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Race 1 - 12:30PM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1500 METRES)
8. Glad You Think So fought out the finish at Warwick Farm first up with 59kgs on his back. It was an eye-catching return from the Derby aspirant. The knock, if there is one, is whether he flattens out second up only rising an extra 100m in trip his goal is at the backend of the carnival is over 2400m. However, the three-year-old looks to have the class to overcome that. Molly Bourke maintains the ride which sees the son of So You Think in with 54.5kg. A soft gate ensures that he won't be too far away in the run. There was a lot to like about the progression he made last campaign, winning a maiden and a Class 1 before finishing on the heels of Raf Attack and Tom Kitten in the Gloaming Stakes.
Dangers: 14. Smart Legend looks ready to win third up. He too maps to get a perfect trail in behind the speed. And this race promises to be truly run. The four-year-old peaked on his run first up behind the flying Whinchat, as a heavily backed favourite, before he improved off that to run third behind Sir Artie. Again, he looked to feel the pinch late. No excuses now with a couple of runs under his belt. John Sargent has a strong hand in the race and don't discount 4. Mountain Guest first up over 1500m. Raced her way through to Group company last campaign too. Her finishing positions in her two trials are deceptive. 7. Decadent Tale found her best form two weeks ago in a similar race to this.
How To Play It: Glad You Think So WIN
Race 2 - 1:05PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
21. Vinolass is a smart mare. The lightly-raced four-year-old won her first three starts, the third of those by 5.5 lengths and she did it with her ears pricked. Thereafter she spent almost a year on the sidelines, 45 weeks to be exact. She made her long-awaited return at the midweeks at Warwick Farm a couple of weeks ago and after looming like the winner, gassed out late. She didn't shirk her task, however. The race fit Super Bright proved too strong at the finish. That was a BM72 and she started favourite. That profile should see her warrant a lot of respect here. The distance rise of 1100m to 1400m perhaps isn't ideal but Keith Dryden has a plan to get her to the Country Championships series. Have to plat the early price given this mare's quality.
Dangers: The Highway Handicap at Randwick over 1200m two weeks ago looks a logical form reference for this but where do you start? There was only 2.5L from first to ninth. 2. Belvedere Boys was the hard luck story to come out of the race. He was shuffled back early and didn't get clear until it was too late. Dunn and Rawiller reunite here. 4. Atmospheric Rock was the winner of the race and given the sprint he had to sustain from well back, he deserves credit. Well set up now third up out to 1400m. The barrier looks ugly and will see him even further back in the run though. 6. Rapbidash was poking home late and was nine weeks between runs without and official trial. Have to mention 7. Sharp Shock and 15. Miss Stalwart too. 3. Noisy Boy brings a different form line, and strong ones at that.
How To Play It: Vinolass WIN
Race 3 - 1:40PM QUEEN BEE PROJECT SPRINT (1100 METRES)
6. Xtravagant Star was an impressive last start winner over this track and trip the last time we saw her at the races, in this same grade. She maps to get the same soft run on Saturday from the inside draw. After bursting onto the scene as a talented two-year-old she lost her way forma couple of campaigns. A change of scenery with Ciaron Maher taking over her training sparked her back into form. The four-year-old has trialled nicely on two occasions ahead of her return and with the speed engaged she should get her chance to stalk. That sees her well suited to Jason Collett. Her past form perhaps suggests that she won't want it too wet. Her one soft track win was on a Soft 5.
Dangers: 8. Dipsy Doodle was set a huge task at Rosehill first up. She tackled 1200m, which was testing enough, but she ran along at a fast clip. That saw her blow up late, as she was entitled to. Our Kobison idled up on her outside and zipped straight past. Has been given three weeks to freshen up from that and she looks better placed back to 1100m. 2. Shezanalister is a Bjorn Baker-trained mare in the zone at the moment, skipping through the grades. She was jumping from 1000m to 1200m last start and nailed Tintookie right on the line. That form line ties in neatly to Dispy Doodle and Our Kobison. 11. Ballroom Bella is a sharp filly, scratched from last Saturday's Light Fingers Stakes. Building a great record. Would respect any market support for 12. Epic Proportions.
