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By Brad Gray

Tips and race by race preview by Brad Gray for Randwick on Saturday.

The rail is out 3m and the form has been done for a soft track.

3. Fasika went winless in her three spring runs but only enhanced her reputation as a top class mare. Suspect she is ready to progress again this campaign. The daughter of So You Think won three on the bounce to launch her career. First up last preparation she went down fighting behind classy mare Mizzy with a wide run costing her victory. She was then gallant behind The Inevitable in the Silver Eagle before running well below par in the Golden Eagle. Perhaps the 1500m saw her out. The four-year-old has clicked through her gears nicely in two trials. Her early form suggests a wet track won’t stop her, having won on soft and heavy surfaces. The Joe Pride-trained mare makes her own luck but expect her to pop in just behind the leaders.

Dangers: There is an element of the unknown with 1. Booker having her first start for Gerald Ryan. This time last year she won the G1 Oakleigh Plate, but hasn’t fired a shot since hence the change of scenery. Ran along in front to win a Rosehill trial by a space, with a hard held Fasika back in third. 7. Seasons was heavily backed first up in the Triscay but peaked on her run late. In the back of my mind is how sharply she improved from first to second up last campaign. 8. Spiritual Pursuit ran second behind Sweet Deal in the Triscay, stretching to 1200m. The wet track is key to her chances. 5. Bangkok jumped out of the ground at the backend of her last preparation and moved sweetly in a recent trial.

How to play it: How to play it: Fasika WIN ($2.50 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Fasika first up behind Mizzy last preparation

2. Farnan was devastating in winning the Silver Slipper Stakes. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained colt absorbed plenty of early pressure having tucked in behind the leader Every Rose, which subsequently ran last, before powering away at the finish. Hugh Bowman cuddled the son of Not A Single Doubt into the straight before asking for a final effort. Farnan responded with Punters Intelligence showing that he clocked the fastest last 200m in the race (11.99s) despite going the early speed that he did. There was so much substance to the win. History suggests that when Gai has a Silver Slipper winner, the two-year-old goes right on with it. That took Farnan’s record to three wins from four starts with the blemish being a forgivable Magic Millions effort. Will punch up from barrier 1 and should lead.

Dangers: 1. Tagaloa was a surprise winner of the G1 Blue Diamond last start at $26, having been well held by Hanseatic the start prior. The Cranbourne-based colt did it the hard way too, sitting three-wide and on a day when the fence was dynamite. Hanseatic ran second and the Godolphin youngster has been the benchmark two-year-old in Melbourne this season. Untried on soft ground. 4. Blaze A Trail was dragged back to last first up and after looming, he peaked. Imagine the tactics are much more aggressive second up. 3. Global Quest gets the blinkers on which is a big plus.

How to play it: Farnan WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Farnan winning the Silver Slipper

3. See You Soon has been out of sight, out of mind when it has come to the Golden Slipper picture but tipping that all changes come Saturday. This little pocket rocket in the care of astute Frenchman Jean Dubois has two big weapons at her disposal – a devastating turn of foot and a fearless attitude. On debut Punters Intelligence shows she ripped home in 32.89s for her last 600m to reel in 1. Dame Giselle before that filly turned the tables in the Golden Gift. See You Soon lost nothing in defeat though, picking herself back up having been bumped around in the straight. She still clocked a last 600m (33.28s) only a tick outside of Cellsabeel’s 33.27s. Saw everything we wanted to see in her trial on Tuesday and given her light frame, she’d have come to had quickly for this. Will give away a start but nothing will be hitting the line harder.

Dangers: 1. Dame Giselle was rolled as the $1.65 favourite last start but having already qualified for the Golden Slipper, she obviously needed the run. Her sectionals suggest as much too, running the fastest 400-200m split before knocking up behind 5. Supreme Idea, with the winner getting a cosy time in front. Don’t think the wet track did her any favours which is the worry on Saturday. Will be cherry ripe come the grand final given how the Snowden’s prepare their two-year-olds. Have to respect the fact that Surpeme Idea safely held Dame Giselle but stretches to 1200m here and won't get it all her own way in front. We know she handles the wet. 9. Fayerra for the exotics at big odds.

