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By Brad Gray

2. Comedy represents the Godolphin blue and looks well prepared for his debut having had two trials. The son of Sniztel, and half brother to Bacchanalia, won his first trial at Randwick displaying a neat turn of foot when asked. The overall time was good for the morning. He then stepped out again at Randwick, was fast into stride and went to the line hard held. He was a touch keen in the early stages having jumped so well so he’ll need to harness that speed come race day but the soft gate gives Kerrin McEvoy the chance to find cover. Looks suited to the 1000m. The other pointer to the colt’s chances is how well backed he has been since markets first opened on Wednesday afternoon.

Dangers: Stablemate 3. Gaeilge went to the line better than Comedy in that most recent trial. There hasn’t been a lot between the pair in both trials, in fact. Can argue that there shouldn’t be such a big price discrepancy between the pair. He is sired by Exceed And Excel who has produced the two-year-old goods for Godolphin for years now. Kerrin McEvoy rode him in his latest trial but switches to Comedy. Might be something to be read into that. 5. The Little General clashed with Comedy and Gaeilge in their first trials, not beaten far. He has the Waterhouse and Bott two-year-old polish and will make his own luck. 6. Arabella Star has had a jumpout and two trials in Melbourne ahead of her debut. Draws well. The horse she beat in her Caulfield trial won the Debutant on debut at odds.

How To Play It: Comedy WIN

14. Let’s Go Again is a rapidly improving filly for trainer Kerry Parker. She scrambled home to win a Moruya maiden first up over 920m before beating Mogul Monarch on his merits at Kembla Grange second up. That was despite jumping straight out to 1200m on a heavy track. Perhaps she simply handled the conditions better than the runner up but can’t justify the early price discrepancy between the pair here. After that she was sent to town, running third at Warwick Farm. She made light work of the wide gate to lead a fast field of mares before boxing on bravely. Confess Our Dreams beat her a length as the odds on favourite coming back from competitive runs in better Saturday company than this. The drop back to 1100m wasn’t ideal for Let’s Go Again either. Maps to lead. Should give a sight.

Dangers: 11. Mogul Monarch did improve back on top of the ground last start, further franking the Let’s Go Again form reference. He dropped back to 1100m, took a sit and ran out a dominant winner. The blinkers went on for the first time. 7. Princess Cruizer has attacked the line to win well at Newcastle at her past two starts. The runner up on each occasion has subsequently placed in midweek city company. That’s a fair line to draw when it comes to Midway level horses. Worth a crack in this company given the form she is in. 6. Lancaster Bomber just missed to Crafty Eagle last start. He was well held in two previous Midway runs but the key to this horse is soft gates. He gets that on Saturday. 2. Miss Hades clocked the second quickest last 200m split across the meeting when flashing home first up behind Pharari. That was flattered by a slow lead speed but suggests she has come back well. 1. Conrad is a knockout player.

How To Play It: Let’s Go Again EACH WAY

4. Volcanic Love looked to get his chance in Highway Handicap company second up, beaten three lengths by Super Norwest. Grafton-based trainer Scott Henley knew what he was doing when he threw the blinkers on for the first time at his home track in Class 1 company. The gelding put five lengths on his rivals, justifying being sent around a $1.50 favourite. Thereafter he ran around in a Class 3 at Eagle Farm in Saturday company as an $8 chance and kept finding the line to run third. The two that beat him home had solid benchmark Queensland form going into that run. We’ve seen those form lines measure up in Highways in the past. Matt Dunn uses it with success. Out to the mile for the first time looks to suit. Deserved early favourite in a very open race.

Dangers: 7. Cable Express was left flatfooted at Goulburn first up over 1300m. That was despite being well backed late. It was the run of a horse looking for further already so Danielle Seib gets straight out to the mile second up. That’s an ask given he gives away race experience and fitness to his key rivals but he is untapped and split Invincible Spy and It’s A Wonder in the Wagga Guineas in his only previous run over 1600m. 1. Don Stefano hasn’t been helped by the gate but like him tackling the mile fresh. He has been a handy pick up already for Dean Mirfin and there’s still more to come from the lightly-raced four-year-old. 10. Magic Pharoah has underperformed in her past two Highway runs but both were on wet tracks. Forgive her that. 3. Marenaro, 8. Mazita and 17. Straight Fire have all run well in Highway company recently.

How To Play It: Volcanic Love WIN

1. High Octane has competed in races won by Gatsby’s, Growing Empire and Switzerland in three runs back. Saturday’s task is the easiest he has had since turning three. First up he rattled home at the end of 1100m at Rosehill which prompted the son of Deep Field to start in the market down the Flemington straight. Growing Empire was too classy with subsequent Danehill winner First Settler finishing second. Not sure High Octane loved the soft track. Perhaps his first look at the straight also brought him undone. He ran admirably to finish fourth but is capable of better. Last start, on the back of a month freshen, he lined up in the Roman Consul where he could have finished a little closer given a checkered passage in the straight. Doesn’t have any tactical speed but finds the ‘Magic Man’ in Joao Moreira.

