3 minute read

Race 1 - 11:00AM SPORTING CHANCE CANCER FOUNDATION HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

2. Rag Queen came from an impossible position to win at Canterbury on debut before overachieving in the Inglis Millenium, relative to her starting price of $31. Once she balanced up and had the chance to build through her gears, nothing finished stronger late when third behind Fully Lit and Rue De Royale. That reads well for this. The David Payne-trained filly still has to learn her craft but she can only improve into her second campaign. In her trial since last preperation she zipped home. Just hoping she can hold some kind of position from barrier 2 or she risks being shuffled back into an awkward spot. With the rail where it is at Randwick on Saturday, history suggests you don't want to be too far away. Rag Queen's pedigree suggests she'll get further in time but she has the makings of a handy filly.

Dangers: 7. Swiftfalcon wasn't wanted in betting on debut. That was at Rosehill when drifting out to $61 late. He ran well despite that in a race that has already produced two winners. One of those being 1. Pisces. Swiftfalcon gets his chance to turn the tables with the benefit of a run under his belt and the winkers going on. He too will want to use in the inside draw or risk being shuffled back. Pisces may have been flattered by handling the heavy conditions best at Newcastle two weeks ago but he always travelled like the winner. Ran third to Straight Charge at his second start. 10. Tardelli has had three trials ahead of his return after running in the Pierro Plate behind Switzerland before spelling. His most recent trial looks to have him spot on. 5. Format will be strong late. Just has to keep in touch early.

How To Play It: Rag Queen WIN

Race 2 - 11:35AM MIDWAY HANDICAP (1400 METRES)

5. Resistible failed to handle the heavy track at Randwick last start. Forgive her that. Like the way she won at Wyong first up, despite covering ground. She was heavily backed there, resuming from cardiac arrythmia at the backend of last campaign. That was where she started $4 in Midway company. Thought she was brave in defeat when fourth in the Four Pillars last preperation too, riding a fast speed. Her record of three wins from 16 starts arguably doesn't do her talent justice. She has been freshened since we last saw her, five weeks between runs. A tickover trial kept her up to the mark. There doesn't look to be a lot of pressure on paper, in a smaller Midway field than we are used to, which should give Chad Schofield the chance to roll across and potentially dictate.

Dangers: 1. Navy Blood is hard to beat, the early market tells you as much. He has been priced on the strength of a first up heavy track win though. Have to be wary as to whether he can replicate that dominance on a better surface. That was only his eighth career start so its highly possible he has simply returned a better horse. 2. Always Sure was building towards a Midway win and a perfectly timed ride from Tim Clark saw the six-year-old earn that third up. Potentially improves again now fourth up given how little racing he had done in the year and a half prior to resuming this time back. 7. Bakerloo beat a subsequent midweek winner at Newcastle first up. That flags that she has returned well. 10. Sumo Star runs well, he always does, but doesn't win often. 11. November Falls is a sneaky hope.

How To Play It: Resistible EACH WAY

Race 3 - 12:10PM TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

17. Ensign Parker has his first crack at a Highway Handicap but the timing looks perfect for the three-year-old. The Larry Fairhall-trained gelding went down narrowly at Muswellbrook last start when forced to the middle of the track. Back in third two lengths away was Sonofdec, who dominated a Scone Midway last Saturday. Prior to that Ensign Parker put three lengths on his Class 1 rivals at Newcastle. Going back to his maiden win in his first racing campaign, he beat a fast-finishing Gentileschi. There's depth to his form. He'll bounce out and make his own luck in the first couple and compared to where a couple of his main dangers have drawn, should get a much more economical run. Just needs a couple of scratchings to make the field. Each way in another wide open Highway.

Dangers: 1. Tanglewood faces a task from the gate and with 61kg but he is the class runner. Won't be long before he races his way out of Highway company. The lightly-raced four-year-old toughed it out in heavy conditions last start and was only second up there after a 35 week spell. Should improve again. Gets blinkers first time. 4. Nipotino has run a few big races in Highway company in the past, including a second to Atmospheric Rock back in February. Belvedere Boys flashed home into fourth. She charged to the line in an open Albury sprint first up behind eight-time winner Mr Moppett. 13. Tai Lung shouldn't be too far away from the inside gate. He did more than enough in midweek company first up in heavy conditions to recommend him back in grade. 2. Ramones and 10. Ticklebelly next best.

