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By Brad Gray

3. Mogul Monarch used his speed to burn around Wyong first up, giving his eight rivals a touch up. Jumped a near even money favourite. Was tried in Midway company last campaign before spelling where he was beaten less than a length by Mad Darcey. Prefer him over 1100m on what we have seen to date. Can offset the draw given his early speed.

Dangers: Interested to see how 5. Mabel reacts to the blinkers going on for the first time. Has been fair at her past two but was a lip away from being a Midway winner over this track and trip in the past. 8. Photographics won a 1000m Midway two weeks ago which reads as a logical form reference for this but slight against a few of those out to 1100m now. 11. Catch The Glory pulled up slow to recover when favourite in that same Midway.

How To Play It: Mogul Monarch WIN

This looks a target race for 1. Massira. The bump in the road is drawing barrier 23 of 23. He’ll come in five once the emergencies come out. It’ll be no easy task for Tim Clark to navigate, particularly with 61.5kg on his back but his benchmark rating says that he deserves every kilo. Highway runners need to have three starts for their country-based trainer before being eligible. Here Massira is at start four. The former Godolphin-trained sprinter has hit the ground running for Dale. He beat Idle Flyer first up at Kembla over 1000m, with the runner up winning twice in town since. He then ran a narrow second in BM72 grade at Warwick Farm. There’s depth to that race as a form reference too. He then ran second to Weeping Woman at Canterbury in another BM72. Comes back to a Class 3. There will be horses everywhere early so the best to hope for is a three wide running line.

Dangers: 12. Fuld’s Doubt was too good for her rivals at Scone second up despite travelling three wide throughout. Has always teased talent. Even her run in the Listed Denise’s Joy at Scone was eye-catching despite racing out of her grade. The draw does her no favours either. 13. She Within has been posted wide in her two previous starts. Despite that, she still fought out the finish at Canterbury last start. Maps to be smothered up on Saturday from an inside gate. Just has to cope with a drop back to 1000m but a number of her rivals, including her well-fancied stablemates 3. Kreon and 7. Exit Fee, are in the same boat. 5. Caribbean King flies fresh and is a 1000m specialist. Has run two seconds in two recent 1000m Highways at Randwick.

How To Play It: Massira WIN

5. Les Vampires resumes from a 47 week break but the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable have an outstanding record with horses first up returning from lengthy breaks. This time last year the son of Pierro was running in the Randwick Guineas. He won first up at Canterbury leading from start to finish before giving a sight in the Hobartville as a $9 chance, finishing third behind Celestial Legend and Encap. He ended up just 1.5 lengths way in the Randwick Guineas. Back in fifth and sixth was Tom Kitten and Ceolwulf. Les Vampires returns a gelding and looked to take good benefit from his first trial, where his condition blew out late, into his second hitout at Randwick out to 1050m. He has bounced out to lead both of his trials. That tactical speed should see him run well here given the lack of pressure on paper.

Dangers: 4. Yiska is versatile in terms of his settling position. He wasn’t the best into stride last start at Randwick before working home fairly without threatening behind With Your Blessing. He chased down the leader to win well over this track and trip the start prior. Hard fit now fifth up. Produced his career best last campaign sixth up so races well into a preparation. 6. Spring Lee always garners plenty of market respect. The booking of James McDonald sees her well found again. Slight query at 1200m but this doesn’t promise to be truly run. Forgive last start sitting outside of a genuine speed set by Bonita Queen. 7. Key Largo hasn’t won for 121 weeks but he’ll rush home over the top to win one of these at big odds. Can ran a fast close. 2. Dalaalaat can improve.

How To Play It: Les Vampires WIN

2. Shaggy was a hard two-year-old to get a line on prior to the Pierro Plate, having gapped his rivals at Coffs Harbour and then the Sunshine Coast. There is no longer a question mark. The Allan Kehoe-trained youngster produced one of the standout two-year-old performances of the season when leading from start to finish at Randwick two weeks ago. He still has to tick off the 1200m box but he wasn’t slowing down at the end of 1100m. He asserted control from the get-go having jumped a length in front, before absorbing pressure in the middle stages, but forged clear to hold a decisive margin. He’s hard to knock off that performance. Looking at the make up of this field, there doesn’t look to be another noted leader. Gets the chance to solidify his Golden Slipper credentials.