Dangers: Peter Snowden is well represented in the race and 2. King Of Roseau looks a big player himself. The Capitalist colt was wide and working in the Tapp Craig two weeks ago, dropping out to be beaten seven lengths. He was jumping 1100m to 1400m and was a month between runs so can be forgiving. He ran third in the Poseidon prior to that beating home his stablemate High Octane. The wet track suited him more, however. The margin was only narrow for 4. Smashing Time first up when winning at Kembla Grange as a $1.26 favourite but it’s deceptive as he had to make up a stack of late ground in a slowly run race. There was nine lengths back to third. 6. Manos rounds out Snowden’s trio. He won with authority at the midweeks first up having stalked the speed. Maps to get the right run here too.

How To Play It: High Octane

2. Just Party only needed another stride and he’d have pinched the Tapp-Craig from Anode two weeks ago. He rattled home along the fence to just miss. Just Party wasn’t the best into stride and that proved costly having been shuffled back early to settle second last and pinned away. He was entitled to close stronger than Anode late given they settled at the opposite ends of the field but Just Party’s last 400m was four lengths quicker than Anode’s. Given where Just Party has drawn on Saturday in barrier 1, if he can get the back of Anode in the run all he has to do if reproduce what he did last start to turn the tables. It’s been a mixed bag for the son of Justify this time back. He pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after failing first up then bounced back in a deep Ming Dynasty behind Lady Shenandoah and Mayfair. Don’t think he ran out a strong mile in the Dulcify.

Dangers: 1. Anode gets his all-important dry track again on Saturday. He has won two from four on firm footing with a further two seconds, and both narrow seconds. One behind Linebacker as a two-year-old where he gave the winner 3kg. The other was in the Run To The Rose when pipped by Traffic Warden. He finds himself. 4. Deconstruction worked to the line behind Anode last start like the mile will suit. There is still more to come from the Ciaron Maher-trained colt. Would need to improve sharply to turn the tables but he’ll continue to improve with racing. 6. Depth Of Character can bounce back. He pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after failing in the Dulcify having led. He jumped single figure odds. 3. Prost comes through the right races but has been well beaten. Can improve out to 1400m third up.

How To Play It: Just Party WIN

3. Lindermann beat just two runners home first up in the Alan Brown Stakes over 1400m but it was a non-event for the five-year-old. He carried 59kg and went back to last from the wide gate. His late sections were fine. Ignore the finishing position. He couldn’t have done anymore given the set up. That’ll clear out the cobwebs and bring him on for 1800m second up. He boasts a great second up record (5:2-1-1). Over the spring he ran third to Think It Over and Fangirl in the G1 Verry Elleegant Stakes with Cascadian in fourth. That was at Randwick. Thereafter he belted his six rivals in the Sky High out to 2000m as an odds on favourite. The Lonhro gelding draws barrier 1 and finds Joao Moreira. He really turned a corner last campaign announcing himself as a genuine weight for age horse.

Dangers: 2. Fawkner Park never looked comfortable first up in the G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Respect that he jumped $6.50 and was at the time the Caulfield Cup favourite. The wash up was that he didn’t appreciate racing inside runners and that he wanted to lay in. The Melbourne mission was abandoned thereafter, hence the five weeks between runs. The Big Dance is the new target having won the Wagga Cup back in May. 10. New Endeavour has the best grounding for Saturday given he strikes it fourth up and has a 1900m run under his belt in the Hill Stakes. He was well beaten but that’ll bring him on again. 6. Democracy Manifest was beaten less than a length in the Five Diamonds this time last year so 1800m looks no issue. Made good late ground in the Epsom and Nash Rawiller jumps back aboard. 1. Numerian won first up last campaign at odds, albeit on a heavy track.

How To Play It: Lindermann WIN

1. El Castello brings winning form into the Spring Champion having won three straight this time back including the Gloaming Stakes two weeks ago. Swiftfalcon was eating into the margin late but given where they’ll both likely be in the run and the early price, have a slight lean to El Castello. He has tactical speed and jumped a length in from second up when he won his Midway. Swiftfalcon will likely be last from barrier 11. The Gloaming has provided 10 of the past 14 winners of the Spring Champion and all 10 have finished either first or second. History suggests that the market has it right when it comes to the two main chances. El Castello is a son of Castelvecchio and gives every indication that he’ll relish getting out to 2000m for the first time. He also gets his preferred dry track.

