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By Brad Gray

8. Strait Acer was disappointing at Canterbury last start but he was seven weeks between runs and tackling the 1550m, straight out from 1400m. Inclined to be forgiving with that in mind, and having been forced to lump 60.5kg. The market suggested that he might need that run. It was right. He is an imposing gelding too. The three-year-old is still a long way off being the finished product but he has upside that few, if any, of his rivals here can match. His close up fifth prior to that at Randwick behind Yoshino and Garza Blaca reads well for this. Trainer Ed Cummings looks to have found a perfect race for the son of Headwater to balance up midfield. That looks significant as despite being a near capacity field, there doesn’t look to be too many go-forward types engaged.

Dangers: 13. Artie’s Aura was forced back towards the inside at Kembla Grange first up which proved to be a disadvantage at that meeting. That was compounded by being first up. The run had plenty of merit with those two factors thrown into the mix. The lightly-raced five-year-old has only had seven starts so we are yet to see the best of her. 2. Vucetich speared through the field to win in good style at Kembla Grange first up. He’ll need a similar ride in this but the gelding has ability. 5. Rocstar Boy again looks beautifully placed by Angela Davies. He tackles this having run three straight seconds and if he can angle off the fence at the right time, he has found the right race to potentially go one better.

How To Play It: Strait Acer WIN

1. Sir Lucan got complete control at Randwick first up and was entitled to give a kick, even allowing for the fact that he was 66 weeks between runs. However, without another natural leader in this race, it could be exactly the same scenario for the Sydney Cup hopeful. Nash Rawiller sticks with the lightly-raced five-year-old and will approach this with a similar game plan. Establish the early lead, pinch a few cheap splits before dashing clear. As far as negatives go, he does give away 4kg to most of the field and would prefer the cut out of the ground for him. His first up win was on a track rated Soft 6. He’s unlikely to get that come Saturday with hot weather forecast. Given the prospect of another easy lead though, he still profiles as the horse to beat.

Dangers: It was softly, softly with 5. Almania as Kris Lees nursed him back to full fitness after spending over two years on the sidelines prior to his return but he’s being screwed down now. The seven-year-old tackles this on the seven day back up after winning at Rosehill last Saturday over 1900m. It was a BM78 but he did it with 60kg. The prospect of a firm track holds no fears either. 4. Glory Daze comfortably held Almania at Randwick three weeks ago, albeit Almania was five weeks between runs. Glory Daze still has unknown upside with just 10 starts to his name and he chases three straight wins as he starts to lift his ratings. 3. High Emocean blew out the cobwebs first up at Sandown and can improve sharply off that second up out to 2400m.

How To Play It: Sir Lucan WIN

John Sargeant’s mare 7. Pink Ivory was sent around big odds first up over the mile but defied that to go agonisingly close to beating Thalassophile. There’s no $51 around on the back of that but she deserves to be at the pointy end of the market on the strength of that return as it suggests that she has returned as well ever. Ominously for her rivals, she is two from two second up and produced a brilliant last-to-first victory at Rosehill second up last preparation to beat Kalino and Hameron. The other key to the chance of this four-year-old mare is a dry track and she looks sure to get that on Saturday. Out to 1900m is perfect now and she maps to settle down midfield, getting her chance from there. Should run up to her best with a perfect set up.

Dangers: 10. Sanstoc looks to have returned a much better mare this time back. She has to make the leap from two midweek wins into a Group Three but this is the right race to make that transition. Has shown an exceptional turn of foot to win twice over 1400m, appreciating getting back on top of the ground. In fact, her last start win was the first time she had run on a good track. Irish import 9. Supagirl adds plenty of interest having her first start for Waterhouse and Bott. Has had three trials to ready her for 1900m first up with her latest hitout the pick of them. Would respect any market confidence. 2. Thalassophile has obvious claims again, chasing three straight wins. 3. Honeycreeper looks ready to win but draws horribly. 5. Biscayne Bay rates a mention too.

How To Play it: Pink Ivory WIN

Nash Rawiller looks to have inadvertently stumbled upon the best way to ride 3. Lindermann. Let him stride. That’s how the three-year-old won so impressively in benchmark company second up over 1400m , taking no prisoners and running much faster overall time than the Hobartville Stakes. The son of Lonhro backed that up with a second in the Randwick Guineas, which has provided 14 of the past 20 winners of the Rosehill Guineas. It was the run of a horse looking for 2000m now. He looked beaten at the 300m mark but kept finding the line to hold off Zou Tiger and Aft Cabin. Perhaps he was visually flattered by two horses that didn’t quite see out the mile but he’s had the perfect preparation and he’ll get his chance to roll across from the gate and own this race from in front.

