3 minute read

Track improving Soft 5 and rail True:

The older maidens get us rolling over the mile, and this shapes nicely for progressive four-year-old 3. Maralago to peak third-up. Has attacked the line late in two runs back from a spell, and carries 1kg less here with a senior rider hopping on. Significantly, was scratched from Canterbury on Wednesday to be saved for this.

Dangers: No doubting early favourite 1. Mr Hemsworth is also knocking on the door third-up, and draws to get a nice trail just off the speed. Big gap to the rest headed by 5. Julimar who improves third-up from a softer draw.

How to play it: Maralago to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Competitive battle over a staying trip. Keen on provincial four-year-old 2. Celestial Fury who is hard fit deep into the prep, and drops back to a more suitable distance. Previous form in and around this trip was good enough to win here, and gets a little weight relief on a seven day back-up.

Dangers: Honest mare 5. Isla draws to get a soft run, and comes through a handy provincial CL1. Talented 3. Midori Burly (also accepted for a similar assignment in R5) seems to pick and choose his day, but has won two from his last four, both times storming home from well off the speed, and shows every sign of running this trip out. Home track mare 4. Dissenter shoots for two straight wins backing up quickly from that same race as the top selection, although the second horse that day had no luck and was a moral beaten.

How to play it: Celestial Fury to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Promising and consistent four-year-old 1. Boston City can strike second-up here from the inside draw, and with the main rival preferred at Wednesday's Canterbury card. Ran home well at Kembla in his first outing for five months, and a stronger rider goes on.

Dangers: Watch the betting on Godolphin filly 4. Moonflower who debuts behind a string of well spaced and improving trials; while 5. Royal Empress is clear best of the rest at her second start.

How to play it: Boston City to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Like provincial four-year-old 3. Oxford Vision who is tough and fit, and finds an ideal race map, parking right behind the speed. Overdue for a second win having been placed a further nine times from 14 starts, and importantly blinkers have been added.

Dangers: Another one knocking on the door is 1. Vegas Raider who has been up for a while, and hit the line well in a deeper metro contest three weeks back. Query at the price, though, lumping 61.5kg. Keep safe home tracker 2. Calamity Fox fifth-up from the fence draw; while 5. Notifies second-up with a key gear change; and 7. Miss Violet third-up; are both worthy exotic inclusions.

How to play it: Oxford Vision to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Back out to the mile, and want to be on emerging Turn Me Loose three-year-old 2. Bucks Party who steps up in distance after a fighting debut win at Wyong where he parked right behind the leader.

Dangers: Progressive filly 6. Fairway Star can hit a peak fourth-up. Won fresh on the Beaumont track before two steady efforts running home up to this grade, although the drying track does her no favours. More likely to run in R2 with a little less weight and kinder draw, 1. Midori Burly comes off a sweeping country win in weaker company, and stays at the trip. The betting will tell a story with 3. Spitfire who scraped home to win a country maiden two starts back before finishing well enough in a Canberra CL1 over this trip.

How to play it: Bucks Party to win
Odds and Evens: Evens

As long as he tucks in for some cover from the outside draw, provincial three-year-old 1. Ambassadors can run over the top of an ordinary field first-up behind two progressive trials, and with a major rival very unlikely to start.

Dangers: Expecting a better second-up run from 7. Surreal Lily ridden quieter from a wider gate; while at bigger odds 2. Headstart trained on the track and 11. Serafima third-up can run into the minor end of the money.

How to play it: Ambassadors to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Plenty of chances in this one, but none better than progressive metro four-year-old 2. Smart Little Miss who guns for a second straight win in similar company. Was strong through the line here three weeks ago in winning with a little in hand, and the drying track is a further plus.

Dangers: Provincial-based 1. Moon Reader will find this much more to her liking after failing to run home off a long break in tougher BM 78 city grade. Watch the money too on stablemate 5. Tintookie who wasn't far off the top selection second-up when backed from $3.30 into $3.00. Include in all exotics 6. Tomsilava dropping in class fourth-up.

How to play it: Smart Little Miss to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Similar race to close, and underrated metro four-year-old 7. Hamaki can pounce here fourth-up despite drawing wide. Has been close-up in two solid runs after a dominant maiden win at Hawkesbury, and can be ridden quieter here.

Dangers: Also drawn off the track, with a sharp weight, 1. Recommendation still has plenty to offer second-up after a tough on-speed effort against superior metro opposition. Include in all exotics bets, 2. Famous Pedrille resuming behind two forward trials; 6. Retiro second-up; 10. Diamond Hands third-up from a better trailing draw; and stablemate 11.Divine Okay fourth-up.

How to play it: Hamaki to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

BEST BETS:
R3 1. BOSTON CITY
R5 2. BUCKS PARTY

BEST VALUE:
R4 3. OXFORD VISION