Dangers: 2. Swiftfalcon was one of the first horses to come under pressure in the Gloaming but he kept finding the line, with a fast last 200m split. His sire was a Coolmore winner in Exceedance but there is stamina on the dam side. It’s the barrier that makes things a little problematic again. 3. Henlein worked in blinkers this week but it’s the visors that go on for race day. He was perhaps entitled to do more late in the Gloaming but swaps barrier 11 for barrier 1. Fillies have won this race three times in the past eight years and 9. Rag Queen more than held her own in the Gloaming. She relished stepping out to 1800m, attacking the line late. 8. Harlem Queen brings a different form line having run second to Lady Shenandoah three weeks ago. All three previous fillies that have won this race did so via the Flight Stakes.

How To Play It: El Castello WIN

1. Zougotcha is a three-time Group One winner. The gamble is whether punters are willing to overlook last start. The mare settled outside of the leader in the 7 Stakes when in the market but knocked up to be well beaten. Nothing in the stewards report explained that performance. It was out of character as one of the hallmarks of Zougotcha’s career has been how consistent she’s been. The five-year-old has been freshened since with five weeks between runs and she has trialled well subsequently, holding her form in a heat that was stacked with Everest runners. First up she was grabbed on the line by stablemate Via Sistina in the G1 Winx Stakes over this same track and trip, the Randwick 1400m. Fangirl flashed home into third. The best of Zougotcha would win this and she maps perfectly to bounce back. The tongue tie goes on for the first time.

Dangers: 7. Makarena had excuses in the Alan Brown last start having been posted three and four deep throughout from the wide gate. She boxed on well despite that torrid run. Comes back to mares company and comes up with the inside gate. She beat Amelia’s Jewel in the Golden Pendant the start prior having returned well behind Sunshine in Paris and Joliestar in the Sheraco. Double figure odds, or thereabouts, appeals. 5. Olentia was too classy first up in the Nivison and she went into that with just one trial under her belt. She has flattened off second up in her past two campaigns after big fresh runs as favourite. That has to be some concern again second up in the context of her price. There were also two hard luck stories behind Olentia including 10. Coco Jamboo. A wide gate beat 2. Magic Time in this race 12 months ago. History may repeat.

How To Play It: Zougotcha WIN

12. Territory Express is one for the thrill seekers. He’ll be last upon settling. It was hard to miss his first up run in the Alan Brown Stakes behind Here To Shock where he zigged and zagged his way through the field to flash home into sixth, beaten 2.3L. That reads as a strong form reference for this. Zac Lloyd jumps back aboard too. The young gun has ridden him three times for two wins and a defeat by a nostril to Democracy Manifest. The gelding won the Provincial Midway Championships final at Randwick over the autumn. That was the last time he raced at the track. There is a lot of speed on paper engaged here courtesy of noted front runners 6. Amor Victorious, 11. Iknowastar and 16. Felix Majestic. Something has to give late. Enter Territory Express.

Dangers: 11. Iknowastar was brave to only be beaten two lengths in that same Alan Brown form reference. He was only first up himself and set a solid tempo, particularly in the middle stages. There was no respite and he was entitled to be beaten by further. Improves off that and he too has raced well at Randwick in the past. Just comes down to early pressure. Queenslander 7. Yellow Brick should appreciate the promise of a fast run race too. He was too good at Eagle Farm last start running out a dominant winner. More depth here and he’s well found but sets up to at least repeat that performance. 6. Amor Victorious looked a shade disappointing first and second up but with the benefit of hindsight he was beaten by Tom Kitten and Ceolwulf! He is three from three at Randwick and comes into this a last tart winner. 5. Osipenko and 15. Robusto should be hitting the line.

How To Play It: Territory Express WIN

9. Sounds Of Heaven is on the quick back up and the blinkers go on for the first time. Joe Pride doesn’t leave much to chance so there is intent to be read into the set up for this mare. In the form guide her three Australian runs all look plain on paper but she’s had excuses. In her two runs back over the autumn she has found slowly run races. The sit-sprint doesn’t suit her. Looking at her replays overseas she more so builds into her races. First up she was left flatfooted over 1400m in the Golden Pendant against a handy field of mares. She then tackled the Angst Stakes on Everest day but again not much went right. She began well but was shuffled back to be posted wide. She had no answer for the turn of foot from the likes of her stablemate Lekvarte and the classy Hinged. Drops to 52kg and wouldn’t be surprised to see Reece Jones bang her out on top of the speed.

Dangers: 5. Kintyre will run to his mark which sees him hard to beat. The early market has identified him as a leading chance in this given the make up of the field. He held his own in the G1 Epsom last start finishing midfield. He had his chance with 50kg on his back but will appreciate the drop back in grade. Was fifth to Royal Patronage first up and then fourth to McHale and Gringotts second up. 6. Café Millenium is hard to trust but like the blinkers going back on. Travelled like he’d be in the finish second up over the Randwick mile. Perhaps he didn’t appreciate racing between runners. He hasn’t won for 88 weeks now. 10. Riyazan drops to 52kg himself but it’s been 171 weeks since he last won! His second at Rosehill back in late August behind Ceolwulf reads well now.

How To Play It: Sounds Of Heaven EACH WAY

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