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By Neil Evans

Track is rated a Good 4 with the rail in the TRUE position for a Racing NSW Country Showcase Cup meeting.

Local four-year-old 1. Green Protector ($1.90 favourite on TAB) should have finished much closer third-up at Doomben and this is a significant drop in class under a suitable set-weight scale.

Dangers: 6. Surmise ($5.50) has been okay in four runs this prep, often doing it tough in the run and can improve here, while 8. Sheriff Cody ($3.90) can also improve at his second start.

How to play it: Green Protector to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Like the four-year-old mare 4. Italian Princess ($4.20) who broke through two starts back before working home nicely in a weaker race, but still on the rise and draws to get a soft run.

Dangers: Capable four-year-old 2. Ausbred Cooee ($3.10 fav) put two dominant wins together before stepping right out of his comfort zone in the Coffs Harbour Cup. Naturally sharply up in weight for a big drop in grade. Local six-year-old 6. Bosendi ($6) goes into exotics.

How to play it: Italian Princess to win and box exacta 2,4,6
Odds and Evens: Evens

Local mare 3. The Crown ($2.90) is one of three Matthew Dunn-trained runners who can go right on with it here, after finishing best to win on debut when backed in from an each-way price. This isn't much harder and she has plenty of upside.

Dangers: Stablemate five-year-old 1. Courageous ($2.50 fav) has only one win from 16 starts and that came two years ago, but he chased hard first-up for five months at the Gold Coast and can keep improving. The third one 4. Emma Rosa ($3.70) held her ground okay third-up, while watching the betting on 2. Scenic Sunrise ($11) resuming.

How to play it: The Crown to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Expecting Coffs six-year-old 3. Alpine Racer ($3.40) to find enough improvement fifth-up in his first real campaign in what is a weak race. Just fair when specked at a big price last start off a five-week break, but less depth here and draws to get a soft trail.

Dangers: Improving four-year-old 2. Deliberation ($3 fav) can peak third-up and a big watch on stablemate three-year-old 6. The Beat Goes On ($5) resuming off two quiet trials while included in exotics 5. Stealth Approach ($7.50) second-up off a long break.

How to play it: Alpine Racer to win
Odds and Evens: Split

The Dunn stable has another big hand here headed by five-year-old 3. Sweeping The Board ($2.50 fav) who can pounce second-up. Was strong through the line in deeper grade at Ipswich and carries half kilo less after the claim from a better draw. The one to beat.

Dangers: Stablemate mare 7. Le Figaro ($3.30) had progressed nicely through this prep before very flat in a much tougher race at Doomben nine days ago. Comes back to a weaker race and blinkers have been added. Keep safe 1. Freya's Clock ($5.50) who comes out of that same Ipswich race as the top selection, while local five-year-old 4. Pride Of Pyingerra ($6) won two straight before failing last start, but has drawn to get a soft run on the inside.

How to play it: Sweeping The Board to win and box exacta 1,3,7
Odds and Evens: Odds

Reverting to leading did the trick third-up for Grafton five-year-old 3. Rari ($3.40 fav) who gave nothing else a chance in a CL1 at Doomben. Drops 3kg for this from the inside draw and is a pure dry tracker.

Dangers: Tough six-year-old 1. Superbowl Sunday ($3.90) will be hard to catch if he finds the front easily enough after leading all the way in a CL5 at the Sunny Coast and drops back 100m. Expect a sharp improvement from 5. Amirykal ($6.50) who had a tough run in a deeper race at Coffs, and lightly raced six-year-old 7. Dollson ($7.50) who dug deep from the front to win a CL3 fourth-up and carries 4kg less for this tougher test.

How to play it: Rari to win
Odds and Evens: Odds a special

Not a lot of depth in this year's Cup, and that augurs well for smart Gold Coast mare 1. Willo Titto ($3 equal fav) who was close-up from just off the speed in the much tougher Coffs Cup and despite the big weight, is drawn to get the ideal trail and finish best.

Dangers: Lightly raced and consistent five-year-old 5. Ready To Humble ($3 eq fav) is the big local hope having won two from four this prep over the border. Too strong after stalking the speed in a CL4 at the Gold Coast and drawn to get a soft run just behind the speed. Gap to the rest headed by tough eight-year-old 3. Northern Knight ($8.50) who also drops down from a solid effort in the Coffs Cup, while both 2. Beaufort Park ($10) third-up and 6. This Io So ($9.50) who was also good late in the Coffs Cup third-up, are both a shade over the odds.

How to play it: Willo Titto to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Very open battle to finish. Keen on Coffs five-year-old and ex-Victorian 3. Arctic Wolf ($4.20 fav) who covered plenty of ground at a crucial stage before working home strongly in the BM 77 Ken Howard Cup. Less depth here and winkers have been applied.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed by the winner of that race 2. Pleased ($6) who is hard fit and gets a 3kg claim.

How to play it: Arctic Wolf each-way
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS
R5 - 3. SWEEPING THE BOARD ($2.50)
R7 - 1. WILLO TITTO ($3)

BEST VALUE
R8 3. - ARCTIC WOLF ($4.20)

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