Dangers: 5. Pericles jumped out of the ground second up to put a gap on his rivals in the Autumn Classic at Sandown. He’s only had five starts and sets up to improve again third up. That sees him a deserved favourite. 2. Elliptical raced flat in the Australian Guineas after jumping hard in the market. He presented like the winner but couldn’t go on with it, after sprouting wings to win first up. His second to Sharp ‘N’ Smart in the Spring Champion over the spring obviously reads well for this. 1. Manzoice found himself out the back in the Randwick Guineas and was unsurprisingly run off his feet. Loved his work through the line. This tops him off perfectly for the Derby but don’t underestimate him. 7. Brosnan and 4. Matcha Latte rate mentions.

How To Play It: Lindermann WIN

10. Insurrection has returned a better horse this time back, which has also coincided with a run of dry tracks. Speed is his asset and given where he has drawn, he should be the first to find the fence. The three-year-old resumed with an impressive all-the-way win at the midweeks before bumping into a good one at Rosehill in Parisal. That’s already turned out to be a hot form race, providing three subsequent winners from three starters. The son of Russian Revolution then had his first look down the straight two weeks ago and ran well over 1200m. He was just no match for Benedetta but she was a brilliant winner, smashing the clock. There are plenty of angles to this race and the market was bound to miss one or two. Insurrection looks to be one of those. Shouldn’t be the odds he is.

Dangers: 8. Dashing Legend won the key lead up to this when taking out the Fireball last start and she put two lengths on her rivals. She was just as dominant first up suggesting that she has returned better than ever. Just has to replicate those two runs on the firmer track. 7. Hell I Am has won his past two first up runs and love the way he mowed down his rivals to win a recent trial at Randwick. He handles all tracks and will appreciate a genuinely run race. 5. Economics had excuses first up when wide and working before that told late. Looks to follow Insurrection across to sit handy again on Saturday. The three fillies that finished immediately in front of 15. Cinderella Days in the Surround Stakes last start were In Secret, Zougotcha and Revolutionary Miss. Just draws very awkwardly.

How To Play It: Insurrection EACH WAY

7. Montefilia was brilliant first up in the Chipping Norton Stakes, clocking the fastest closing splits in the race when fifth behind Anamoe. Historically, it’s been the best lead up for the Ranvet too. Cast you mind back 12 months ago and Montefilia produced the best performance of her career so far when blitzing her rivals in this very race. Verry Elleegant was sent around $1.24 favourite. It was also second up after a similar first up run in the Chipping Norton. Prior to the Ranvet, Montefilia’s three Group One victories all came on good tracks so that holds no fears ahead of Saturday. The five-year-old mare can be a little hit-and-miss at times as she was expected to win second up over the spring but was rolled as a $2.20 favourite. At the price, she looks a great gamble to produce her best though.

Dangers: The legend of William Haggas amongst punters only grew on Saturday, producing yet another winner and 3. Dubai Honour gets his chance to add to that record. The stable are adamant that he needs wet ground to produce his best but he mightn’t need to run to his best to beat our 2000m horses. He was still well performed on firmer footing last campaign, albeit without winning. 2. Mo’unga will be relieved to see the back of Anamoe and is two from two at Rosehill. The 2000m looks perfect now third up. 8. Hinged was dragged back to last in the Coolmore Classic last Saturday. She could very well find herself in front dictating seven days later. 1. Gold Trip was perhaps flattered by a fast early tempo first up but nobody missed his barnstorming second.

How To Play It: Montefilia WIN

If 2. Artorius is ever going to beat Anamoe again, it’s with Saturday’s set up. It all comes down to the start for Artorius. If he can hold some kind of position from barrier 1, and it isn’t out of the question given the horses drawn around him, he is going to be in the right spot to test Anamoe late. How much work will Anamoe be forced to do early from the outside barrier to cross into a prominent position? Would think it’ll be enough to leave him a touch vulnerable. We were reminded of what Artorius is capable of doing two weeks ago when jumping out of the ground to run down gun Kiwi mare Imperatriz on the line in the Canterbury Stakes. His last 200m was sensational. The prospect of a dry track suits as does the step out to 1500m now. Ultimately, just don’t think there deserves to be as much between Artorius and Anamoe in the early market.

