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Selections by Brad Gray

The rail is in the TRUE position with the track rated a Good 4. There's no rain leading up to the weekend but a slight chance of a shower is forecast for Saturday with a partly cloudy afternoon and a top of 29 degrees on raceday.

Saturday 8th February – ROYAL RANDWICK

6. OH DIAMOND LIL ($2.20 favourite on TAB) has found a new level this preparation as she’s rushed through the grades. The four-year-old won her maiden by 4.5 lengths at Kembla Grange before winning again at Canterbury from in front. The daughter of So You Think has relished getting out over further this time back. Her run of form prompted trainer David Pfieffer to run her in Saturday company three weeks ago where she chased home the flying Perfumist, a filly that has now won four straight by comprehensive margins. Oh Diamond Lil was forced to take a trail which saw her left flatfooted but she picked up the last 100m to chip into the margin late. Creeps out to the mile now and comes back to a BM72. Well found in early betting but entitled to be.

Dangers: 4. Piraeus ($4.80) doesn’t have the upside of the favourite but he savaged the line in a Randwick Midway over the mile two weeks ago behind Magnatear. That was from last. He doesn’t win out of turn due to his pattern but he typically isn’t far away in the company. 2. Harlow Mist ($9) beat home Piraeus in a Midway back in November, albeit she had the perfect run in transit. Since then she didn’t fire out to 1800m before being beaten three lengths in the Belle Of The Turf at Wyong and drops back in grade. She draws a touch awkwardly but has shown she can settle just about anywhere in the run. 7. Irish Bliss ($7.50) boxed on well when fourth behind Magnatear last start when fourth. Has the right form references and makes his own luck so must be a place chance again.

3. KREON ($9) gets the perfect set up to improve. The grey was heavily backed first-up at Wyong but drifted back in the run and ran on late without ever looking the winner. The task was too big given the short straight. He was then placed in a BM78 with the barrier again dictating his position. He began well but was forced back having drawn 12 of 12. The lack of early pressure and being forced back to the fence, which was inferior as the Randwick meeting went on, were against him yet he wasn’t beaten far. That sees him well placed back to Class 3 Highway company third-up with Jason Collett booked. Can race closer and has no excuses now fitness wise. It’s a deep Highway this week but the early price appeals.

Dangers: 6. Super Norwest ($8) had to ride a fast speed at Randwick first-up which saw her vulnerable late when Clear Thinking came with a late rush to win. The mare will improve off that and has proven herself at this level many times over. Just wants a slightly easier time in front, which she could get on Saturday. 2. Lisztomania ($4.40 fav) will be out the back as she always tends to be. She is frustrating in that regard - being so one dimensional means she is beaten more times than she wins. She raced in four Highways last preparation and didn’t finish further back than fourth, yet she didn’t win one. James McDonald stays aboard. 11. Fingers Hunter ($12) comes through the same Clear Thinking race. She can improve off that, maps well and gets the blinkers back on. Danny Williams’ other runners 16. She Within ($21) and 18. Exit Fee ($6) are also chances.

2. CHERGUI ($3.90) copped windburn from Pallaton at Randwick on debut but that should prove to be a solid form reference in time. The blueblood Godolphin colt, being a half-brother to Tassort, Alizee and Astern, settled outside of the leader at Randwick over 1000m and after travelling like the winner, he knocked up late yet did enough to hold down second. Quietly Arrogant ran fourth and subsequently won at the Sunshine Coast while The Magic Man was back in sixth. The son of Frosted has been back to the trials since, winning his Warwick Farm heat in good style. That bridges the seven weeks between runs. Should get every chance from the barrier which gives him a map edge over 1. Extractor ($3.60 fav).

Dangers: Extractor hasn’t been done any favours by the gate, ensuring he’ll get a long way back in the run. That’s for James McDonald to work out. The Michael Freedman-trained colt kept finding the line on debut in the Golden Gift when third behind North England with the well-regarded West Of Swindon edging him out on the line for second. That was back in November. 11. Bellazaine ($7.50) had excuses on debut in the Gimcrack having settled four-deep without cover throughout and that was as a $10 chance. Has won two trials ahead of her return. 13. Kerber ($31) is a full-sister to In Secret and rrecent siblings sold for $2.3m at the sales. Gives away race experience but she has trialled well and draws to get the right run. 7. Benevac ($15) looks raw but talented.

It’s hard to ignore the dominance of 9. POINT AND SHOOT’s ($2.50 fav) victory last start at Randwick. He may have been a touch flattered by the fast lead speed but he put 5.5 lengths on his rivals and it was arrogant. Perhaps that’s understating it. It was a clear career best for the son of Blue Point. That was the three-year-old’s first run over 1400m and his work through the line suggests he’ll have no trouble with the mile now. The Bjorn Baker stable also accepted for the Eskimo Prince back to 1200m but elected to keep him in Benchmark company for now. It’s been a busy second preparation, tackling this sixth-up, however, even allowing for a natural regression off that peak performance, he looks a justified short-priced favourite.

