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By Neil Evans

Track Soft 5 and rail True with possible late rain

Provincial three-year-old 4. Soloist let punters down on debut but can bounce back here from the inside gate.

Dangers: Home track five-year-old 5. Camo's Dream can improve sharply second-up with blinkers going on.

How to play it: Soloist to win. Odds and Evens: Evens

Slightly deeper base here in the girls' edition, and four-year-old mare 1. Zouflu almost has this at her mercy. Was good through the line first-up after working from a wide draw in a tougher metro field, and any sort of cover here should see her winning despite the sharp hike in weight.

Dangers: Local mare 4. Neon Moon resumes without officially trialling, but draws well with a 3kg claim; while keeping safe 5. Zattastar with blinkers applied third-up.

How to play it: Zouflu to win. Odds and Evens: Split

Some real strugglers in this augurs well for improving three-year-old metro filly 12. Sureel who can pounce third-up on the limit weight. Has been fair through the line in two better maidens so far, and stepping up in trip with a stronger rider aboard is ideal.

Dangers: Rival metro colt 9. The Dance has been freshened up via a nice trial win, and can run the quinella. Must keep safe provincial mare 8. Hope Uno who will appreciate the longer journey fourth-up; while three-year-old 10. Wolf Warrior gets blinkers off at his third start.

How to play it: Sureel to win and quinella 9 and 12. Odds and Evens: Split

Talented mare 5. Ita should have won first-up at Goulburn charging home to miss narrowly after being held up, and has been given 24 days between runs. This is no harder, and drops 2kg, with a far superior rider aboard.

Dangers: Keep safe 9. Loose Buttons who has kept improving this prep; while 10. Inzaghi is the best of the rest.

How to play it: Ita to win. Odds and Evens: Split

Moderate affair with plenty of chances. Honest mare 4. Lady Kirkham has been in the placings last four, twice beaten narrowly. Steps out to this distance for the first time, and finally returning to a firmer track in what shapes as a weak race looks ideal.

Dangers: Another perennial place-getter 7. Taliano was edged out late on the synthetic at Canberra fourth-up, and continues to sneak down in the weights. Provincial seven-year-old 3. Dragon's Shadow won a thin BM 66 two runs back before chasing home a progressive and in-form stayer last start. Draws okay in a race with less depth. No question 6. Bandahara is long overdue, but his closing first-up effort a fortnight ago was enough to keep punters wary.

How to play it: Lady Kirkham to win and box exacta 3,4,7. Odds and Evens: Split

Lightly raced mare 2. Rebukes resumes off a smart trial win. Handicapper hasn't missed him with 60.5kg, but comes to hand quickly, and draws to get a nice trail just behind the speed.

Dangers: Local nine-year-old 1. I Am Capitan drops back from tougher races, and gets a crucial 3kg allowance, but still looks ordinarily treated at the weights from a tricky draw. Expect improvement from four-year-old 4. Amicus Curiae third-up and down in weight; while 7. Honeysuckle Choice draws the inside after a fighting second-up win in a similar grade at Moruya.

How to play it: Rebukes to win. Odds and Evens: Split

Toughest race of the day to finish. Progressive Canberra mare 11. Boho Chick is ready to win again, with winkers coming off. Finished best to claim a similar race three starts back before close-up in her next two, and was scratched from a better race at Wagga last week to be kept fresher for this, five weeks between runs.

Dangers: Under-rated six-year-old 9. Jin Chi Phantom has been placed in his last five runs, although would prefer it a bit softer; while keeping safe 4. Distinctive Glory who draws the inside and drops in grade. Include 2. Risk And Reward and 3. We All Agree in wider exotics.

How to play it: Boho Chick to win. Odds and Evens: Odds

BEST BETS:
R4 5. ITA
R6 2. REBUKES

BEST VALUE:
R5 4. LADY KIRKHAM

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Bathurst meeting