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By Neil Evans

Track Good 4 and rail true

We start the Showcase meeting with the maidens over a mile, and with first use of the inside on what will be a very firm track, tough four-year-old and likely hot favourite 1. Stanczyk looks ultra hart to beat third-up. Has hit the line hard into a place twice this prep in deeper provincial fields, and screaming now for the extra furlong. Has only missed a place once in seven starts against better opposition than this.

Dangers: Improving 3. Empress of Milan is drawn to get a sweet trail also searching for more ground fourth-up, and can run the quinella; while drawn further out 2. Crux Rebellion with the blinkers coming off; and 4. Just Breathe down in weight fourth-up; can fill the trifecta and first four positions.

How to play it: Stanczyk to win and quinella 1 and 3

Underrated six-year-old 2. Bit Of A Step is versatile, and knocking hard on the door deep into his prep. Has run home hard into a place in two of his last three, the latest ridden a bit quieter before zooming home to miss by a head. Drawn to get the right trail just off the speed, and tactically gets a small advantage with the hot favourite drawn immediately to his inside.

Dangers: That favourite is 4. Medinah who has done everything but win in his last two, the latest knocked out by a big finisher at Dubbo in better ground. Better suited on the tighter track with blinkers back on, and the top jockey regains the ride. Be shocked if the winner comes outside those two, but keep safe 13. Via Rose peaking at the distance third-up; while 10. Fatal Shot is capable of running into the minor money at big odds.

How to play it: Bit Of A Step to win

Debutant Press Statement filly 13. News Bound starts her career in an ideal race. Liked the way she was held together and worked home under a strong hold in a recent country trial, and she draws to find an off-speed trail away from the fence. Stable has a strong record with fresh and news ones.

Dangers: Honest home tracker 6. Rembroy was well in the early market coming off a fast finishing effort here second-up, but threatens to go around under the odds from a trickier draw. Another one drawn out, 2. Blazed Prince will need to slide across and find cover, but his closing debut run in heavy ground was okay. Included in exotic bets 1. Alertado who drew the fence. Big gap to the rest.

How to play it: News Bound to win

Local four-year-old 3. Acotango looks very well placed fourth-up from this draw. Was freshened off a dominant BM 66 win here when surging home from well back in a tougher CL3 Highway at Rosehill behind one of the better sprinters in country NSW. Well treated at the weights after the claim, and can park just off the speed with a trail and cut loose from the 350m.

Dangers: Another one back from a deeper metro company is 1. Unravel who can improvely sharply here second-up. Home tracker 2. Mystery Lad draws to get good cover and be in the finish third-up. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Acotango to win

Lightly raced and progressive filly 5. Brok Cafe can claim a second career win at only her fourth start. Showed her potential on debut when easily winning a provincial maiden before spelling. Hit the line late first-up at Scone before not getting much luck from a wide draw running home here 17 days ago. Finds a better map in transit this time staying at the distance.

Dangers: Watch the betting on locally-trained 3. Tyson's Dream second-up and coming through that same race as Brok Cafe; while big watch on resuming 8. Omians who has trialled quietly, and afforded blinkers for the first time; and 2. Capital Value goes in trifecta and first four plays.

How To Play It: Brok Cafe to win

Home course five-year-old 7. Rura Penthe is tracking nicely to peak third-up getting back out to the mile. Has done his best work late in two runs this prep up this level, and strikes peak fitness now on a handy weight drop. Parks just off the speed from the inside gate, and be given his head from the 400m.

Dangers: Promising three-year-old and early clear favourite 5. Tapa Kick is shooting for a third straight win this prep, but wouldn't be diving into too short a quote, rising 2.5kg in weight. Consistent 1. Seahaven rarely runs a bad one, and gets in okay at the weights after the rookie jockey's 4kg claim; while 2. Danza In The Dark doesn't win often, but is trained on the track, has ability on his day and returns to the distance over which he won two starts ago.

How to play it: Rura Penthe to win

Underrated 5. Macleay can make it two straight wins rising in grade third-up. Hit the line hard to miss narrowly when fresh before rattling home to be beaten a half length in a strong CL2 here on Xmas eve. This is tougher a month between runs, but he draws to get a soft run back in the field, and drops significantly in weight.

Dangers: Stablemate to the top selection 7. Exonumia hasn't missed a place in four runs since late September, twice as a well backed favourite, and slips down to the limit weight. Big watch on sparingly raced ex Qld six-year-old 4. So Country who has been freshened ahead of his first outing for the new home track stable. Worked home okay in two deeper graded races at Doomben late last year, and looks very well treated on the limit weight here. Both 1. Toro Toro who has been freshened; and 2. Red Beryl who gets in with a very light weight after the claim; are capable of running home into the minor money behind a genuine speed.

How to play it: Macleay to win

The closer looks the domain of promising Deep Field four-year-old 3. Last Frontier who is trained on the track and resumes for just his second start behind two progressive trials. Charged home from near last for a smart maiden winner at Scone on debut in mid October.

Dangers: Local 5. Pocket Picker improves second-up over more ground; and 4. McTaggart gets good weight relief fifth-up.

How to play it: Last Frontier to win

BEST BETS:
R3 13. NEWS BOUND
R4 3. ACOTANGO

BEST VALUE:
R7 5. MACLEAY

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