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By Brad Gray

3. Defiant Heart comes back in grade having matched motors with Xtravagant Star and Smashing Eagle two weeks ago. It was easy to have eyes for the runner up there given he smashed the clock late but not to be outdone was Defiant Heart, sprinting home in slick time himself. The race also stacked up well on the clock against the San Domenico Stakes. The challenge for this Rod Ollerton-trained sprinter is stretching to 1200m. His best form is over shorter trips with his most recent three wins coming over 900m and 1000m. The lightly-raced six-year-old has won four of his 13 starts and the timing looks right to find out tackling this third up. He can settle just about anywhere with the gate given Brett Prebble plenty of options.

Dangers: 8. Bunker Hut remains with Michael Freedman despite a change of ownership. He has been a touch hit and miss in his short career but his best would be mighty hard to beat in this company. Draws well. Shouldn’t have any excuses first up. 11. Iron Man also tackles this fresh. Won his maiden at Kembla Grange in the manner of a horse that should go through the grades. Respect the placement of Ed O’Rourke to kick off here and he won a recent Hawkesbury trial to tune up for this. 2. Mayrose will get back in the field but can rattle home when everything falls into place. She caught the eye in a recent Randwick trial. The dry track suits. 6. Divine Breath is capable while 12. Glacier Queen is ready to win but draws horribly.

How To Play It: Defiant Heart EACH WAY

11. Atmospheric Rock was slow into stride at Randwick last Saturday and that proved costly, charging home into fourth behind his stablemate Wizard Of Oz. It isn’t the most conventional set up to back up seven days after a first up run but the four-year-old looks well placed out to 1400m now. He was heavily backed late last week too. The gelding will tackle his fourth Highway Handicap on Saturday having run a narrow second to Tap ‘N’ Run back in November before spelling. That says that his turn will come in this company. Tom Sherry, who rode him first up, is tasked with improving his barrier manners. It hasn’t been an issue, at least to the extent that he missed the kick first up, in the past. If he can settle down just off midfield, the son of Your Song will take holding out.

Dangers: 12. Miss Thatcher had no luck in Highway company two weeks ago behind Melody Again. Tipping she’d have been in the finish with clear running. She appears to be responding positively to being ridden more conservatively. 10. Missile Leader would nearly be on top if not for the wide draw. The Keith Dryden-trained galloper has won two from three this time back, annihilating his rivals on the synthetic last start. The query is the depth of form but he couldn’t have been any more impressive. 3. Chase My Crown has been a mainstay of Highways for a while now and she’ll run well despite a four week break.

How To Play It: Atmospheric Rock WIN

2. Duke Of Hastings proved the superior stayer at Moonee Valley two weeks ago getting out to 2500m fourth up. He held off United Nations which ties the form into the Sydney stayers. The five-year-old, trained by Simon Zahra, may have been flattered by a perfect ride and the genuine tempo up front but there were big gaps right throughout the field which bodes well for it being a strong form reference going forward. Hoping that Jason Collett can grab the back of Too Much Caviar in the run too. That might be wishful thinking but he shouldn’t be too far away from barrier 2 and if Too Much Caviar, who is unproven over 2400m, just starts to wobble late, Duke Of Hastings will be running right through the line.

Dangers. That little distance query makes 1. Too Much Caviar some risk in the context of his even money quote. That said, if he is ever going to get the trip it’s fifth up in a race that he should get complete control in. 6. Casual Connection will eat up the 2400m, as we have already seen in the past. The blinkers go back on after two runs over 1500m and 1800m in Midway company. Drops in weight in this company. He’ll be hoping for a true test of stamina. 3. Nordic Pride comes off two heavy track wins but you have to respect the big margin he won by at Wagga four weeks ago over 2500m. He has tactical speed to keep Too Much Caviar company out in front. Has to convert that form in city company and on top of the ground.

How To Play It: Duke Of Hastings WIN

3. Gracilistyla has been stuck on two career wins for 77 weeks now but Nash Rawiller is the perfect man for the job. The pair united for the first time at Rosehill over this same track and trip two weeks ago and went down narrowly to Marquess. The grey probably wins with clear running sooner. Prior to that he couldn’t reel in the leader who had crawled in front. He is the type of horse that continues to find ways to be beaten, however, this looks a perfect set up. There’s plenty of speed on paper. This is no harder than last start and he can settle a couple of pairs closer in the run from the draw. ‘One more chance’ has been trotted out a few times when it comes to this gelding given that in nine of his 12 starts since last winning he has jumped $5 or shorter, but surely this is his day. Surely.