Dangers: Had there been more pressure on paper, could have mounted a case for 4. Comedy to turn the tables on Shaggy. There wasn’t a lot of substance to what he did on the clock on debut when winning the Kirkham but there was a lot to like about the way he pinned his ears back to chase down the leader. However, he built of that at his second start, reacting well to the blinkers first time. Looks suited out to 1200m given his late strength. 3. Quietly Arrogant was just about the run of the race in the Magic Millions 2YO and has since trialled well. 8. Algorithmic kept finding the line in the Lonhro Plate and Beiwacht has franked the form line since. That was as a friendless $51 chance. Jumps straight out to 1200m. 9. Valedictorian is another with knockout claims. Impressed in his most recent trial.

How To Play It: Shaggy WIN

2. Memo would have to be the unluckiest two-year-old in training at the moment. Not sure how she still finds herself a maiden. That run of rotten luck continued in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic. She was buried away on the fence from the inside gate and held up, with the winner O’Ole pinching a winning break. The race was over once she angled into clear. It was a similar story at Wyong at her second start. On debut she was beaten by the wide gate. At start three she was planted three deep when the field shuffled up. You get the picture. Peter Snowden will have left something up the sleeve ahead of the Golden Slipper fitness-wise but imagine he’d be keen to get this filly on the board. Liked the way she trialled to bridge the six weeks between runs.

Dangers: 5. Bellazaine had a soft time outside of the leader first up in the Lonhro Plate yet delivered when it counted. Showed good fight to fend off Beiwacht, a subsequent winner. Has to jump 1000m to 1200m but the Waterhouse and Bott yard will have her ready to cope with that. 15. Wootton Lass is the only filly on debut here but she has impressed in two trials. In the latest she held off West of Swindon, and did it nicely. Nash Rawiller stays aboard from that trial. 11. Snitzel Miss kept chasing when a close up third in the Widden Stakes on debut. Respect how heavily backed she was late. The winner The Playright subsequently ran fourth in the Blue Diamond. 1. Within The Law has been well placed in restricted company to this point in her career. Liked the way 8. Karinska won on debut at Canterbury.

How To Play It: Memo WIN

1. Amelia’s Jewel looks well placed to win first up 1400m against the mares. Tipping her with some trepidation, however. Her class, as evidenced by her superior benchmark rating, says that she has found the right race to resume in and that she is the horse to beat. First up last campaign she chased home Royal Patronage in the Tramway, with Kovalica in third. As the spring went on she just missed in a narrow finish in the Empire Rose to Atishu before finishing two lengths off Mr Brightside in the Cantala. To flip that on it’s head, for a mare that’s won nine from 21, she hasn’t won for 73 weeks now. She also maps to be near last in what looks a slowly run race. Perhaps the booking of James McDonald offsets that. He tends to get the tactics right more often than not. Top selection, yes, but nervous in the context of her price.

Dangers: 6. Tashi has to run out 1400m but she could be greatly benefited from a positive ride. Use her tactical speed and make it count that she has had two runs back. Had excuses in a slow run race at Sandown first up before she was fair in the Triscay with 58kg. Capable of better but the market has recognised that. 2. Olentia will be peaking third up, presumably into the Coolmore Classic, and her form can dip slightly second up but she too looks well graded. Respect the placement of West Australian 3. Alsephina tackling this race first up off a Pinjarra trial win. She was two lengths away from Amelia’s Jewel in the Empire Rose before spelling. 4. Sounds Of Heaven reacted well to blinkers, winning at Randwick before being tipped out. The shades stay on first up. 9. French Endeavour is another candidate to take advantage of a lack of speed here.

How To Play It: Amelia’s Jewel WIN

1. Lady Shenandoah announced herself as a star three-year-old filly in the G1 Flight Stakes over the spring, putting three lengths on her rivals. She didn’t disappoint in her keenly awaited return in the Light Fingers Stakes over 1200m first up. The late market support forecasted that she’d be too good regardless of the sprint trip query and she was. A class above. She settled in behind the leaders, presented at the top of the straight and won eased down on the line. The daughter of Snitzel only improves off that. How do those that finished behind her turn the tables? They can’t, all being equal. That leaves punters to look outside of the Light Fingers to find a threat but there aren’t too many angles there either. Looks every bit a $1.60 chance. James McDonald jumps back aboard and maps to get a soft run.

Dangers: 2. Lady Of Camelot is the only other runner in single figure odds such is the dominance of Lady Shenandoah in early betting. Lady Of Camelot has to answer the 1400m question but she beat the rest by almost a length and a half in the Light Fingers and wasn’t staggering to the line. Gai Waterhouse has won this race five times including with Tropical Squall last year. 8. More Territories brings a different form line. She took advantage of a fast run 1400m at Randwick to mow down flying filly Perfumist. May have improved from the spring where she was a length or two off the better fillies. Keen to see what 14. Idle Flyer can do up in grade in a more truly run race. She is a line chaser and slow tempos at her past two wins have hidden the merit in her performances. 9. Amelita slipped home in the fastest last 200m split in the Light Fingers.

