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By Neil Evans

Track Good 4 and rail out 6m from 900m to 400m and 3m the remainder

Small but competitive staying battle to get us underway, and even split between those with a win and those without. Tough four-year-old 2. Oakfield Warpaint can make it two from his last three stretched out to this distance. Has been attacking the line up to the mile this prep, and finds a thinner race with a much stronger and more aggressive rider taking over.

Dangers: Provincial colt 4. Brave Boy defied a long-priced market drift third-up at Gosford charging home late to score. From a soft draw and out in distance, he will be finishing off again. Not sure 5. Pippen will back up in three days, but he closed off okay in a handy CL1 at Taree, and couldn't be fitter.

How to play it: Oakfield Warpaint to win. Odds and Evens: Evens

A testing sprint field for the girls at set weights is headed by a couple of impressive metro-based trial performers. Keen on striking four-year-old mare 1. Cloud Hooper who resumes for only her third run behind a couple of progressive trials, winning the latest when sitting outside the speed and doing best under a nice hold. Is by former top stayer Criterion, and significantly returns in blinkers.

Dangers: Debutant filly 4. Composite is by fashionable American sire Bobby's Kitten, and was pushed out to find the line behind a smart winner in the second of two recent trials. Draws to stalk the speed. Watch the betting on 2. Latin Lyric second-up after a fair closing run at Canterbury; while Godolphin filly 3. Camplin second-up with blinkers added; and So You Think filly 5. Definitely Maybe who debuts behind two improving trials; are both in the mix.

How to play it: Cloud Hopper to win. Odds and Evens: Split

Not much depth in this, and that augurs well for progressive three-year-old 6. Just A Tiff who can peak third-up in his second prep. Found the line from well back in a handy maiden at Wyong, and is advantaged stepping on to the bigger track.

Dangers: Keep safe improving three-year-old 4. Annulus who worked home from midfield to only miss by a long neck at his second start. Big watch on country three-year-old 5. Devil's Inn who returns for a second prep off a convincing trial win run in slow time, but he was always under a good hold against only three rivals. Included in exotics Shalaa three-year-old 10. Silver City resuming from a soft draw and came through that same recent trial as the former.

How to play it: Just A Tiff to win. Odds and Evens: Evens

Liked the way Coffs three-year-old 1. Lisztomania finished off from the back at his second start. Ready for this longer journey with a superior jockey taking over, and this is a very weak maiden.

Dangers: Another Coffs visitor 5. Fighting Magnus has worked home well enough in two runs to start his career, and suited over a further 300m with winkers replacing blinkers. Hard fit three-year-old 8. Madakari; and improving four-year-old 11. Keen Idea; head the rest.

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

Ultra genuine mare 1. Cool Missile stalked the speed before finishing best to win a similar race two runs back, then hit the line late jumping sharply up to city grade. Well placed back at this level, and the rookie rider takes 4kg off.

Dangers: Metro seven-year-old 5. Timperley has finished into a place from well back in two runs this prep; while home track four-year-old 2. Tupou third-up; and resuming mare 3. Dancing Dollar; can both run into a place.

How to play it: Cool Missile to win. Odds and Evens: Odds

Tricky race, although talented home track filly 7. Don't Doubt Katie rates a clear on top third-up from an ideal trailing draw. Swept home for an impressive maiden win two runs back before sticking on okay after being ridden in front here three weeks back. Much better when taken back off the speed, and form through her races is very sound for a contest like this.

Dangers: Consistent Tuncurry mare 5. Robarge put them to the sword easily when resuming at home, and looks up to this next step from a soft draw. Provincial mare 8. Alibi Dot Com has to get across from a wide barrier, but she's on the rise having motored home to win her maiden at Port 24 days ago. Improving 6. Blood River hasn't seen a firm track since last spring, and can be ridden closer here from the inside draw. Now trained on the track, ex-Victorian filly 1. Eclair Sunrise hasn't started for eight months, but was a dominant second start winner as a two-year-old, and returns behind two quiet trials with the "Raging Bull" in the saddle. Similarly, watch the betting on stablemate filly 4. Bahahaa who resumes having done next to nothing at the trials.

How to play it: Don't Doubt Katie to win and box exacta 5,7,8. Odds and Evens: Split

Plenty of chances in the closer headed by progressive Warwick farm colt 3. Cool Lad who shoots for a hat-trick of wins. Came from just off the speed to romp in his maiden before repeating the dose under 60kg in a CL1. Decent step up in grade returning to provincial company, but he has more scope and talent than the rest.

Dangers: Metro three-year-old 2. Peregrination will find this decidedly easier than a poor effort in the Listed Gosford Guineas. Previous two efforts at Canterbury were good enough to be right in the finish here; while provincial mare 8. A Fortunate Lass has been close-up in her last three, and draws to get a soft run.

How to play it: Cool Lad to win and quinella 2 and 3. Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R3 6. JUST A TIFF
R6 7. DON'T DOUBT KATIE

BEST VALUE:
R1 2. OAKFIELD WARPAINT

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