How To Play It: Ensign Parker EACH WAY

Race 4 - 12:45PM PF CIVIL HANDICAP (2400 METRES)

1. Desperado should be able to park a couple of pairs closer from barrier 1 on Saturday. At least closer than last start at Newcastle where he settled down in the second half of the field before being flushed wide in the straight when the field packed. The six-year-old loomed as the winner but didn't look at home in the deteriorating heavy conditions. That was the ex-Kiwi's first exposure to heavy ground. Not many handled it that meeting. The start prior to that the gelding ran second to winning machine Sea What I See. He was 2.7 lengths away but that reads as a strong reference for this. He looks like he'll relish getting out to 2400m and being deep into a campaign, he has no excuses fitness-wise.

Dangers: 4. Quantum Cat looks ready to win. He has caught the eye in two runs in Australia, first up over the mile before backing that up out to 2000m at Caulfield. Has two wins over 2500m when trained in the UK. They were both on synthetic. Has only had seven career starts. Drawn awkwardly but he can sustain a long run. 9. Funambulist loves wet ground so he won't want the track to dry out too much. Has tactical speed as he showed at Newcastle last start when fighting out the finish with Desperado. He stays all day. 7. Awesome Wonder ran on like the winner at the midweeks last start but couldn't get past the winner. Should be at her top now fourth up. 5. Fay's Angels is holding her form.

How To Play It: Desperado WIN

Race 5 - 1:20PM ST GEORGE LEAGUES CLUB HANDICAP (1400 METRES)

4. Konasana produced a career best over this track and trip two starts ago in the G3 James HB Carr Stakes. She gapped stablemate Scarlet Oak who won just as impressively at her subsequent start. Konasana was perhaps flattered by the heavy track but the dominance of the win can't be undersold. The filly then tackled the Hawkesbury Guineas. Forget she ever ran there. She was wedged away in a packing field without much speed up front. Just as she was starting to move through her gears she was stopped in her tracks and was eased out of the finish. Don't read into the beaten margin or that she beat just the one runner home. There is no rain forecast ahead of Saturday but the daughter of Dundeel should get a suitable track. Loves getting her toe in.

Dangers: 11. Captain Amelia, also trained by John O'Shea, made good late ground behind Pippie Beach last start. Should be at her top now third up. Talented filly but want to see her start winning again. 2. Missy Moola will punch up to be prominent from barrier 1. Yet to win in four Australian runs but her last run before spelling was the best of them and her most recent Randwick trial win suggests she has come back well. 5. French Endeavour has been racing well all campaign. She wasn't suited by the lack of pressure in the Hawkesbury Guineas. Draws awkwardly here.

How To Play It: Konasana WIN

Race 6 - 1:55PM WILSON ASSET MANAGEMENT HANDICAP (1800 METRES)

13. Piggyback tasted defeat for the first time behind Scarlet Oak at Newcastle last start but her reputation was only enhanced. She was jumping from a narrow Class 1 victory at Orange into a benchmark race. Once the daughter of Trapeze Artist angled into the clear, she attacked the line like she'd relish getting out to 1800m. The best part about her country win was the last 100m. Piggyback's dam won out to 2500m. Jockey Ash Morgan jumps back on having ridden the filly in her first two starts, winning both. Just want to see her use the gate to hold some kind of position. We'll learn even more about where this Ciaron Maher-trained filly fits in after Saturday but she's all upside on what we have seen so far.

Dangers: 10. Bestower is also a filly on the way up. The Kris Lees-trained galloper asserted her dominance late at Taree before being met with good support at the midweeks last start. She should have won if not for being strung up in the run behind Naval Commission. There was seven lengths back to third. Keen to see 4. Agita again given what he did over 1800m at Hawkesbury last start against older horses. Well set up back to his own age. Not sure what happened to 3. Concello in the SA Oaks last start. She's better than that. As evidenced by her Adrian Knox third. That race has produced six subsequent winners. 1. Lively has no easy task from the barrier and with 61kg but there's good depth to her form. 14. It's A Wonder rattled home from last in the Wagga Guineas.

How To Pay It: Piggyback WIN

Race 7 - 2:30PM TAYLOR CONSTRUCTION HANDICAP (1000 METRES)

There is speed drawn right across the track over 1000m so looking for a stalker. Landed on 3. Testator Silens given where he has drawn. Just hoping he shows enough early speed to keep in touch early. The six-year-old had four runs for Joe Pride last campaign and looked a rejuvenated horse. He resumed over 1200m and couldn't quite get the all the way winner Luvoir, but was game in defeat. He didn't have the smoothest run in transit. The gelding is two from two over 1000m but those two wins came much earlier in his career. In fact, they were his first two ever starts. Don't read too much into his barrier trials. He doesn't show much. It was the same prior to resuming last time in. There is enough in the early to price to take the punt.

