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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Bondi Stakes Day on Saturday.

The rail is out 8m and a good track is expected.

5. Close To Me looked a push-button filly in her one Randwick trial. The daughter of I Am Invincible, which set back Yulong Investments $1 million as a yearling, wasn’t brilliantly into stride but she settled in behind the pack before cruising to win her heat untested. There looked to be plenty more in reserve. The second horse in the heat Diamond Kat ran a long last in the Victory Vein last weekend, knocking up having overraced behind the leader and winner Time Is Precious. Happy to overlook that reference. Add into the mix that the trial time was five lengths slower than the other two-year-old heat on the same day but that was won by a tearaway leader. Peter and Paul Snowden prepare this two-year-old and Tim Clark takes the ride. Trust your eye with her.

Dangers: 2. Anders improved sharply in his second trial compared to his first, where he ran a sluggish fifth. Last time out however, the colt jumped straight to the front and stayed there, booting clear to win by a widening eight lengths. It was effortless too from the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained youngster. 3. Endorse’s pedigree suggests he’ll be very sharp, being a half-brother to retired speedy Queenslander Tiyatrolani. He showed enough in his two trials to be confident of a forward showing here. Conversely, 9. See You Soon’s dam suggests she’ll get out in trip. Liked her Warwick Farm trial over 797m for Jean Dubois

How to play it: How to play it: Close To Me WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Close To Me trialling at Randwick – October 14

3. Fast Talking is flying at the moment. To think it took him 14 starts to crack his maiden! It’s confidence an amazing thing, even in horses. The five-year-old has won three of his past four now, certainly aided by creeping out to the mile. He won his maiden by four lengths at Moruya, was then transferred to Dubbo-based Kody Nestor, before winning at Wellington over 1710m by near nine lengths and then breaking the Dubbo track record over the mile winning by 6.5 lengths. He ran in a BM70 on the Kensington surface at Randwick last time out and only the winner Miss Einstein posted a faster last 600m (34.93s vs 35.11s). He has drawn wide but can settle anywhere in the run and he’ll relish getting out to 1800m.

Dangers: 2. Black Wand did enough at Randwick last time out given he was seven weeks between runs. Prior to that little break he won a Rosehill Highway Handicap over 1800m so he has been here before. On that occasion he beat well performed mare Perfect Rhyme. This looks a target race. 11. Vertex worked to the line well in this company over 1500m two back before winning as she was expected to back to a set weights Class 1 at Queanbeyan. She can go on now that win number two is finally out of the way. 5. Dew Drop has a very solid grounding for this back from the 2000m of the Port Macquarie Cup. One for the multiples.

How to play it: Fast Talking WIN ($4 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Fast Talking last start behind Miss Einstein

1. Diamond Thunder is the fresh horse on the scene here and looks to have been underrated by the market because of it. The three-year-old already has a Listed win to his name and should be giving away a lot more weight than he is, only for the set weights and penalties conditions. That win was the last time we saw him when he beat Peter and Paul Snowden’s gun filly California Zimbol at Doomben. He won three from four last preparation and the only time he was rolled he was very brave to finish third given the slick tempo up front. Mark Newnham’s gelding was the only on speed survivor, with Kubrick winning the race. Diamond Thunder maps to camp in behind the speed and get the last crack at 3. Faretti.

Dangers: Faretti is a fast animal, no denying that but just feel his reputation proceeds him a touch at the moment. He won at the midweeks first up, in a time slower than the fillies on the day, beating Bondi Blue and Down To Earth with Warp Speed back in fifth. That pair have since finished 5th and 7th in the same Warwick Farm race and while Warp Speed ran third, was still beaten 3.8 lengths. Faretti will have company out in front here too. 8. Regimental Band gets the blinkers on for the first time.

How to play it: Diamond Thunder WIN ($3.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Diamond Thunder trialling at Randwick – October 14

9. Improvement is well placed here back from Melbourne where she ran in a Group Three. Forget that she finished closer to last than fast as she found herself posted. Prior to that she finished second to Sweet Scandal at Randwick, where 5. Greyworm finished third. Improvement meets Greyworm 2.5kg better off from that clash too, with Greyworm since winning. First up she gave Roheryn 5.5kg and could have beaten him with any luck. The six-year-old mare looks very nicely in with 52.5kg on her back in this from the cosy draw and Rachel King in the saddle. She spent 82 weeks on the sideline prior to this campaign so was always going to improve as she got into the preparation. Now fourth up, she should be at her top and she is already a winner over the Randwick 1400m.

Dangers: Greyworm was a strong winner over the Randwick 1400m himself last start, settling second before holding a dominant margin over Thy Kingdom Come and Quackerjack on the line. He is never far away and looks set to get on speed favours in this. The market seems to have forgotten 7. Tamarack’s first up win at Hawkesbury last campaign beating So You Win and Harmattan. That was the first time he had ever fired fresh but he is worth keeping safe. Don’t be put off by his lacklustre trials as he did that before his fresh win last time in. This is the easiest race 3. Luvaluva has been in for a long time. Respect the recent good form of 8. Got Unders.

How to play it: Improvement WIN ($5 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Improvement two starts back beating Greyworm

9. Reelem In Ruby deserves a crack at a Group race and this looks set to play out perfectly for her. Drawn low, Tim Clark will have options but I wouldn’t expect her to be any further back than the box seat. 6. Ready To Prophet looks the leader with 10. Spanish Dream working across to sit outside of her. The four-year-old is incredibly consistent with three wins and five placings from her eight starts, four of them being seconds. That was where she finished first up in a BM88 against the boys. She can count herself unlucky not to have beaten stablemate Signore Fox given she was held up while the equally luckless Handle The Truth finished in fifth and has since won The Kosciuszko. Even when this mare is beaten she isn’t far away or has a hard luck story to tell. Needs to jump to a new level to win this but still has scope to go on.

Dangers: 7. Madam Rouge was excellent first up, running fourth in the Silver Eagle over 1300m behind The Inevitable and Fasika, finishing alongside Mizzy. Her first up stats (5:2-1-0) suggest she fires fresh before flattening off second up (2:0-0-0), however, both of her second up runs have been out to 1400m. She is more dynamic over the shorter trips. 4. Multaja gave Madam Rouge two touch ups when the pair met at Randwick and then Doomben last preperation. The Godolphin mare was a touch plain first up at the midweeks, albeit in a 1000m sit and sprint affair. Can bounce back without surprising. 1. Pretty In Pink had excuses first up but didn’t have any second up. Gets the blinkers on for the first time and is back to 1200m.

How to play it: Reelem In Ruby WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Reelem In Ruby was luckless first up

Despite a query around how truly this race will be run and with the rail out 8m, inclined to stick with the up-and-comer 7. Master Of Wine. The Hawkes-trained five-year-old was suited by the hectic tempo up front last start, and as such, was flattered by the margin but there was no denying his strength through the line which suggests he’ll relish 2400m now. Punters Intelligence reveals Master Of Wine’s last 600m of 34.23s was a whopping 5.5 lengths quicker than the next best in the race. Yes, he had conditions to suit but it was the win of a horse that looks set to pick his way through the grades now he has broken through in Australia. Go back to his first campaign in the country and third up he ran second to Wolfe so the signs have always been there. Drawn 10 in a race where 6. Rapido Chaparro looks to get complete control is the concern. Could Tim Clark drive forward to sit handier? Game over if he does.

Dangers: Rapido Chaparro has to be respected not only because of how this race sets up but on the form he finds himself in. The 2400m is new territory for him but being six runs into his campaign, fitness won’t be an excuse. The gelding is only 0.3L away from having won four straight and was a last start winner of the Port Macquarie Cup, beating Morton’s Fork. 4. Attention Run wasn’t far away in a bunched G1 Metrop and is relishing being out to 2400m. 1. Master Of Arts is building towards another win having run second to Stampede last start. He is well suited here under the Quality scale. 2. Maurus ran third in that race, bouncing back to form.

