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By Neil Evans

Track likely Soft 6 and rail true

The maiden boys get the transferred meeting underway on a surface that will likely slip well back into soft range, with some rain forecast. Going with long-priced debutant Winning Rupert four-year-old 1. Vermeulen at the value who is trained on the track & starting his career as a gelding. Was strong through the line in a recent trial at Armidale on Soft 6 going, and looks ready to go.

Dangers: Naturally, three-year-old 5. Jackyy Dee is a big threat from a soft draw back in a maiden with less depth second-up, and the scratching of the stablemate was a significant pointer. Must include Divine Prophet three-year-old 2. Heavenly Scent on debut behind a quiet trial; and local four-year-old 9. Lord Of The Sun off a quiet trial and nearly six weeks between runs.

How to play it: Vermeulen each way and box trifecta 1,2,5,9
Odds and Evens: Odds

Keen here on improving mare 4. Soosie Boog who finds an easier arce at her second start. Will settle back around midfield with handy speed up front, and well bred to handle any track downgrades.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed by Sidestep mare 2. Swivelling who debuts off a handy trial win in heavy ground, and gets a useful weight claim. Keef safe 6. Divine Rendezvous who starts her career behind a quiet trial for a leading country stable; while 7. Swindled who has trialled okay for an underrated home stable; 8. Star Diamond who draws well; and 13. Shamalie second-up; are all capable of running into the placings

How to play it: Soosie Boog to win
Odds and Evens: Evens

Very keen here on consistent provincial mare 2. Lady Audrey who hasn't missed a place all prep, winning two straight at Taree & Gilgandra up to CL2 level from just off the speed. Was then edged out by a nose in the stronger BM 79 Port Macquarie Cup Prelude two weeks ago, run in heavy conditions. Naturally goes up in weight for this drop in grade; but she's hard fit for the longer journey, and boasts a superior record on rain-affected ground

Dangers: Last start Class 1 winner 4. Hyland Bay gets a 2kg weight drop for this tougher test over further, but is ultra consistent in any ground; while 5. Cliffs Of Moher is hard fit shooting back up to his pet distance, and the more rain the better.

How to play it: Lady Audrey to win
Odds and Evens: Evens

Home track mare 1. Maly Malt is the one to beat coming back 200m in distance 3rd-up. Was consistent in Victoria earlier in the year before switching to this region, and resuming with an all-the-way CL1 win at Scone over this trip. Was swamped in this class when stepping up to the mile last start, but back in trip 4 weeks between runs from a softer draw, with a 2kg weight claim, is the right recipe to bounce back, especially in a race of far less depth

Dangers: Big watch on six-year-old 3. Cubic Zirconia who tackled much tougher Highway company two starts ago before boxing on okay from the front in a handy BM 58 at this track. Keep safe another six-year-old in 4. Praeferox who steps up in class, but gets a significant weight drop and relishes soft tracks.

How to play it: Maly Malt to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Like another one trained on the track here, improving four-year-old 3. Civil War in what is a very modest maiden. Failed to run on at home in very heavy ground two starts back against better opposition before improving sharply to hit the line from well back in soft going, again in a deeper affair. Stable has given him another month between runs, and removed the blinkers for the first time in a key gear change

Dangers: Improving four-year-old 5. Hutchy's Dream was no match for the winner in very heavy ground at Armidale last start, but better placed here on firmer ground and back 100m in trip. Include in exotics 9. Holly Road who did her best work late here second-up only 10 days ago; while 11. Special Day has trialled well in open company and given five weeks between runs.

How to play it: Civil War to win
Odds and Evens: Odds a special

Tough and still improving four-year-old 3. Gobbled rates a near good thing shooting for back-to-back wins over the same distance in a race that has been weakened. Worked home okay in a BM 58 two runs back after doing plenty of work from the wide gate before sitting a little closer in a CL2 & charging over the top late. Draws to get a good trail, right at home on soft tracks, and gets in well at the weights after the rider's 1.5kg claim

Dangers: Plenty of respect for tough seven-year-old 2. The Difference who worked home okay in the deeper Moree Cup; while 8. Heredero comes off a dominant win in weaker grade, and also thrives in soft going.

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

Like the value about ultra honest six-year-old 8. Time For Don deep into his prep, and having only missed a place once in his last five. Tracked the speed before easily surging home to win two starts back in a handy CL1 at Armidale before again closing off well in heavy going in a similar-graded race. Draws well here, and more experienced jockey takes over.

Dangers: Naturally, lightly race local five-year-old 1. Mystery Lad is the clear threat third-up behind two solid efforts against deeper opposition; while 2. Just In Reach first-up; and 7. King's Gold off a dominant third-start maiden win; head the rest.

How to play it: Time For Don each way and quinella 1 and 8
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R3 2. LADY AUDREY
R6 3. GOBBLED

BEST VALUE:
R7 8. TIME FOR DON

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