Dangers: 11. Venelope was set mission impossible from the wide gate at Randwick last start. There was no other option given where she drew to drag back yet she stuck on admirably to run fifth. She gets in with 52kg again and she too can settle closer from the draw. Gets blinkers first time. Like what 2. Unspoken did in his first Australian campaign and imports tend to improve into this second preparation here. Kicking off over 1500m looks ideal and like the way he beat stablemate Tazaral in a recent trial to prepare him for this. 4. Danish Prince comes through the same Marquess race and wasn’t beaten far himself. He’s super honest and will make his own luck.

How To Play It: Gracilistyla WIN

9. Howgoodareyou is still in her first campaign but she is still trending upwards. Her last start victory at Rosehill was her best win yet, taking up the running before quickening, running right through the line. She didn’t dawdle in front either. The 1800m look a perfect progression for the daughter of So You Think now. She has to do it against the boys now and she has been well found in early betting but she is entitled to be. There looks to be two obvious form lines coming together in this and Howgoodareyou clocked a time six lengths quicker than Marquess. Sure, the races were run at completely different tempos but Howgoodareyou was by far the superior performance. She doesn’t look to have finished improving either.

Dangers: 3. Pierossa has four lengths to turnaround on Howgoodareyou but she gave her 5.5kg and was first up. She was doing her best work through the line so 1800m looks suitable now. There’s depth to her three-year-old form lines once she got out beyond the mile. 2. Marquess is far from the finished article himself given he has had just eight starts. He is chasing five straight wins and being a son of Tavistock, should relish getting out beyond 1500m for the first time. Maps to get the back of the favourite and get his chance from there. The map isn’t as straightforward for 6. Foujita San. He didn’t get the clearest passage home behind Marquess yet was still beaten less than a length. He too gets out quickly in trip.

How To Play It: Howgoodareyou WIN

5. Zapateo had a second trial on Tuesday ahead of her return having been scratched from the Concorde Stakes last week. James Cummings was obviously of the opinion that the mare just needed that extra solid hit out to tackle 1200m first up as opposed to 1000m. The key to Saturday’s set up looks to be the barrier. The five-year-old mare should get a lovely smother just in behind the speed and with three go-forward horses engaged, get her chance to peel off their backs in the straight. If there are any chinks late, she’s right there ready to pounce. She flies fresh and on the strength of her trials this time back, she is going at least as well as she was last campaign. She hasn’t had a lot of luck recently with gates. That changes here.

Dangers: 7. Queen Of The Ball draws barrier 1. She’ll kick up to lead. From there it just comes down to how much pressure 9. Cinderella Days and 6. I Am Me apply in the early stages. The writing was on the wall from her trials that she had returned in terrific form and it took a gutsy Parisal to grab her late in the Toy Show, who has since run well again. Queen Of The Ball will be better again on a firmer track. I Am Me comes back to mares company but she doesn’t map to get the same favours as she got in the Missile Stakes first up. Freshened since then, with a tickover trial at Randwick keeping her up to the mark. 4. Sunshine In Paris went from a Canberra maiden winner to a Group One winner in one preparation last time in. 3. Zougotcha gets the blinkers.

How To Play It: Zapateo WIN

5. Encap didn’t get a lot of luck when third to Tom Kitten in the Up And Coming Stakes two weeks ago. Part of it was his own undoing as he is still learning but that’s now three runs in a row where he has had genuine excuses in defeat. Wouldn’t worry too much that he is still a maiden. One constant in all of his runs this time back has been his ability to sizzle home. His late strength should have no problem stretching to 1400m now fourth up. The key to him turning the tables on Tom Kitten could be the pair’s respective barriers. Encap draws barrier one and should be able to hold a spot. Tom Kitten on the other hand, draws off the track. Encap is due a change of fortune. We’re not getting the same big odds as last start but inclined to stick with him.