Dangers: 2. Emmadella ($18) was never in the hunt last start at Rosehill in an on speed dominated race. She has liked wet ground in the past but many horses didn’t handle the track that meeting. Forgive her that and respect that she was sent around a $5.50 chance on the back of a dominant Randwick win. Gets out to the mile for the first time since running fourth in the Winx Guineas behind Xidaki. 1. Mare Of Mt Buller ($19) fought out the finish in a similar race to this first-up last campaign. Ignore her finishing positions in her trials. 13. Puntin ($3.50) is three from three but this is by far his hardest test.

6. IT'S A KNOCKOUT ($3.70 fav) did a fantastic job in her first preparation, winning two of her three starts. She beat subsequent Big Dance runner up Vivy Air in the latest of those wins before spelling. Admittedly, she did find three races that she owned from out in front, which helped, but that tractability should see her win plenty more races. The daughter of Dundeel looked to have found a winnable race at Warwick Farm on Wednesday yet the stable decided to scratch instead heading back to Saturday grade. That might be an indication of how well they believe she is going. She has been out sped in two short course trials but has found the line. There doesn’t look to be a lot of pressure on paper again here despite the big field. Tim Clark stays aboard.

Dangers: 4. Anavinci ($11) raced flat second-up at Wyong. That’s not unusual for horses that run so well first-up off lengthy spells. She was only two weeks between runs having run fourth off a two-year lay off. The talented five-year-old won a Gosford Guineas at just her second career start. She was brave first-up having covered ground. Expecting her to bounce back to that form now third-up out to 1300m and a month between runs. 7. Kimberley Secrets ($11) resumed from a 59-week spell herself at Canterbury and ran on well behind Balkans. Improves off that out to a more suitable trip. Genuine mare who finished midfield in a Kosciuszko. 1. Hellavadancer ($11) set up her autumn with an eye-catching return over 1200m two weeks ago. Can build off that. 2. Queen Of The Mile ($5.50) is holding her form but the barrier doesn’t help.

4. SHEZANALISTER ($5) looks to be humming off her two trials. She has won both of them at Canterbury and then Rosehill. The five-year-old mare has won her past three first-up and although her 1000m form is from earlier in her career, she’s effective over the trip. The Bjorn Baker-trained sprinter lumped 61kg to win over 1100m at Randwick first-up last time in but was a BM78 against the fillies and mares, granted. Third-up she was beaten half a length by Schwarz when third in the Gr 2 Missile Stakes where Arctic Glamour finished second. Despite a record of six wins from 19 starts and a further six minor placings she remains an underrated mare. Races well fresh, has a great Randwick record, is proven over 1000m and has trialled like a rocket. Can only see her running well.

Dangers: 1. Bacchanalia ($18) could be the sleeper at odds and he has been trialling exceptionally well for trainer Richard Litt. He zipped clear to beat Linebacker and Mazu in his most recent Warwick Farm heat. Want to be forgiving of his first-up run last campaign on a heavy track. He won first-up two preparations prior to that when trained by James Cummings. 7. The Black Cloud ($4.20) didn’t show up in her two runs before spelling but she is better than that. Gets in light, maps well and she too is well performed fresh. Respect the placement of the Freedman stable with 5. Austmarr ($4 fav) first-up off a 43-week break as she’s had two Melbourne jumpouts. 8. Piastri ($4.60) has had three jumpouts in Melbourne to tune him up for this. Won in Sydney last campaign.

2. RIVELLINO ($4.80 on TAB) stalked the speed and gapped his rivals on debut at Randwick over 1000m. There was 1.9 lengths back to second and over four lengths back to third. He was gifted the perfect trailling run from the low draw but he won with authority. The runner-up 3. The Magic Man ($23) subsequently ran second to the current Golden Slipper favourite Wodeton, albeit beaten a long way. Rivellino should only improve with the run under his belt. The blinkers really switched on the Too Darn Hot colt in his second trial before taking that form to the races. He’s had a tickover trial since then, without the shades on yet still powered to the line under a hold. James McDonald rode there and he has been booked for Saturday. Has a wide draw to overcome but the past two winners have come out of barriers 14 and 15.

