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By Nick Berney

Tips and race by race preview by Nick Berney for Thursday's Newcastle meeting. Selections based on a soft/heavy track. Monitor for bias/pattern.

Hard to go past 4. Extreme Diva, who brings a race experience edge, and she raced well in her debut preparation around the likes of subsequent Group 1 winners Lady Of Camelot/Manaal. The three-year-old has trialled well in preparation for this assignment, showing speed, and she went through the line full of energy, not extended in her recent heat at Randwick. She has multiple winning figures for this and can sprint fresh first-up over the 900m.

Dangers: Debutante 8. Runranirun has improved between heats and responded well under pressure when challenged to win her latest trial at Hawkesbury. She's suited with the inside draw and can follow the rail. 5. Gangsta Granny sprinted in the inferior ground to score in her latest heat at Rosehill, and she has a solid platform. 3. Backward Glance is rock-hard fit and returns to her home track.

How to play it: Extreme Diva WIN ($1.35 TAB Fixed Odds).

Extreme Diva runs second in a trial at Randwick on August 5

Leaning towards 1. Epic Proportions, who returns as a gelding, and he is wound up for this assignment. The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper has had the two trials and looked sharp in his recent heat at Hawkesbury. He brings strong form lines to this event, is proven on the rain-affected ground, and the wide draw is of little concern, with the 900m start only having one turn.

Dangers: 2. Fire Star returns from a 173-day break, and his first-up performance last prep was full of merit. Further, he had to make a long-sustained sprint, exerting all his energy between 600m and 200m, before peaking on his run behind subsequent Group 2 placegetter Shezanalister. Repeating that effort will put him in the finish. 9. Willingale and 8. Turbinado bring a fitness edge and are honest on-pace types.

How to play it: Epic Proportions WIN ($5.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Epic Proportions runs third in a trial at Hawkesbury on August 5

9. Shine Like It Does was 31 days between runs last start at Hawkesbury, and she had excuses when running third after being well-backed late in the trade. She had the race shape against, had to make her run through the inferior ground, but never shirked her task to the line. She brings the best-last start figure and finds a winnable race.

Dangers: 6. Elusive Mission is rock-hard, and although she has been well beaten on rain-affected surfaces in the past, she has had factors against her. She receives a senior rider and will run out a strong 1600m. 1. Kia Ora Gold returns as a gelding and has had the two trials leading into this. Key market watch. Add to 3. Ambitious Creek and 10. Supercrisp to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Shine Like It Does WIN ($3.10 TAB Fixed Odds).

Shine Like It Does runs third last start at Hawkesbury on July 21

4. Nosferatu is an improving type who was completely unsuited on debut, and he moved well to score last start at Warwick Farm. He travelled well, was bolting on the turn, and once a gap came in the final straight, he showed a turn of foot. Further, he went through the line full of energy doing it easily and recorded the meeting's third-fastest final 200m. All key indicators suggest he can only step off that performance, and the rise to 1850m is ideal third-up.

Dangers: 1. Barazin was brave in defeat after a very fast pace, and he went down fighting to finish second. He has a strong platform and receives a gear change. 5. Start Line ran on well last start at Hawkesbury to finish second with a margin to third. 6. Al Ras Blues is a last-start winner and ran time.

How to play it: Nosferatu WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

Nosferatu wins at Warwick Farm on July 31

10. Tell Me Ma went out on a career peak figure before spelling last prep, and she represents value here. The mare resumes off a 187-day break and has had a quiet recent trial at Wyong where she went to the line not extended. She is suited over more ground but profiles to sprint fresh, and she races at her home track. Can rate to win.

Dangers: 4. Last Straw is well-paced back to the provincial circuit and gets in well at the weights after the claim. All her peak figures have on rain-affected ground, and she'll roll forward. 1. Zouripper excelled in a high-pressure race to score last at Canterbury and ran solid time. 7. Rockbarton Icon can hit the line hard and market watch on 2. Capital Heart.

How to play it: Tell Me Ma E/W ($26 TAB Fixed Odds).

Tell Me Ma's latest trial at Wyong on July 29

Keen on 10. Madam Instrife, who resumes, and she has trialled well recently at Rosehill. The Hawkes-trained galloper's first-up run from last campaign was full of merit, and she should've won. The mare was restrained from a wide draw and was checked/blocked for a run, but once clear, she savaged the line, recording the meeting's fastest final 200m split. She has an improver's action, can only have benefited from the race experience and with even luck, she has superior closing speed relative to his rivals. In addition, she brings a dominant last-start figure, and the rain-affected ground should pose no issue.

Dangers: 9. Lady Ichikawa is coming through a high-rating race, and she's ready to peak third-up with a solid profile. 14. Urafiki drops back to the provincial circuit, and the rise to 1200m looks a plus. 3. Spanish Fox is a consistent performer and market watch on 7. Hellaine, who resumes from a spell.

How to play it: Madam Instrife WIN ($2.25 TAB Fixed Odds).

Madam Instrife runs third in a recent trial at Rosehill on August 6

Forgive 9. There There's last start at Canterbury, where nothing went right after being specked late in the trade. The mare was run to suit, but she couldn't build momentum at key stages after being checked/blocked for a run. However, to her credit, once clear, she closed off solidly to finish fourth. She can bounce back down in grade and is ready to break through for a win in this prep.

Dangers: 2. Joiselle is another runner who can be forgiven last start after having a savage bias against her. She's very well placed after the claim and will be hard to hold out. 5. The New Sinatra went out on a career peak figure and has moved well in two recent heats. Add 3. Obvious Step and 6. Crop Duster to wider exotics.

How to play it: There There WIN ($8.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

There There last start at Canterbury on July 24

7. Rush Attack has gone to a new level since joining the Nathan Doyle stable, and he ran slick time relative to the day when winning at Kempsey last start. He showed late strength, and the rise to 1600m looks ideal here. Although stepping up in grade, he finds a winnable race and comes in well on figures. Can make it back-to-back wins.

Dangers: 5. Shuri wasn't suited to the sit/sprint race shape last start and was outpaced up-tempo, but once building momentum, she found the line well. The genuine anticipated tempo will suit her profile. 2. Dreamdeel brings strong SP's for this and will take catching. Add 4. Colombe Dor to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Rush Attack WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

Rush Attack wins at Kempsey on July 30

Best Bet: Race 6 # 10 – Madam Instrife

Next Best: Race 4 # 4 – Nosferatu

Best Value: Race 7 # 9 – There There

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Newcastle meeting