Dangers: The price is the knock on 1. Anamoe. He has won six of his past seven and added his eighth Group One to his CV in the Chipping Norton Stakes with a dominant display. This is a very different set up, however, coming back to 1500m and presumably being forced to go forward to offset the barrier and lack of speed on paper. 6. Fangirl has become all too familiar with seeing the backside of Anamoe. Her last run over the Rosehill 1500m was a cracker, when charging home in the Golden Eagle behind I Wish I Win. A bone dry track sets up well for her again too. 8. Electric Girl measured up in WFA company last start when third in the Canterbury Stakes and with on speed favours again here as the only natural leader she looks set to exceed expectations again.

How To Play It: Artorius WIN

It’s impossible to find a negative with 5. Cylinder. He maps to get the run of the race, is still trending upwards, has James McDonald in the saddle and comes off wins in two key lead ups in the Silver Slipper and Todman. It all looks to have fallen perfectly into place for the son of Exceed And Excel. It hasn’t been a taxing preparation, tackling this third up. Cylinder ticked the 1200m box two weeks ago after sitting outside of Red Resistance before proving too strong at the finish. Red Resistance was profiling as the horse to beat himself prior to that. It simply comes down to what price you’re willing to take. He is the best set up two-year-old in the race, also with the most scope to improve again on Saturday, hence he finds himself at the top of the market.

Dangers: Have got no doubt that 11. Platinum Jubilee is the forgotten runner. She was only beaten half a length by Cylinder in the Silver Slipper when there was nothing between their starting prices. Platinum Jubilee has trialled brilliantly since then and has been dynamic when ridden with cover in the past. 4. Don Corleone has no early speed so risks being set an impossible task but he promises to be one of the strongest late. He should have won the Blue Diamond when second to 1. Little Brose. You can make the same case for 15. Steel City. We’ve seen her since and she belted her rivals in the Magic Night. Can she peak three times in one preparation?

How To Play It: Cylinder WIN

8. Mariamia raced flat last start in the Millie Fox Stakes when expected to win as the $1.80 favourite. Forgive her one bad run. The six-year-old was backed into an odds on quote on the back of a devastating win in the Expressway Stakes a couple of weeks earlier. She stalked the speed and exploded clear to gap Golden Mile. We’ve seen Golden Mile since then and he was beaten less than a length in the Canterbury Stakes behind Artorius. The gamble is whether the Joe Pride-trained mare can bounce back from last start but there’s enough in the price to take that leap of faith. If she reproduces anything like her Expressway win, she’s the horse to beat. She plummets to 51kg, should relish camping in behind a potentially brutal speed and has been given four weeks to freshen up, coming back to 1100m.

Dangers: This has been a first up target for 9. Shades Of Rose and she couldn’t have trialled any better ahead of her return. The four-year-old mare was deep ended in the Everest at the backend of the spring and she measured up! She has won seven of her 10 starts and just has to overcome a tricky gate to get into the finish again. 7. Remarque might be looking for 1200m now but he drops right down in the weights himself and will relish a hectic tempo up front. Just has to keep in touch in the early stages with the barrier ensuring he’ll see most of his rivals turning for him. 2. Uncommon James ran a career best in the Oakleigh Plate, winning his sixth race from just eight starts. He looks to get a lovely trail in behind the speed himself.

How To Play It: Mariamia WIN

1. Palaisipan ended last campaign in career best form. The five-year-old mare tackled the Rosehill 1200m on a good track in September last year and was beaten less than a length by Shades Of Rose and Electric Girl. She backed that up by being beaten a hair by Nimalee before again running second, this time to Chain Of Lightning at Caulfield. Chris Munce looks to have found a perfect race for his mare to resume in having trialled brilliantly at Rosehill recently, suggesting that she can pick up where she left off over the spring. Hugh Bowman has been booked and she draws perfectly to stalk what should be a hot speed. She will lump the top weight but has earnt that right on the back of her consistency in deeper races than this.

Dangers: Expected more from 3. Zapateo in the Oakleigh Plate first up given it was a target race and the late support for her. However she comes back to a suitable Group Three mares race second up which could easily see her bounce back to her best form. There just isn’t a lot in the early price to take that gamble. Might want the sting out of the ground. 9. Nicci’s Fling shouldn’t be underestimated at big odds. She is flying at the moment and presents a very fit horse coming into this on the eight day backup. 7. Written Beauty does herself no favours with slow getaways but if she can recover some kind of position from the low draw, she has obvious claims. That’s a big ‘if’ though.

How To Play It: Palaisipan WIN

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Golden Slipper meeting at Rosehill