How To Play It: Xtravagant Star WIN
Race 4 - 2:15PM TAB SILVER SLIPPER STAKES (1100 METRES)
1. Espionage just got home in the Breeders Plate on debut but second, third and sixth have all won since while the fourth horse Fearless was narrowly beaten in the Canonbury. We know it's a very deep race this year. He travelled three deep with cover throughout and did enough to reel in his gallant stablemate 2. Straight Charge, who lines up here too. Espionage hasn't been seen since with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott having eyes for the Golden Slipper. The stable make no secret of how highly they rate the son of Zoustar. He has trialled twice to prepare for his return and ran fast time winning his latest heat, despite doing it effortlessly. Nash Rawiller got a feel in those two hitouts and he draws a perfect gate to stalk the speed.
Dangers: 5. Gatsby's gives away race experience but his trials have been exceptional. The first of those was behind Espionage, who wasn't under the same pressure, but Gatsby's more than held his own. His second trial was even better, coasting to victory without Tommy Berry moving a muscle. Looks big odds. He has also accepted for Canterbury on Friday night. 2. Straight Charge bolted in at Randwick back in December which put him on a Magic Millions path but a minor setback saw him miss the race. Freshened up since then, winning a trial at Warwick Farm. Might have to work to get across. 3. Embassy is a fast horse himself, as he showed in the Lonhro. Found himself in the inferior ground but boxed on bravely. 7. Erno's Cube next best.
How To Play It: Espionage WIN
Race 5 - 2:50PM PARRAMATTA CUP (1900 METRES)
6. Diamil tackled the mile first up at Randwick and was outstanding in defeat. The six-year-old couldn't have done much more given how the race was run and won with Amor Victorious running fast time from out in front. Diamil settled towards the rear but attacked the line, setting up what should be a lucrative autumn. Out to 1900m is perfect now second up, he draws soft and finds James McDonald. The final piece of the puzzle would be a wet track. He should get his toe in the ground which should see him at least repeat what he did a couple of weeks ago. Wouldn't have to build much off that performance to win this. His form looks well exposed but his fresh run teases that he could be in for his best Australian campaign yet.
Dangers: 3. Kalapour tends to hit the ground running in his campaigns and kicking off over 1900m gives him the chance to do the same again this time back. He kept chasing to miss by half a length in a similar race to this first up over the spring before three starts later running third in a record-breaking Metrop behind Just Fine. Nash Rawiller rides. 11. So United is chasing three straight and will make his own luck as the likely leader. It's been six weeks since he won at the Gold Coast but has had a tick over trial since. 13. Zenzella comes through the same Magic Millions race as So United, making up a stack of late ground to just miss. Lightly raced staying mare but she's well found.
How To Play It: Diamil WIN
Race 6 - 3:25PM YARRAMAN PARK HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
What you see is typically what you get with honest gelding 3. Palmetto. Trainer John Sargent has suggested that the five-year-old has strengthened up further ahead of his spring carnival. He was around the mark in most races he contested last campaign which included the G2 Tramway Stakes first up, beaten two lengths by Pericles. That reads well for this. Like the way Palmetto cruised to the line to win a recent Randwick barrier trial and he should get his chance to tuck in behind the speed from the inside gate. Found this race hard to get a confident line on but without a lot of pressure on paper, Palmetto is going to find himself in the right spot. The claim of Molly Bourke offsets the 61kg he was lumped with coming back to benchmark grade.
Dangers: 10. Fawkner Park will find 1400m on the sharp side but he has a brilliant close. Would have liked to have seen more speed on paper but look for him late. 13. Marquess is curiously coming back to 1400m second up after tackling the mile first up a couple of weeks ago. He presented like the winner but Amor Victorious romped in, with Diamil closing off to run third. He gets in light again in this grade and is clearly a talent, just don't know how to assess him back in journey. 11. Robusto goes up in grade but gets some weight relief, even with James McDonald riding a kilo over. Has never raced better. 4. Barbie's Fox can improve sharply second up out to her right trip while 6. Kinloch will be flashing home as per usual.
How To Play It: Palmetto WIN
Race 7 - 4:00PM KIA MILLIE FOX STAKES (1300 METRES)
2. Madame Pommery has been a little hit and miss through her short career to date but want to lean on what she has done fresh in her past two campaigns. First up over the spring she resumed in the Spring Preview at Rosehill over 1400m and ran Pericles to a nose. Her last 600m split there was amongst the quickest of the meeting and some four lengths faster than the second quickest in the race. The preparation prior to that, her run was as good as any in the Light Fingers Stakes behind In Secret and Sunshine In Paris. She typically isn't the best into stride so like the booking of Nash Rawiller with that in mind and she'll handle any going that Rosehill throws up.
