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By Neil Evans

Track Soft 5 and rail true

A small but even and competitive field over a longer trip gets the Showcase Cup meeting underway, and it presents well for seven-year-old 4. Sound And Vision who gets first use of the inside fifth-up. Has been gradually improving all prep, and comes back from a provincial race over the same trip where he led until the final strides.

Dangers: Despite carrying a hefty 62kg, 1. Roller Coaster is right in the mix after three fair runs back in deeper company, and drawn to settle closer this time. Honest 2. Strobing gets his chance to score consecutive wins fourth-up after surging home best from behind the speed to win the Krambach Cup. Must include locally trained 3. Claptone from a soft draw, and 5. Chocolatier on a significant weight drop; in wider exotic bets.

How to play it: Sound And Vision to win

Another one jumping from the inside barrier can strike here progressing into her second start. Well bred mare 8. Electric Evie caught the eye charging home from well back on debut at Taree when solid in the market, and with good speed up front, she only needs clear air from the 350m to produce a whirlwind finish.

Dangers: Must respect emerging 6. Dusan who resumes after sticking on okay when leading in a handy two-year-old maiden in early July. Gap to the rest headed by 10. Thedaythemusicdied who is on a 12 day back-up second-up after finishing okay from midfield in a handy maiden after being backed from $5.00 into $3.60. At big odds keep safe 11. Exclusive Battle who improves sharply at her second start; while 1. Mr Damage by Panzer Division and on debut in blinkers is the best of the rest.

How to play it: Electric Evie to win

Progressive provincial five-year-old 3. Uncaged has so much more to offer than his one win and three placings from 17 starts suggests. Led for a long way in a better race than this second-up, and has been taken back for a quiet open class trial four weeks between runs. Trial jockey sticks for the real thing.

Dangers: Improving mare 1. Cassia Lane is a serious threat second-up from the inside draw. Drove home best to win a similar-graded race for the girls when resuming, and normally holds her form early in the prep. Watch the betting on provincial five-year-old 2. Foolish who did absolutely nothing against tougher opposition last prep, but resumes behind two easy 1000m trials. Another disappointing mare 4. Allay wasn't far away in similar company last start, and gets both a nice weight drop and better draw here.

How to play it: Uncaged to win

Tricky affair here, although the draw should have a big impact with the better credentialled runners drawn either side of the field. From the same provincial stable as the previous on top selection, lightly raced 6. Single Shot is well placed second-up. Was very big odds when doing his best work late first-up in a deeper Super Maiden, but can park closer in the run here from the inside draw. His first two career runs back in autumn would be good enough to win this.

Dangers: Drawn right alongside, 9. Rockbarton Icon also has a strong claim progressing into his third start. Was good getting home late at Scone a fortnight ago when forced a long way back from the wide barrier, and the winner from that race Invincible Whip is going on to much bigger things. Be surprised if one of these two doesn't win, especially with early market favourite 3. Golden Honour drawn off the track fourth-up. That said, he was well backed when only fair to the line resuming off a six week break at Taree, and he did tackle metropolitan company over the border back in late winter. Provincial three-year-olds; 8. Quinky Deel and 10. The Favorite Son are both capable of running into the minor money.

How to play it: Single Shot to win

Plenty of chances in this Super Maiden starting with provincial three-year-old 4. Zedari who looms as the best value, peaking at his third start from an ideal trailing draw. While his two runs back have been just fair, he gets a clear edge here on much preferred soft ground for the first time.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed by progressive filly 6. Godelba who is also primed at her fourth start after running home hard from the back in a handy maiden at Scone. At bigger odds keep safe 1. Working Capital despite a wide gate who is suited over more ground fourth-up, with blinkers coming off. Include 5. Extreme Merger second-up in all trifecta and first four plays.

How to play it: Zedari to win and box exacta 1,4,6

Open and moderate affair here. Capable six-year-old 5. Much More Torque can make it two wins from his last three, staying at the distance and drawing the fence. Charged home to beat a CL1 field two runs back before again hitting the line from well back in a CL2. This looks weaker, and being drawn to get a soft run, he only needs clear air from the top of the straight.

Dangers: Over the odds is lightly raced 3. Haverion who has been given four weeks since motoring home fresh to miss by a nose in a CL3 at Coffs. Keep safe too, improving 4. Extravagant Choice who drops back from a much tougher CL3 Highway at Randwick, and is drawn low. Both 3. Koondeeman fourth-up; and 8. Shades of Frisco off a shock win at big odds in similar company; are knock-out value chances.

How to play it: Much More Torque to win

Now the feature Cup, and it shapes very nicely for tough six-year-old 1. Casirina who is primed to return to the winner's stall deep into the current prep in what is a weak edition. Hit the line well in open BM 82 grade three runs ago before failing to finish off in smarter company at Newcastle on what was a leader-biased pattern. Recaptured his best charging late to miss by a neck in the BM 84 Krambach Cup, and he looks fairly treated under 58kg in this lineup.

Dangers: Keep very safe 4. Little Prophet who draws ideally to roll forward reloading off a narrow BM 66 win at Grafton. Big gap to the rest headed by 2. Red Beryl who draws low with a 2kg claim; and 9. Believe So who also returns from a tougher CL3 Highway company.

How to play it: Casirina to win

Promising provincial filly 7. La Boqueria by Brave Smash is the clear one to beat in the closing sprint, resuming for a second prep behind two progressive trials. Won two straight in dominant fashion back in May before tackling much smarter two-year-old metro company. Stable has found an ideal return race, and she can utilise her superior acceleration from the low draw.

Dangers: Got plenty of time for provincial mare 11. Mrs Ed who can run the quinella fifth-up; while improving 4. Adamdeeant third-up with a 3kg allowance; and 10. Telegraph second-up; head the rest.

How to play it: La Boqueria to win

BEST BETS:
R2 8. ELECTRIC EVIE
R8 7.LA BOQUERIA

BEST VALUE:
R7 1. CASIRINA

All the fields, form and replays for Friday's Kempsey Cup meeting