Dangers: Stablemate 15. Wild Botanica looks dangerous given her soft draw. She should get a similar run and 1000m is a perfect kick off point for her. Looked sharp in her one trial. 7. Mogo Magic hasn't been sighted since failing in the Kosciuszko as a $7 chance. Comes back to benchmark company, flies fresh and has a great record over 1000m. No official trials to judge him off. Joe Pride's third runner 14.The Black Cloud is the shortest price of the three. The Shamus Award filly is untapped into her second race preperation having won two from three in her first. 11. Passeggiata is all speed. Found herself awkwardly positioned at Newcastle first up. Risks being eye-balled throughout which might bring about her undoing.

How To Play It: Testator Silens EACH WAY

Race 8 - 3:05PM FUJITSU AIRSTAGE HANDICAP (1600 METRES)

A win is close for 5. Iknowastar. He ran second to Gringotts first up at Rosehill then second to Waterford four weeks later. Those two have gone right on with it since. Gringotts has won twice while Waterford was luckless in the Scone Cup, missing in a photo finish. Last start Iknowastar just bumped into two better wet trackers. That was at Newcastle on a heavy track. A drying surface come Saturday should give him the chance to turn the tables on 1. Williamsburg. Iknowastar has shown in his past two campaigns that he holds his form deep into campaigns. He continues to improve with runs under his belt. That's no surprise given his free-rolling style. The four-year-old gets out in front and gets his rivals chasing. Rachel King knows this having ridden him twice already this preperation.

Dangers: The market has found 14. Ruby Flyer but understandably so. He made a late surge at Rosehill last start but couldn't reel in Highlights. It was a sprint home. Forgive the blanket finish for the minors. Unusual Legacy and Rhythm Of Love, fourth and fifth, have both won their subsequent starts. Williamsburg was perhaps flattered by the heavy track last start given how effective he has been in testing ground in the past. The track rating come Saturday will prove significant for him. 16. Miracle Spin was five weeks between runs and back to 1400m last start at Hawkesbury. That'll bring him on again. The barrier looks problematic for 8. St Lawrence. His first up run behind Waterford and Iknowastar ties in well though.

How To Play It: Iknowastar WIN

Race 9 - 3:45PM PF CIVIL EQUIPMENT HANDICAP (2000 METRES)

5. Pesto doesn't win out of turn nowadays, with just one victory from his past 19 starts, but he looks perfectly set up on Saturday. The eight-year-old caught the eye behind Waterford and Iknowastar first up over 1500m in a high-rating race at Rosehill. Want to trust that form reference compared to what his rivals here are offering up. That fast-finishing fifth was after getting well back in the run from the wide gate. He is straight out to 2000m second up and draws soft. Coming back in grade from a BM100 to an 88 sees him rise 5.5kg in the weights but this is still very winnable. The barrier should see him park up much closer in he run. He has run well from settling in the first couple in the past.

Dangers: 7. Speycaster is chasing three straight wins as he works through the grades. He is a stayer in terrific form. Ploughed through the heavy conditions at Newcastle two weeks ago. Ideally he'd be getting out to 2400m now as opposed to coming back slightly in trip to 2000m. That's the only knock. It got tight up the fence for 6. Golden Path in The Coast last start. He should have finished closer. Shouldn't have that same concern here swapping barrier 1 for barrier 12. Keen to see him out to 2000m for the first time. 2. Political Debate is now 102 weeks between wins. The drought looked set to end in the Wagga Cup but Fawkner Park pulled too many punches late. 3. Youth Spirit will give a sight while expecting an improved run from 8. Vega Magnifico.

How To Play It: Pesto WIN

Race 10 - 4:25PM SUPPORTERHUB HANDICAP (1400 METRES)

8. Silent Impact will spear forward to offset the barrier. He stuck on bravely at Rosehill first up over 1300m. That was despite being 79 weeks between runs. Just hope he doesn't flatten off second up after that run. Has been given four weeks to freshen up since. 3. War Eternal needs to break a 117 week drought. It's been a long time between wins but he has raced well over the Randwick 1400m in the past and improves with a run under his belt.

Dangers: 10. Starman is 123 weeks between wins. He has placed in five of his past six. Patience is wearing thin but he'll be thereabouts again. 16. Nails Murphy and 17. Kokoro both come through a Kensington midweeker and have claims in a wide open close to the meeting.

How To Play It: Silent Impact WIN