Dangers: 1. Zougotcha perhaps hasn't gone on with it like we thought she might, however, she has had excuses. Her had a hiccup before launching her autumn three-year-old campaign while last time in she was trained like a sprinter. That didn't work. She's been reset and will instead target races over the mile. Loved her recent trial behind King Of Sparta and she maps perfectly. 8. Vienna Princess has made huge leaps forward in her past two campaigns. Was only beaten two lengths in a Golden Eagle and she didn't get a lot of room in the straight. 6. Lady Laguna has a fitness jump on her rivals and is flying but she looks very short in a deep field of mares. Wanted to find a spot for 5. Argentia but the barrier looks problematic.
How To Play It: Madame Pommery EACH WAY
Race 8 - 4:35PM PRECISE AIR HOBARTVILLE STAKES (1400 METRES)
1. Tom Kitten just needs to hold a spot early to prove too powerful late. We'll leave that in the capable hands of Nash Rawiller. If the Godolphin colt gets the first half of the race right, the rest should take care of itself. We saw what the son of Harry Angel was capable of at the backend of last campaign in the Spring Champion Stakes, where he made a mess of his rivals. Finally everything fell into place that day after a spring of hard luck stories. He resumed in the Eskimo Prince Stakes two weeks ago and found 1200m, predictably doing his best work through the line. He'll be better again in the Randwick Guineas over the mile next start but he still profiles as the horse to beat here over 1400m.
Dangers: 5. Ducasse may be coming off a midweek maiden win but he has all the right form lines from last campaign to suggest he can only run well. Maps to be closer and would almost have him top pick if the Rosehill track was hit with the forecast storm on Friday night. 7. Celestial Legend was forced back to the fence first up in the Eskimo Prince. That adds merit to the run given the inside was inferior ground. Gives the impression he'll relish getting out to 1400m for the first time. Has the brain of 10. Café Millenium caught up to his enormous frame? That's the gamble but he arguably produced the run of the race in the Ming Dynasty in the spring and against most of the key chances here. A fresh 6. Heman has claims while 12. Les Vampires will give a sight from in front.
How To Play It: Tom Kitten WIN
Race 9 - 5:15PM CHANDON HANDICAP (1100 METRES)
6. Key Largo will need a few things to fall into place given his pattern but we're getting a big price to find out. There was just two lengths separating first to ninth in the BM94 won by Brudenell two weeks ago at Randwick which is a red flag in itself as far as form reference but Key Largo's closing splits deserve special mention. Sure, that's him, get out the back, flash home late, he is entitled to run fast home at the end of a slowly run 1000m. However, the market hasn't respected the merit in that performance at all. The seven-year-old is much better suited to 1100m and the last time he raced over this track and trip he was luckless in a Galaxy. It's been 68 weeks since he last won but he has spent the past two campaigns in Group and Listed company.
Dangers: The appeal with 4. Red Card is that she offers a different form line. She was an impressive all the way winner over this same track and trip first up last campaign before her form tapered off. She was beaten second up as a $1.40 favourite. Looked sharp in a recent trial win and James McDonald rides. 11. Frilled didn't put the pedal down first up, perhaps with a view to settling her better to see out 1100m. This is a new test for her but liked how she kept fighting despite being headed. There was a nostril between Brudenell and 2. Derry Grove last start at the finish last start.
How To Play It: Key Largo EACH WAY
Race 10 - 5:55PM KIA ORA STUD HANDICAP (1300 METRES)
19. Gently Rolled has returned a better mare this time back. She charged to the line first up in Midway company behind an all-the-way winner before building on that second up when making light work of her rivals in BM78 grade. That was against the mares in a field of six. This presents a different challenge in a bigger field and against a more seasoned field of geldings. However, if Zac Lloyd rides her the same way he did last start, using the draw to trail the speed before presenting her at the perfect time, she's likely to win again. Perhaps a little knock staying at 1300m as opposed to getting out to 1400m now third up but she is a four-year-old starting to build her record as she goes through the grades.
Dangers: 3. High Blue Sea produced a booming finish first up, despite being 55 weeks between runs. It made all punters stand up and take notice. Hence he was sent around a firm favourite second up. It wasn't to be there, strung up behind a wall of runners while Amor Victorious had a picnic in front. Forgive him that. Has been freshened up since then with a trial inbetween. 6. Dakota Vroom chased home Gently Rolled at Randwick two weeks ago. She was no match late but that form reference of course makes her a player here again. Racing well. 4. True Crime draws wide but there doesn't look to be a lot of speed on paper despite the big field so Josh Parr mightn't have too much trouble sliding across. Have been taken by his trials. 8. African Daisy rates a mention.
How To Play It: Gently Rolled WIN
