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By Neil Evans

Track likely Heavy 8 and rail True

The nearly always traditional staying contest gets us underway on another heavy-rated surface, and that augurs well for home track mare 7. Front Row Ticket who can finally break through at her 23rd start. Worked home late in a similar grade here two starts back before stepping up sharply in distance against deeper provincial opposition when boxing on okay behind a dominant winner. Much better placed over this trip on the limit weight, and importantly blinkers are back on.

Dangers: Plenty of them in this type of race headed by improving mare 10. Wilshire Boulevard who continues to find the line well enough over these sort of trips, and senior country jockey takes over. Provincial four-year-old 2. Bandolero back over more ground; inconsistent 4. Dunlee with key gear changes; and 5. Selvam up in distance from a soft draw; can all fight out the minor end of the money.

How to play it: Front Row Ticket to win
Odds and Evens: Split

In a maiden with good quality and depth, it shapes ideally for progressive metro four-year-old 1. Hallowed Son to strike third-up. Has done his best work late in two runs back at the provincials, and getting to the mile now with winkers added and drawn to get cover, is a winning recipe.

Dangers: Expect sharp third-up improvement from provincial four-year-old 2. Anansi who had little or no luck in traffic in a deeper maiden only nine days ago. The blinkers going on lightly raced three-year-old 4. Snizzi is also a big factor for his first run at home, with the top country hoop back aboard. Debutant Frankel colt 5. Angara has trialled well and can run into a place.

How to play it: Hallowed Son to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Got plenty of time for progressive home track four-year-old 7. Rhythm Is A Dancer who peaks fourth-up back up in distance, and is bred to get further. Found the line in a handy maiden here a fortnight ago, and jockey change is significant.

Dangers: For all his potential and prospects, it's been an arduous and costly soap opera so far for Capitalist four-year-old 8. Russian Standard so far. Beaten as a hot favourite twice in three runs last year, he again went under as the short-priced fancy at the provincials in a one-off run in February before spelling again, then was scratched at the barrier before finally returning, but beaten into third as a $1.40 favourite at Muswellbrook 16 days ago. Certainly, the extra 200m on a big sweeping track are in his favour, and he has reacted well on heavy ground. Gap to the rest headed by 1. Dante Alexander who improves fourth-up; and resuming 5. Mclellan who resumes from the inside barrier with gear changes behind a handy trial. Watch the betting too on Press Statement colt 13. Press The Pedal on debut off a solid trial.

How to play it: Rhythm Is A Dancer to win and trifecta 7,8/1,5,7,8,13/1,5,7,8,13
Odds and Evens: Split

Another promising local, 2. Quatre Zip measures well here fifth-up in his first real prep. Was a strong all-the-way winner at Tamworth two runs back on a Soft 7 before just missing in CL1 grade here three weeks ago. Has backed up his breeding for wet tracks, twice placed in heavy from three runs. Boasts enough tactical speed to offset the wider draw, and this isn't strong.

Dangers: Despite a natural weight hike, must keep safe honest mare 3. Whispering Cate deep into her prep and dropping back from a gallant effort in tougher Highway company; while 8. Bridges To Babylon second-up and 9. Sapello third-up; are both in the mix

How to play it: Quatre Zip to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Tough and open race. Newcastle mare 5.Leading Lady finds the right draw and map second-up coming back a little in distance. Did some work to get over from the gate resuming before fighting on into a place in similar grade at Muswellbrook, and she's capable of winning smarter races.

Dangers: Expecting a much improved run second-up from five-year-old 4. Bob up in distance after being ridden way too close without cover resuming here. Consistent mare 3. Maly Malt dug in hard to win a weaker class first-up beating the top selection in the previous race. Stays at the trip & loves rain-affected ground but drawn off the track. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Leading Lady to win
Odds and Evens: Split

He doesn't always produce, but on his day with a clear run, lightly raced five-year-old 1. Casino Lord has more ability than half this field put together. Should have won when thundering home from the back in deeper grade here two runs back before again having an interrupted run finishing late at Tamworth. Big weight off-set by a 1.5kg claim, and settling well back again, only needs clear air from the 400m getting to the middle of the track.

Dangers: Tough metro mare 7. All Girls reloads off an 11-week break via a smart trial win; while talented local mare 10. Mezinjit heads the rest back down in weight third-up for this class rise.

How to play it: Casino Lord to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Very open sprint to finish, with many chances. Progressive four-year-old 3. Ostracised is well placed 38 days after a strong closing effort in deeper Highway grade. Proven good weight carrier, and blinkers back on is significant having never missed a place on rain-affected ground.

Dangers: Not much between the rest headed by provincial four-year-old 2. Impact Star who peaks fifth-up coming back a little in grade. Included in exotics both 4. Rebel Dreamer who has also been freshened up from that same Highway race as the top selection when failing to run on; and 5. She's Contrary third-up with blinkers added after finishing midfield in a CL2 Highway.

How to play it: Ostracised to win and box trifecta 2,3,4,5
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R2 1. HALLOWED SON
R6 1. CASINO LORD

BEST VALUE:
R4 2. QUATRE ZIP

All the fields, form and replays for Tuesday's Scone meeting