How To Play It: Lady Shenandoah WIN

1. Ceolwulf was beaten on his merits by both Fangirl and Via Sistina in the Apollo Stakes first up but banking on him having the most improvement to come from that run. Once there is a pattern with a Joe Pride-trained galloper they typically run true to form. The four-year-old looked more of a Metropolitan runner after his fresh run over the spring before he improved length to win second up, showing a brilliant turn of acceleration. That is something his gelding operation has appeared to have unlocked, a turn of foot. His campaign, of course, ended in big wins in the Epsom and King Charles, both over the Randwick mile. His two career peaks have been over Saturday’s track and trip. Just don’t there should be as much between the trio in early betting. On an odds basis, happy to be in his corner.

Dangers: That’s no knock on the talent of 8. Via Sistina. More so the odds on quote being served up. She was trucking through the line in a sub 11s final 200m in the Apollo. She couldn’t have done much more given the shape of the race. Out to the mile suits now. Maps to be last from the wide gate. The Apollo worked out perfectly for 9. Fangirl, snookering Via Sistina and settling a pair in front of Ceolwulf. Her change up of gears proved too sharp for that pair. Her record at Randwick is exceptional. Could be guilty of overlooking the obvious given her last start performance. She did win by a length. 5. Lindermann gave cheek from out in front there and maps to do the same in this. Can’t find a lot of early resistance to him taking it up and running it as he likes once more with Nash Rawiller sticking.

How To Play It: Ceolwulf WIN

Going with the class of 1. Gringotts. The five-year-old went to another level again last campaign in a spring that saw him win the Big Dance and The Gong. His skyrocketing rating sees him carry 61kg first up but he is a proven weight carrier. He won The Gong with 60kg. Given the profile of the five-year-old, wouldn’t be surprised to see him improve again. The son of Per Incanto has won nine of his 18 starts and is on a Doncaster path. There will be improvement as he gets out over further but he is a proven fresh horse and his record of 4:1-2-1 should read even better as he was a good thing beaten in the Bill Ritchie first up last preparation. Looked sharp winning a recent Scone trial and he maps to do no work from an inside gate. That looks significant.

Dangers: 7. Willaidow has an equally impressive record. His fighting qualities were on display first up, holding off 3. Iowna Merc. That was four weeks ago now. Looks to charge across and own this race from in front again. The 1300m second up looks a perfect progression. Iowna Merc has since franked that form line by fighting out the finish in the G2 Expressway. He was flattered by a slow tempo but is up and running and in career best form. 9. With Your Blessing needs to back up his dominant benchmark win a fortnight ago. His best is brilliant but he can float in and out of form. 6. Encap tends to improve second up and has had just the one soft trial. 2. Golden Mile returns a gelding after a failed stud career. He is 43 weeks between runs but imagine James Cummings would have him ready to make a statement.

How To Play It: Gringotts WIN

2. Birdman was met with confident late support at Randwick first up yet found the mile too sharp. The trifecta were all genuine 1600m horses that were up and running. He was the first home of the resuming stayers. The form through the race stood up last Saturday. The lightly-raced import gets out to 2000m second up and finds James McDonald. He didn’t fire in his first run for Chris Waller over the spring so was tipped straight out and allowed time to adjust. He has only had six starts and boasts a Group One placing in the Queen’s Vase at Ascot out to 2800m. Imagine the Sydney Cup will be his autumn target but he has the talent, and upside, to pick up a race or two on the way through. Looks a deserved favourite.

Dangers: Chris Waller has eight of the 14 runners. His pair 8. Medatsu and 9. Matusalem have been overlooked in early markets. Medatsu was set an impossible task from a wide gate over the mile first up behind Yorkshire. Be very forgiving of his finishing position. He was closing off late. Draws much better second up and Tommy Berry won two races on him last campaign. Matusalem worked home well first up over 1500m. As expected, he flattened off a touch second up staying at the mile. Looks for sharp improvement out to 2000m third up. Kerrin McEvoy has ridden him in four of his five career wins. 7. Sweysive is chasing five straight wins. He’s flying but has to transfer Canterbury form to tougher grade, at Randwick and out to 2000m. Maps to get on speed favours, however.

How To Play It: Birdman WIN

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