Dangers: Have been taken by the way 12. Congregation has trialled ahead of his return. He won his first two starts by narrow margins but loved the determination he showed to prevail. Kerrin McEvoy sticks and Chris Waller is of the opinion that the brother to Estijaab and Remarque could be a Guineas player. 3. Tom Kitten is going to need a Nash Rawiller special but he is jockey with his eye in at the moment. A three wide running line could present given the capacity field, and with speed drawn wide. 1. Tannhauser carries 58kg but the market has dismissed him, perhaps unfairly. He jumped out of the ground when the blinkers went on last campaign and his run in the JJ Atkins was brave given the ground he covered. Wary of 6. Ceolwulf and 18. Ashfall.

How To Play It: Encap WIN

7. Butch Cassidy savaged the line when he finally saw daylight in the San Domenico Stakes first up. Had he got clear running sooner, tipping he makes things very interesting. Can’t understand the price discrepancy between him and Libertad. Butch Cassidy wasn’t suited by the sprint home yet there he was still clocking the second fastest last 200m split of the meeting. The son of Written Tycoon is better placed out to 1200m second up and he should land in the first couple given the lack of pressure, at least on paper. There isn’t a designated leader. Tactical speed looks a significant advantage in this race given it’s make up. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott had a terrific two-year-old season and that momentum has so far carried into this season with their three-year-olds.

Dangers: 2. Cylinder is the horse to beat, but he’s hard to come into with confidence given his price. He scrambled home at Caulfield first up in the Vain Stakes as a $1.50 chance and the two subsequent runners we’ve seen since from that race were well held in the McNeil Stakes by Veight. Cylinder has more to come no doubt, however, and could lead this field with Nash Rawiller booked. 3. Libertad was given a perfect ride by Chad Schofield to win first up. He should lob into a lovely trailing position from the soft draw on Saturday. Well found but hard to beat. 1. Militarize has spring grand finals over the mile and 2000m. His trials suggested he’s likely to find 1200m too sharp but no doubting his quality. 4. Don Corleone deserves respect too.

How To Play It: Butch Cassidy EACH WAY

9. Argentia hasn’t had much go her way in two runs back, in her first campaign for Joe Pride. Despite that, she has left an impression. First up she was caught in the backwash of the fall in the Missile Stakes yet picked herself to still charge through the line. The four-year-old then stayed at 1200m in the Show County with a wide gate bringing about her undoing. There was a change of tactics to be positive given the lack of pressure on paper but a couple of her rivals kicked up and she was posted three deep throughout. She looked set to drop out but came again on the line to run second to Buenos Noches. He’s a Group One performed sprinter so there is no shame in that. Out to 1300m looks a nice progression now and she catches a couple of her key rivals with a fitness edge.

Dangers: Who knows where 3. Kovalica fits in come the end of the spring but if he was to go on an win the Epsom and Golden Eagle it wouldn’t surprise too many punters. What he did last campaign was scary. He is vulnerable first up over 1300m. 4. Nugget is a Group One placegetter over 1400m. This is only his second campaign in Australia. He is a seven-year-old but lightly raced. Would expect him to at least hold his form from over the autumn. 7. Madame Pommery came with a rush but just missed behind Pericles first up and he has since won again. Gets her chance from the inside gate to build off that. 1. The Inevitable is hard to line up. He is nominated for the Epsom and he too should get map favours.

How To Play It: Argentia WIN

4. Red Card rocketed to victory at Eagle Farm before spelling. It was a career best for the four-year-old mare, with indications that the best is still yet to come. Love the improvement that she has made right throughout her career. The daughter of Ribchester has trialled twice ahead of her return and trucked to the line full of running on both occasions. She looks to be flying and the noises coming out of Godolphin suggest the same. In her latest hitout she took late ground off Overpass over 900m at Rosehill. The other huge factor in her favour is her gate speed. That’s critical over the Rosehill 1100m, particularly on a dry track and given that many of her main dangers are backmarkers. They’ll all be giving her a head start.

Dangers: 13. Smashing Eagle is capable of rattling off very fast closing splits. He beat Garza Blanca two back before a slow getaway proved costly two weeks ago. Up in grade but down in the weights and he has a fitness edge over most here. 2. Maotai has her first run for Annabel Neasham on Saturday and has won three from four first up. Has trialled well and he should land in a lovely spot in behind the speed. Then there are the closers from out the back, dictated to by wide draws. 3. Extremely Lucky was okay first up in a sprint home despite being well held. Back in trip, back in grade, a firmer track and the blinkers on. All positives. 11. Airman will be hitting the line.

How To Play It: Red Card WIN

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