How to play it: See You Soon WIN ($3.90 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

See You Soon’s Goulburn trial on Tuesday

1. Cosmic Force pays the penalty for winning a couple of Group races but when you look at his benchmark rating to those around him he is very well treated he is under the set weights and penalties scale. The Deep Field colt held his two-year-old form in his early three-year-old season, running a narrow second to Standout first up last campaign giving away 2.5kg (and a fitness edge) before turning the tables in the G2 Roman Consul. That was before running sixth in the G1 Coolmore beaten 5L by Exceedance. The wet track won’t bother Cosmic Force having won the Pago Pago on a bottomless Heavy 10 before starting favourite in the Golden Slipper. There is a stack of speed here and James McDonald maps to get the perfect trailing run. Looked good his one trial too.

Dangers: Peter and Paul Snowden have a very strong hand in this even after Anaheed has been scratched. 7. California Zimbol is an explosive filly as we saw last campaign when she knocked off Loving Gaby. Should be able to use the low draw to settle midfield. 9. Yao Dash is a fascinating runner but taking the angle that the 1100m will be too sharp for him.

How to play it: Cosmic Force WIN ($4.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Cosmic Force winning his trial – Rosehill, February 25

Tommy Berry was happy for 7. Standout to travel three deep first up when he won the G2 Expressway Stakes, comfortably holding off 4. Alizee sighting that the three-year-old is a momentum horse. It’s a kind draw for Standout with that in mind. Alizee subsequently won the Apollo Stakes so there is nothing wrong with the form line and she has a task turning the tables on the young colt. Standout idled up in the run before exploding clear. It was arrogant and the way he quickened made the task impossible for Alizee to run him down. Like that Standout has been kept fresh since and his tickover trial at Rosehill was a beauty. He has won four from five now and although all he has only ever seen good tracks, his sister Overreach won a Slipper on a Soft 7.

Dangers: 5. Savatiano resumed with an explosive win first up and her second up record is just as intimidating (6:2-4-0). Her 1300m record reads 8:5-2-1 with her last three runs over the trip all resulting in dominant victories. Last start was a jog to the corner and a sprint home which played right into her hands but Punters Intelligence shows she clocked 33.82s for her last 600m, just outside of the quickest across the entire meeting with a final 400m three lengths faster than the next best in the race. 6. White Moss started second favourite there and now she is completely friendless! She didn’t run poorly and prior to that was only two lengths away from Standout in the Expressway finishing on the heels of Alizee.

How to play it: Standout WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds) and QUINELLA 4,9 Odds & Evens: ODDS

Standout winning the Expressway Stakes

Banking on the leaders cutting at each other which will give 5. Deprive the last shot. Would have preferred 1100m but the race sets up well for him on paper and he looks a sprinter capable of taking that next step over the autumn to be a genuine Group One sprinter. The five-year-old proved at the back end of last campaign that he could mix it with the likes of Pierata, Trekking and Brutal. All top tier sprinters themselves. Deprive is, incredibly, six from six at Randwick and although his turn of foot is particularly lethal on top of the ground, he handles the wet well enough for it not to be a concern. Was beaten over 1000m first up on a wet track two campaigns ago but he’s a different horse now. His trials have been exceptional, the latest breezing past Savatiano, and the noises coming out of Godolphin are that he’s flying.

Dangers: At first look thought barrier 1 was a disaster for 1. Nature Strip but the enigmatic sprinter has won his last three from the inside marble. Punters diving in at the even money will know their fate within the first 100m. He isn’t a lightning beginner but musters quickly. Will 2. Redzel look to cross from his immediate outside? Throw into the mix 4. Ball Of Muscle, 6. Jungle Edge and 7. Miss Leonidas. Sparks will fly early. It’s just whether the tactics aboard Nature Strip will be to fire him out and run, run, run. A more conservative approach would likely bring about his undoing. It’s been four years since 1. Santa Ana Lane won first up and he has only ever raced over 1000m once before.