Dangers: 3. The Magic Man ($19) won’t have to spend a penny early from barrier 1. Despite being four starts into his first campaign, he continues to improve. Rivellino was too strong for him two back but he was softened up early from outside of the leader. That Wodeton form reference appeals given he beat third by three lengths. 12. Price Tag ($3.50 fav) bumped into a smart one at Sandown last start in My Gladiola. She’s still learning so will need to find cover and like that Tyler Schiller has already ridden her. Respect the placement of the stable coming up from Melbourne and the early market support. 4. Grafterburners ($23) still has her ‘L Plates’ on too but she promises to be closing hard. Edged out subsequent winner Blitzburg to run second at Eagle Farm last start. 17. Bellazaine ($7.50) can improve.

3. MAYFAIR ($4.40) raced his way through from a 2YO Handicap in July to running third in a Golden Rose all in one preparation. He didn’t steal any headlines like Broadsiding, Traffic Warden or Switzerland but was the quiet achiever of the three-year-old ranks. He was only beaten narrowly by Lady Shenandoah in the Ming Dynasy prior to his close up third in that Golden Rose and she won the Flight Stakes by three lengths the start after. Forget his failure in the Caulfield Guineas out to the mile as it was too bad to be true. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained colt will be screwed down first-up with two trials under his belt and his tactical speed gives him a map advantage over his main threats. He’s a bulldog in a close finish.

Dangers: Would have 2. Gatsby’s ($2.70 fav) on top if this was 1100m. He was brilliant when winning The Rosebud fresh over the spring. He flattened off second-up in the San Domenico where Mayfair beat him home, with the excuse being that he was ridden too close. James McDonald rides. 1. Linebacker ($4.20) resumes as a gelding. That’s significant given his antics prior to the Golden Rose. The stable have targeted the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster over the mile third and fourth-up but he was exceptional over 1200m first-up during the spring, clocking the fastest last 200m split of the meeting when fourth behind Traffic Warden. 10. Snow In May ($6.50) was improving rapidly last campaign but she too wants a touch further. 7. Goodlucktome ($34) can overachieve at odds given his map.

16. ABERLOUR ($9) presents as an interesting runner for Joe Pride. The former Kiwi has mixed her form in four runs in Australia but want to be very forgiving of what she produced last Saturday at Rosehill. The four-year-old raced keenly in front and went too fast and that saw her knock up to be beaten 10 lengths by Yorkshire. The five weeks between runs wouldn’t have helped and up in grade on Saturday sees her drop to 52kg. The run should knock the freshness out of her and she looks to lead unopposed largely against a field of resuming stayers. She has obviously bounced through that run for Pride to back her up seven days later having beaten just one runner home. Has a peak performance to her name over the mile in New Zealand.

Dangers: Her stablemate 14. Headley Grange ($2.40 fav) is working his way through the grades having won three of his past five starts. At Wyong he beat Point And Shoot before doing everything right as a well-backed favourite at Randwick over 1400m beating Starman and Sandpaper, who has run well since. The mile looks perfect now. The knock is the price. 5. St Lawrence ($12) never looked likely in The Lakes last start but he is capable of better and this is easier. Looks to have the right form lines and there are not many ‘genuine milers’ in this field. 1. Asterix ($81) last raced in an Auckland Cup over two miles but have been impressed by his trials. He’s a place hope at massive odds. 11. Wymark ($11) caught the eye first-up.

13. WINSTON HILLS ($11) copped some minor interference back in the field after a fall at Randwick last start yet still rattled home into fourth to not be beaten far. Again, the barrier ensures that the five-year-old will be spotting his rivals, including the TAB favourite 10. Hezdarnhottoo ($2.60 fav), a big head start but the early price discrepancy between those two given the margins two weeks ago looks too big. Winston Hills didn’t look to handle the heavy track at Warwick Farm the start prior while he won well first-up and was luckless second-up, which he should have won too. Jason Collett sticks having been aboard at his past three starts. Needs a few things to fall into place from the draw but there’s enough in the price to take that punt.

Dangers: 10. Hezdarnhottoo will give another sight. He didn’t have any excuses last start settling outside of a moderate early tempo, run down late by Yiska. The end of 1200m might see him vulnerable but he strikes this third-up and finds James McDonald but the price is the knock. The enigmatic 2. Able Willie ($23) has been kept fresh since his first-up run when third to Disneck. That reads well for this and has trialled well since. He’s hard to catch but capable at this level on his day. 8. Romeo’s Choice ($16) hit the line locked together with Winston Hills last start and continues to race well. 5. Unstopabull ($17) raced flat in that same race but respect that he was a $6.50 chance. Would watch for any market confidence around for the resuming 15. Rockola ($26) despite being 63 weeks between runs.

BEST BETS
Race 1, No.6 - OH DIAMOND LIL ($2.20 favourite on TAB)
Race 8, No.3 - MAYFAIR ($4.40)

VALUE
Race 10, No.13 - WINSTON HILLS ($11)

View final fields with full form & race replays for Royal Randwick here