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By Neil Evans

Taree is rated a Soft 5 with the rail out 2m the entire circuit; the weather is partly cloudy with a maximum of 29c.

We start with the maidens on one of the better drying tracks in NSW. Home track filly 5. Suncraft ($2.30 favourite on TAB) showed sharp improvement second-up hitting the line from a mile back at home and again sneaks in on a light weight over suitably more ground.

Dangers: Expect a very different four-year-old 1. Consulaide ($14) first time since last autumn. Was due to return in Sunday's postponed Coffs meeting but even better placed here on firmer footing, with an in-form senior rider booked. Provincial four-year-old 2. Sacred Delago ($5.50) can improve third-up from a softer draw with blinkers removed.

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

Difficult maiden to assess with handy depth and widespread formlines. Resuming provincial filly 10. Grecian Lass ($2.70 fav) was well in the early market for the Beaumont Track meeting on Monday before being saved for this. Has been given two trials and draws to find the right trail just off the speed.

Dangers: Keep very safe provincial filly 12. Military Star ($3.20) who has been close-up in her last couple and draws to get a charmed run. Another filly 11. La Campanella ($12) will be much improved from her debut run at Inverell where she made up some ground at big odds. Expecting a sharp second-up improvement too from 6. Finding Alice ($9.50) with a subtle gear change, while local mare 5. Dust'm ($41) was okay late in a handy maiden first-up at Port, and 2. Run Callan Run ($71) is better suited over the distance second-up and draws the inside.

How to play it: Grecian Lass to win and quinella 10 and 12
Odds and Evens: Evens

Lightly raced home track five-year-old 10. Mr Eighty Eight ($3.50) is primed to strike third-up off a 23-day freshen-up. Fitness told last time over this trip, and he was competitive against better opposition through winter.

Dangers: Improving Coffs mare 9. Zouly ($6) made up plenty of ground on a bog track nearly two weeks ago and generally comes through stronger formlines. Provincial-based 5. Significant Rule ($4.20) will find this much easier than a BM 64 on the Beaumont Track where he dropped out badly. Draws well with a key gear adjustment. The heavy track at Coffs 13 days ago was ideal for 7. Markievicz ($2.80 fav) who ploughed home for a dominant maiden win fourth-up, but the drier the track gives her less of an advantage.

How to play it: Mr Eighty Eight to win
Odds and Evens: Split

The first of back-to-back short course battles and keen on progressive four-year-old 4. Bonchevo ($5) who made a mockery of his price first-up charging home from the back to land a Class 1 in heavy ground. Has paid the price up sharply to 60.5kg and was due to run in the wet at Coffs on Sunday, but going well enough to beat these.

Dangers: Huge watch on lightly raced five-year-old 3. Farmer's Friend ($3.90) who resumes after nearly nine months off the scene for a new local stable. A renowned big finisher who normally comes to hand quickly, although hasn't publicly trialled and may need the run this time. Local 6. Ready To Chase ($3.30 fav) is on the eight-day back-up after twice chasing home an in-form sprinter at this track. Keep safe 1. Citrouille ($12) who drops significantly in grade third-up off a six-week let-up, while 7. Supreme Diva ($9) behind a five-week freshen-up goes in exotics.

How to play it: Bonchevo to win and box trifecta 1,3,4,6
Odds and Evens: Split

Strong race for this grade. Keen on four-year-old mare 11. Shootforthestar ($11) third-up with blinkers replacing winkers and back on firmer footing.

Dangers: Capable on-speed three-year-old 1. Hauraki Gulf ($5.50) will relish getting back on firmer footing after floundering in the wet at Coffs. Previous form was sound for this trip. Loved the way 3. Thunderbolt Two ($5) hit the line from a mile back when fourth-up at Tamworth in a much deeper grade and this is his chance to finally crack a second career win. Watch the betting on five-year-old 2. Highbury ($7) who hasn't started since a Highway at Rosehill nearly 16 months ago, but had trialled okay. Provincial mare 8. Look Out Lee ($13) and three-year-old 9. Cabsav ($17) fresh are both capable of filling a place.

How to play it: Shootforthestar each-way
Odds and Evens: Odds

Expecting four-year old 2. Tears Of Effort ($16) to peak here third-up on a 13-day back-up. Made up plenty of ground from out the back on a Heavy 10 at Coffs when forced to come through the slowest part of the track and the extra ground is a further plus.

Dangers: Tough home track mare 1. Fight For Love ($10) did plenty of that to win a BM 66 two runs back before being overhauled after leading against better provincial opposition. Much better placed here and the big weight has been offset by a 3kg claimer. Provincial four-year-old 3. Wiki ($6.50) has enough early speed to find a handy spot and has been in and around the money all prep. Don't dismiss 8. Hurricane Max ($19) who draws to get a soft run on speed, while 5. Lincoln Park ($8) third-up, 7. Essoess ($6) who finished hard to win a weaker race fourth-up, and hard fit 10. Barry's Lane ($4.60 fav) all go into the first four plays.

How to play it: Tears For Effort to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Got plenty of time for consistent local four-year-old 2. Zaru ($2.60 fav) who has found all sorts of ways not to win in 15 runs so far that's yielded just one win but 10 minor placings. Hit the line hard to miss by a whisker, resuming in a handy Class 2 and despite a 2kg weight hike he has the quality to beat these.

Dangers: Keep safe local 1. Brazen Strike ($16) who will improve in his second run for the new local stable since switching from Victoria, while 8. Hard To Dismiss ($2.90) is on the quick back-up after dashing from just off the speed for a dominant third-up win at this track.

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

BEST BETS
R2 - 10. GRECIAN LASS ($2.70 fav)
R3 - 10. MR EIGHTY EIGHT ($3.50)

BEST VALUE
R6 - 2. TEARS OF EFFORT ($16)

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Taree here