How to play it: Deprive WIN ($4.80 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Deprive’s last trial – Warwick Farm, February 13

There was no speed to be found in the Hobartville and it played out that way. It’s the same field for the Randwick Guineas so the concern is the same for horses that’ll settle in the back half. The extra 200m will play a big role in 5. Shadow Hero making up the necessary three lengths, however. Punters Intelligence shows that Shadow Hero clocked the fastest last 600m of the race, with a particularly strong 600-400 and 400-200. When comparing him to 1. Castelvecchio he’s the sharper of the two and draws to settle a few pairs in front of him. Shadow Hero holds a three-zip verdict over Castelvecchio. Just look at the improvement Shadow Hero displayed second up last preparation when trouncing his rivals in the Gloaming out to 1800m. Would be a lot more confident on top of the ground and if there looked to be more genuine speed, but without Super Seth, he’s the horse to beat.

Dangers: Hobartville winner 6. Brandenburg landed in the right spot in the Hobartville, outside of 3. Microphone but he was first up. It’s hard to see Microphone turning the tables. Brandenburg ran second to Dalasan at Flemington in his only run over the mile. Has to be positively ridden again from the wide draw. 11. Conqueror throws up a different form line having run second to Probabeel in NZ last start but was safely held by Brandenburg in the aforementioned Carbine Club. 10. Pancho doesn’t draw as kindly as in the Hobartville but he can improve enough second up to counter that. Castelvecchio‘s task has been made so much harder by the wide draw and he wants 2000m. 4. Warning probably can’t win but he’ll run well again.

How to play it: Shadow Hero WIN ($4.60 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Shadow Hero winning the Gloaming second up last preparation

8. Shared Ambition suffered his first defeat for Chris Waller fresh up at Warwick Farm but the four-year-old was always going to be his most vulnerable at his first run back. With clear galloping room as the field packed up, he probably beats Gaulois. Last campaign, his first in Australia, this import won three on the bounce and in the manner of a horse that will work his way through to Group One company. The Parramatta Cup was pencilled in for his second up run but Waller bypassed the race given his fresh run was on a heavy track. Instead, he had a tickover trial where he surged to the line along the inside. The middle draw gives James McDonald plenty of options but imagine Plan A is a midfield trail. He’ll get every possible chance from there and is a deserved favourite.

Dangers: Love 9. Supernova kicking off over 2000m on the strength of his first up run last campaign when hammering the line over the mile. Trialled well enough to expect a repeat of that. Was given a solid hitout there too. 13. Mushaireb was the best of the on pacers in a race that set up for backmarkers last start. The wet track is a query but he maps to get complete control in this. 2. The Chosen One is well found but always respect this Kiwi stable.

How to play it: Shared Ambition WIN ($2 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: SPLIT

Shared Ambition going down at Warwick Farm first up

13. Emeralds doesn’t line up here under an ideal set of circumstances having been scratched from last week’s Surround Stakes with a bruised heel. That means the three-year-old jumps from 1200m to the mile second up and takes on the older horses. However, John Sargent’s filly looks to map beautifully which looks to be a key in finding the winner. 2. Irithea will take up the running but otherwise, there are a lot of backmarkers. That opens the door for Kerrin McEvoy to use the draw on Emeralds and be in the first couple. It’s not a settling position that is foreign to her despite her reputation as a get back filly. She did exactly that in the Light Fingers first up though, running an identical last 600m split to the winner Flit (34.61s). We’ve seen the dominance this three-year-old crop have had over older horses.

Dangers: 1. Danzdanzdance was outstanding first up in the Apollo Stakes behind Dreamforce and Alizee. Verry Elleegant finished a place in front of her and franked the form in last week’s G1 Chipping Norton. Her task, however, is lumping 59.5kg and the draw sees her likely settling last. There is a big race in this mare over the autumn as long as the rain stays around but the set up here doesn’t look flash. That changes if the track is heavy and they are swooping wide late in the day! 8. Aliferous charged late behind Master Of Wine first up, running a quicker last 600m. She is hit and miss, and faces the same map issue as Danzdanzdance, but she also loves wet tracks. 3. Nettoyer was flying last preparation and is well placed in this grade against her own sex having won this race last year.

How to play it: Emeralds WIN ($4 TAB Fixed Odds) Odds & Evens: ODDS

Emeralds first up in the Light Fingers

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting