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By Brad Gray

4. Point Score won a recent Warwick Farm by five lengths in good time for the morning. The Blue Point colt, trained by Amanda Turner, mustered quickly to find the front and charged clear at the finish, running right through the line. That was an improvement off what he did in his first trial a month earlier. He wasn’t the cleanest into stride on that occasion before finding the line soundly to finish third. Given where Point Score has drawn, it’s imperative that he gets the start right to use the barrier. It’s 1000m and only one of his rivals has race experience. There isn’t much margin for error. Both of his trials have been at his home track so heading to Randwick, hopefully he takes it all in his stride. Very hard two-year-old race without a standout from the trials.

Dangers: 9. Commanding Belle has depth to her trial form. She locked horns with Space Rider in her first hitout at Kembla Grange with very little separating the pair on the line. Space Rider won at Queensland on debut by three lengths catapulting himself into Magic Millions contention. Commanding Belle then ran third at Rosehill where Gallo Nero finished second. 5. Rivellino improved with the blinkers on in his second trial. Respect any market confidence for 2. Cryoseisms if he is here.

How To Play It: Point Score WIN

1. Bundeena has a few obstacles to overcome but if picks up where he left off last campaign, he should be too good for these. He gives away race fitness being first up. On paper he looked to take a run to hit his strap last preparation but he found himself in an awkward spot four deep on a heavy track at Warwick Farm, peaking on his run late. There will be improvement to come from the five-year-old, no doubt, which is typical of the John Thompson stable, but even allowing for that he’s the horse to beat. The other query is the barrier. Vegas Raider looks the leader. He just needs to get across Head Of The Herd early and he should find the spot outside the leader. He has indeed raced well travelling deep in the past but being first up he’d be vulnerable late.

Dangers: 2. Super Bright might be best set up to take advantage of that. She is well performed in Midway company and should improve off her first up third at Canterbury. The market was very soft on her chances late. Like her back to 1100m and drawn low. Has a sharp sprint when right. 10. Zoukerino hasn’t won for 124 weeks but he was unlucky in Midway company back in June over 1200m. His best is good enough, he is just hard to catch. Returned well at Wyong, clearing out from third and the winner Welcome Gypsy has since won again. 5. Dehorned Unicorn is going better than the form guide suggests. He was wide the trip last Saturday in a deeper race than this and had no luck at Canterbury prior. 3. Mabel can be explosive fresh and has trialled like she might be back.

How To Play It: Bundeena WIN

1. Associate has had five Highway Handicap runs without a win. That largely comes down to his get back style. He does himself no favours with a lack of tactical speed. He resumed at Kembla Grange this time back and savaged the line to run fourth, beaten 1.8 lengths having settled near last. The five-year-old then ran on into third in the Nowra Cup as a $6 chance. He was expected to win the Ted Ryder Cup at Wagga, sent around as an even money favourite, but luck deserted him. He should have won. That sets him up nicely for this Highway over the mile with his 61.5kg offset by the 2kg claim of Zac Wadick. The Dannielle Seib-trained gelding is never an easy watch but drawn where he has, he just needs to hold a midfield spot to prove too strong late. It isn’t a deep Highway.

Dangers: 10. Great Point was only beaten half a length by In Summer three starts ago at Scone. She was then a beaten $1.60 favourite at Muswellbrook before atoning for that with a dominant win at Scone. Profiles like she’ll relish 1600m. Capable of producing a career best given the set up. 6. Moritz Girl and 4. Heir Jordan filled the minor placings behind In Summer last start and deserve respect.

How To Play It: Associate WIN

6. Accredited is chasing three straight wins as he works his way through the grades. The lightly-raced five-year-old profiles like there is still new peaks to come. He led and bolted in at Warwick Farm as a $1.60 favourite two back. That was at the midweeks. He then stepped into Saturday company and fought off an equally promising horse in Yorkshire. The son of All Too Hard had to absorb pressure in the early in and middle stages too, campaign in behind a loose leader. He hit the front a long way from home yet was in for the fight. The step out to 1400m looks perfect now. Goes up in grade again tackling a BM88 but that shouldn’t stop him. The only knock is that the early market has identified him as the winner. He’s very short odds again.

Dangers: A positive ride won the race for 2. Ang Pow two weeks ago. He settled outside of the leader and that proved the winning move. That was in BM100 company. Goes up in weight back in grade. Tactics will be important once more given where he has drawn. 3. Excelladus did enough first up at Randwick over 1200m behind Jedibeel and Pereille. That form line as franked in the Canterbury Sprint on Wednesday and he can only improve off that second up out to 1400m. 5. Space Age is more of a miler and he’ll improve as he gets into his preparation but the import found his form last campaign, which included a Randwick win in this grade. Market support should tell us if he is ready to fire fresh.

How To Play It: Accredited WIN

13. Perfumist has improved sharply at her past two starts. That’s coincided with getting out over a touch further. Trainer Bjorn Baker, who is enjoying a phenomenal run of form at the moment, first built up the filly’s confidence in country and provincial company. An approach the stable have used great success with in the past. The daughter of El Roca won at Mudgee two starts ago in Class 1 company but it was arrogant as an odds on favourite. That saw her jump $2.50 at Canterbury and she made light work of her six rivals there too. To the eye she looked to need the 1550m but it was deceptive as the lack of early pressure turned the race into a sprint home. Her last two wins have both been in slowly run races. Back to 1400m is a slight knock but she’s an improving three-year-old with 52kg on her back.

Dangers: 4. Allapercanto didn’t have any excuses last start over the Randwick mile. She was there to win if good enough. Still, she wasn’t beaten far in a three way go and is capable of improving again off that. She drops back to 1400m but gets the blinkers first time. Charged to the line at Kembla Grange prior to that in a fast race. 2. Captain Amelia has found winning form again as she chases three straight. Ran down a similar field to this two weeks ago off a five week freshen. 10. Dark Glitter ran second while the well backed 6. Lulumon disappointed in fifth.

How To Play it: Perfumist WIN

3. Captain Maverick could be ready to improve third up. The four-year-old import, trained by Chris Waller, has only had eight starts. Last campaign, his first in Australia, saw him need the first and second up runs before winning well at his third run in. That was out to 1800m and in midweek company, however. That’s the gamble here, whether he is looking for a touch further than the mile but this isn’t a deep Saturday metro race. He swaps Canterbury for Randwick, maps well and gets in well after the three kilo claim of Ben Osmond. Ultimately though it comes down to price and in what looks to be a wide open race, the is enough in the early quote to take the punt that Captain Maverick is ready to find his best form again.

Dangers: 5. Sly Boots tends to come off the bit early in his races but he is a line chaser. He ran down his stablemate Huesca to win at Warwick Farm last start. The mile looks a perfect progression third up. Was 50 weeks on the sidelines prior to this campaign. 6. Bright Red and 4. Fiddlers Green battled it out for second last start in an identical race to this a fortnight ago. Bright Red has the SP edge and draws better.

How To Play It: Captain Maverick WIN

7. Disneck was a brilliant winner over this track and trip just last Saturday. He rounded up his rivals in a couple of strides before throttling down to win by two lengths. That’s now two on the bounce for the four-year-old, and he has overcome slow tempos in both. The challenge for the son of Trapeze Artist is now to repeat that on the back up in tougher company. It was a career best victory at start 23 and fourth up. That’s some achievement from in form trainer Bjorn Baker. The key to the sprinter is to leave him alone early on a good track and let Disneck take care of the rest. He can rattle home a very fast closing split with that set up. Could find two previous occasions where he had raced on a quick turnaround and he failed on both occasions. However, both were on heavy tracks.

Dangers: 9. Amazing Eagle was great first up winning the Brian Crowley against the three-year-olds, leading and fighting off Manos and King Of Roseau. He was five weeks between runs at Doomben last start on a Heavy 10 where an awkward getaway saw him out the back when most expected him to lead. He made up a stack of late ground to just miss. Freshened again since. Has trialled well. It’s a small field but 6. In Flight maps awkwardly. That’s the small knock but she looks ready to win. She wasn’t beaten far by Iowna Merc last start, who has won again since. 8. Pioneer River won at his second run for Gavin Bedggood. Has raced well in Sydney in the past. 4. Gravina loves Randwick and can only improve off his eye catching sixth.

How To Play It: Disneck WIN

17. Akkadian Emperor put four lengths on his Class 1 rivals at Newcastle first up over 1850m. The market forecasted that performance, confidently backing the four-year-old late in betting. He jumped $1.75. The Irish import arrived in Australia as a maiden and showed glimpses of staying talent in his first campaign for Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald but nothing like he showed last start. That was the win of a stayer that can go through the grades. He tackles a BM78 second up out to 2000m but the majority of the field here have found their mark. He drops to 53.5kg, maps to get the right run and Alysha Collett stays aboard. Entitled to be well found given his upside.

Dangers: 13. Coto De Caza kept chasing Fay’s Angels last start at Canterbury. The winner pinched it from out in front. She was chasing a lost cause yet never shirked her task. The 2400m, especially a truly run mile and a half, looked to find her out the start prior. 12. Lenape Vibe draws wide but comes in a few positions after emergencies. He may have been flattered by the heavy track at Rosehill last start but the grey gelding may go on with it now. Like him out to 2000m. Has trialled since to bridge the month between runs. Queenslander 14. Jealous has relished getting out over ground recently for Rob Heathcote. Wasn’t beaten far by Zaphod last start at Eagle Farm which ties in here.

How To Play It: Akkadian Emperor WIN

10. Cosmonova was a late scratching at the barriers a few weeks ago when in the market at Warwick Farm. Trainer Joe Pride has trialled her since then and having settled well back in the field, she found the line sweetly. That was with Reece Jones in the saddle who has ridden the mare in all four of her wins. He has only ridden her five times. That third trial should see the daughter of Zoustar forward for her return to the races. She took a couple of runs to get going last campaign but suspect that she just didn’t handle the heavy tracks. The half-sister of Henlein and Magic Time ended last campaign a Saturday winner, grabbing Dipsy Doodle on the line. The cherry on top is how well she maps. Should get the run of the race. Improving mare with more to come.

Dangers: 12. Apex gets the winkers back on for the first time since his debut as a two-year-old. He was well backed at Canterbury last start but bumped into Dance To The Boom, the subsequent Gosford Guineas winner. Manuscript ran third and won at Canterbury on Wednesday. The start prior Codetta wore him down with Sly Boots, a subsequent winner too, back in third. Maps to be last. 4. Boston Rocks kept trying in Melbourne first up over 1000m. He’ll come on from that. 1. With Your Blessing can win but is becoming hard to catch.

How To Play It: Cosmonova WIN

1. Cadetship loomed briefly at Randwick first up behind Accredited but the 61kg told late, peaking on his run. He will be fitter and his best is good enough.

Dangers: 13. Piggyback was confidently backed first up at Warwick Farm but she found the 1400m a touch too sharp. Gets the winkers on second up. Whether the 1500m is going to be far enough is the gamble but trust that strong SP profile. 6. Monarchs Brae returned a winner at Canterbury. Stays at 1500m but he ended last campaign in good form and has picked up where he left off.

How To Play It: Cadetship WIN

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