia. In those three wins he’s been strong at the finish and did it with 59.5kg at Morphettville three weeks ago. They’ve found Nash to ride in a race that looks to have a bit of speed for him to settle just behind them. It’s a winnable race for him if he is above average.

Dangers: 4. Bartolf has found his best with two wins from his past three and appreciated the good ground when sweeping home from last to score at Warwick Farm a couple of weeks back. He’ll likely be three back on the fence or thereabouts and looking to come with one run at them late. 1. Midnight Dynamite owned the last race on Golden Eagle Day from the front and just kept going to win as he liked. On the back up, down 100m and back onto a good track now and up 2.5kg make this a bigger challenge but can’t leave him out. 2. Tuned has been gelded since failing in a couple of starts in Brisbane in June and is a market watch. Did beat Modella at 1200m earlier in the year. Also a watch first-up on 3. Just Too Fly, a former WA colt now with the Waller camp coming off a Group 3 win in the west.

How to play it: Shady Thinker WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

11. Christa has to be a good each-way chance despite coming out of Highway grade. She’s had absolutely no luck at all in her past two, she blew the start here two runs back and was beaten three-quarters then held up all the way home at Randwick running third again. Drops 6.5kg and from gate one should get a nice sit right behind the speed.

Dangers: 2. Hurstville Zagreb found himself in front second-up and was unchallenged as he cruised to win over the mile at the Farm. The extra 200m is a big plus for him, he will need to find a spot from that outside gate but probably tries his luck going forward again. 1. Brosnan is not known to appreciate wet tracks so for him to run third not beaten far over this course last start is a sign he’s going well. He’s racing in good form and back on top of the ground only helps him. 5. Brave Call was a beaten favourite second-up at Eagle Farm over this trip, drops in weight and draws well and fits in okay here.

How to play it: Christa EACH-WAY ($14 TAB Fixed Odds).

5. Artemex is on debut and looked quite the professional as he won his only public trial at Warwick Farm recently. He’s drawn to get a great run and if he can make use of it, and show what he has at the trials then he’s a major player.

Dangers: 1. Revengeance is a good measuring stick coming out of a placing in the Breeders’ Plate on debut a month ago. He was a little unlucky as well not to finish even closer as he was checked in the straight. Kept ticking over with a trial, stable has won this race the past two years and he’s right in it. 14. Mystical showed plenty of promise with a nice second in her only trial just over a week ago. Wasn’t pressured at all as she closed off and when the Freedman stable produces a two-year-old they should also be respected. 2. Defensemen did a few things wrong on debut at Randwick and he held on pretty well to run third there in the Kirkham Plate. Better for the experience and drawn another handy gate so if he does improve he’s in the mix. 3. Anthropoid did more wrong in the same race and really charged at them late. Have to give him a mention.

How to play it: Artemex WIN ($3.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

The map says 3. Miraval Rose will be the one to run down and if she does get the control she appears she might then that could be a difficult task for the other mares. Strong on pace wins at Caulfield and Flemington then favourite behind Abounding in the Tristarc at Caulfield. Jumps, leads and will be the one to run down.

Dangers: 2. Miss Roumbini chased home Sepals, since Golden Eagle runner-up, in the Sir Rupert Clarke then had a setback before running in The Invitation where she was very plain before waking up late and running on. She ran eighth beaten 2.7 lengths and was a well supported favourite. Tactics will be interesting as she’s generally ridden midfield and if she’s in touch on the bend she can threaten. 9. Bauhinia finished in front of her in the Invitation and is one of those horses where if it all goes right for her she could charge over the top late if the speed allows her to. Where she gets to in the run is crucial. 8. Snow In May comes through the Silver Eagle where she was game finishing midfield behind Linebacker and if you take him out she’s right in that clump chasing him. Draws a barrier she can work with and shouldn’t be overlooked.

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

1. Transatlantic is going to need a good ride from Tommy Berry from that outside gate but he’s the right type of horse who likes to roll forward. Always in control in the Prelude and before that beat Golden Eagle placegetter Evaporate at Group 1 level in the Toorak. Shapes as though the trip will be fine, especially if he can offset that gate easily enough, and is pretty nicely in at the weights so is the one to beat.

Dangers: 3. Bullet Point is the big don’t know of the race. He looks a tough miler type from the UK and he carried a big weight to win at York in August before failing on a two day back up. Interesting that he’s had a Sydney trial to bring him on and if he can jump with them from that inside gate he’ll have his chance to measure up. 7. Militarize is threatening to win his first race since being gelded and the form around Lindermann has to be very appealing. He was excellent in the Hill Stakes from well back then best of the chasers in the Craven Plate. Will likely need some pressure on as he’ll get back but big threat if things pan out. 9. Firestorm did her best trying to chase Pride Of Jenni last week and the class drop plus the extra 200m is a big plus for her. She has an excellent Rosehill record and if she gets a shot at them is good enough to feature. 8. Rise At Dawn is likely to lead from the inside gate and is next best.

How to play it: Transatlantic WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds).

11. Taxation is a promising filly who made the leap from maiden to midweek grade look easy, and handled a wet track in the process, winning at Rosehill just over a week ago. This is another step but she gets in with just 52kg, draws nicely and just has that little bit of X-factor about her at this stage. Would be surprised if she’s not competitive.

Dangers: 2. Weeping Woman was a bit costly last time in but she is consistent, races on pace and draws to be able to do that easily enough again. Last time Nash rode her was her latest win and she has to be a good chance. 6. Spirit Of Wealth has had some raps on her but things haven’t gone to plan a lot in her five starts to date. She has won two of them (officially, a third she was disqualified from) so she clearly has talent and they went back to the drawing board with her at Hawkesbury for a confidence boosting win. Take on trust but capable of winning. 5. Silver Wedding was a shade disappointing when resuming but it was on a fast day and she had 59.5kg. Only beaten just under two lengths, fitter and drops 4kg. She can improve.

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

9. Frosty Girl is fairly easy to find with three wins from as many starts and while she only beat three rivals when resuming she did it with authority under a big weight. She’s skipping a grade but gets a 3.5kg drop in her favour and if she can hold up okay from the inside gate and get into the clear what we’ve seen of her turn of foot will make her hard to hold off.

Dangers: 3. Formal Display is racing well of late and gave a big sight when run down late by Dance To The Boom, who won at Flemington on Tuesday, over this trip at Warwick Farm. Claims away from the same weight, races forward and should be competitive. 13. Starman does struggle to win but he’s rarely been too far away of late. Freshened up since running into third over this track and trip five weeks ago, he is what he is and is an each-way hope. 5. Mawjood won that race at Rosehill and has stretched to the mile for two runs since and run well though beaten as odds-on favourite in the Coonamble Cup before a solid run in the Big Dance Wild Card. Back to the 1400m entitles him to another chance.

How to play it: Frosty Girl WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds).

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