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By Neil Evans

Track Good 4 and rail true:

The maidens kick us off over the mile, and confident provincial three-year-old 1. Gripping can improve enough second-up to break through over a furlong further. Worked home okay resuming in a deeper maiden, and top country jockey sticks.

Dangers: Expect a better showing from improving 4. The Golden Rule fifth-up; while 6. Mullamaart deep into the prep; can also run into the money.

How to play it: Gripping to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Resuming three-year-old 4. Aquarter by speed sire Pluck can hit the ground running in only his second start. Sat on speed & well off the fence in a 1000m trial, trucking home under a good hold to win comfortably in slick time without ever being let go. Failed on debut last spring, but was $3.60 into $2.60 that day before being caught very wide with no cover.

Dangers: Big watch on home tracker 5. Flying Miracle who hit the line hard from last first-up in a weaker maiden. Stratum Star debutant 6. Hammoon Sky starts his career as a gelding nearly four months after an easy trial. Include local mare 7. Broadbeach Dancer back a little in distance third-up; and honest mare 8. Let'sgetridiculous lining up for her sixth start in seven weeks; in trifecta and first fours.

How to play it: Aquarter to win
Odds and Evens: Split

The restricted girl sprinters lock horns here, and it shapes well for provincial-based Caravaggio three-year-old 3. Memoria first-up for six months with a 2kg claim. Was given a searching hit-out in the second of two trials, settling back before sweeping around and held together through the line. Finished well to win here on debut early last August.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed by 1. Shooting Zaa who swept home to win a thinner BM 58 three starts ago before working home okay in her last couple. Back in her right grade. Home tracker 2. Ishim finds an easier race fourth-up; and another improving local 6. Game To Love is also right in the each-way mix on a quick back-up off a BM 58 that offered more depth.

How to play it: Memoria to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Tough home track 4YO 1. Dimension has beaten all bar the winner in four runs this prep, going under by half length or less, the latest only collared late by a head in a stronger field. Drawn the widest gate, but gets back on preferred firmer ground, and the big key is a far more senior and superior jockey taking over.

Dangers: Big watch on improving filly 3. Never Sorry who was heavily backed before finishing hard to win her maiden two starts ago, then narrowly missed getting home well again in a handy CL2. Gap to the rest headed by home track mare 4. Miss Nicolini who gets an important gear change third-up; while hard fit and last-start maiden winner 5. My water Lilly heads the rest.

How to play it: Dimension to win and quinella 1 and 3
Odds and Evens: Odds

Good quality short-course battle here, but very much aboard smart and locally-trained five-year-old 1. Talbragar who resumes for his first start since mid October. Unbeaten fresh from three starts, and tuned up for this with a strong 1000m trial. Rookie rider's 4kg claim make him the best weighted runner on the program, and likely the best bred being by Snitzel out of 2013 Golden Slipper winner Overreach.

Dangers: Don't dismiss six-year-old stablemate 2. Trumped Up from a soft draw after roaring home late first-up here behind a smart one. Big watch too on talented 3. Polylithic resuming for a strong combination behind a very quiet trial, and bolted in first-up last prep. Another local and consistent mare 5. Briefly sits on the next line from a nice cover draw. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Talbragar to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Back out to the mile here, and keen on improving home tracker 4. Rasay Factor who was just behind the placegetters resuming in a more than handy BM 58 here, and won convincingly second-up last prep.

Dangers: Lightly raced five-year-old 1. Mangoola dug in hard to win from the front when resuming over 1450m, and carries the same weight after the new jockey's claim. Won second-up last prep just under this distance. Hard fit 6. Poet Lad draws inside, and can run into a place; while 8. Forever Jude can hit the line hard fourth-up; and expect sharp improvement at huge odds from 10-year-old home track warrior 3. Manabar going up in distance.

How to play it: Rasay Factor to win
Odds and Evens: Split

The same leading trainer/jockey combination can strike again here with improving five-year-old 3. Bullawa Creek second-up. Attacked the line late, resuming in a race with more depth and quality, and he can go on to tackle much bigger targets this prep.

Dangers: Must keep safe 1. Extra Flash back significantly in grade from a deeper Country C'ship Qualifier where he stuck on well just behind the placegetters, and sharp weight hike has been off-set with a 2kg allowance. Include in exotics ultra consistent 4. Indian Thunder who hasn't missed a place in his last four; and 9. The Lion placed in two of his last three in similar company.

How to play it: Bullawa Creek to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

BEST BETS:
R2 4. AQUARTER
R7 3. BULLAWA CREEK

BEST VALUE:
R6 4. RASAY FACTOR

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