How to play it: Master Of Wine WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Master Of Wine winning by a space last start

Want to be extremely forgiving about 1. Kubrick’s effort in the G1 Caulfield Guineas last start. He was posted four wide throughout having drawn wide and subsequently pulled up with a slow recovery. The son of Shooting To Win started second favourite. That won only his third run of the campaign. He gets blinkers on for the first time here and draws the inside gate. First up Kubrick was excellent in the Run To The Rose running his last 600m in 32.79s, the same as Bivouac (Exceedance 32.59s, Yes Yes Yes 32.84s). He just felt the pinch slightly late. He then went straight into the Golden Rose and although fifth, he was only beaten 3.5 lengths, finishing in front of Castelvecchio. Kubrick is the best performed horse here and if he brings his A-game, he’ll be too good for these.

Dangers: 2. Just Thinkin’ will present a very fit horse, coming back to the mile from the G3 Gloaming (1800m) and the G1 Spring Champion (2000m). He was brave in the latter given the hot speed while he looked to have his chance last start, pinching a break in the straight before being reeled in. You’d think Tim Clark will be very aggressive in front. Stan Fox winner 3. Colada will have a big say in how quickly this race is run. Drawn wide, he’ll carve across to eyeball Just Thinkin’. 5. Bottega wasn’t suited at all in the Stan Fox. He’ll be grinding home again from back in the pack but might be wanting further than a mile now? The blinkers going on might negate that. This is aggressive placement from Team Hawkes with maiden 9. Zebrowski. Respect that he is here, with the blinkers on, off a Goulburn defeat.

How to play it: Kubrick WIN ($4.20 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

BEST BET

"If Kubrick brings his A-game to the Bondi Stakes, he'll be too good."@BradJGray is willing to gamble that this 3YO can bounce back at @royalrandwick @StarTbreds @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/79BRaBnyzP

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) October 24, 2019

4. Ronstar was strong through the line first up behind Agent Pippa, having found himself a long way back in the run. Out to 1200m he should be able to camp right behind the leaders and get his chance in a very even race now Safado has been scratched. His record suggests he improves sharply second up having from two from three his second run back. All three of his career wins have come over the 1200m journey too. Second up last time in he was brave to hold off Up Trumpz at Warwick Farm.

Dangers: 9. Testifier is tricky to line up given his Melbourne form. He has won three from three, working his way through the grades. He hasn’t won by big margins (there was a big gap back to third in his debut win) but there was plenty of dominance about them. His SP profile is strong too having started $1.65 and $1.70 in two of his wins. Trials have been fair. 15. Man Of Peace resumes from near a year on the sidelines but he looked sharp in a Moruya trial and shouldn’t be underestimated given the form he found himself in for new trainer Matt Dale last time in. 12. Coterie is suited out to 1200m having done enough fresh over 1100m.

How to play it: Ronstar EACH WAY ($10 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: EVENS

5. Bergen tackles Saturday company for the first time but is a four-year-old still on an upward spiral. He narrowly went down over 1200m first up at Warwick Farm but it has turned out to be a very deep form race with the winner Sakura since saluting again while Dunbrody Power (third) and Tahsin (fifth) both also won at Warwick Farm at Wednesday. Trained by John O’Shea, the Your Song gelding won his first three starts. He ran out the mile behind Statuesquely last preparation too. That however, was fourth up. Here he is 1200m out to 1500m so gambling that he isn’t found wanting the last 100m. Countering that is the fact he should get the run of the race, from the perfect draw and Rachel King doing the steering.

Dangers: 3. Sure Knee drew barrier 1 first up and it was a disaster and here we go again having drawn inside once more. The four-year-old is a talented mare and will be competing in Group races before too long but she got too keen fresh before working home late. She is going to need a lot of luck. 1. Mercurial Lad did enough first up on the back of a quiet ride. He did the same fresh last campaign but they fired him to the front second up and he nearly pinched it. Big improver at massive odds if ridden aggressively. 4. El Mo has to be respected on the dominance of his last start Warwick Farm win. Forgive 11. Romani Girl last start when 1250m out to 1600m second up. 8. Stryke Rock not hopeless at big odds.

How to play it: Bergen WIN ($4.20 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Bergen first up at Warwick Farm

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Bondi Stakes meeting at Royal Randwick