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By Ray Hickson

Tips and race by race preview by Ray Hickson for Wednesday’s meeting at Warwick Farm. The track is expected to be Good. The rail is in the 3m position.

The market suggests this is a wide open affair. I see it as a mini-test of the form behind some of the better two-year-olds at the moment through 3. Dio D’Oro who chased home Estijaab on debut then found the G3 Canonbury a bit beyond him. Beaten about four lengths both times and he comes back to a maiden with the blinkers on. I don’t mind the wide barrier, he’ll go forward and there’s only one turn to negotiate. It wouldn’t surprise also if being down the middle is a plus given the meeting there on Saturday. Far from a good thing but expect him to run well.

Danger: 11. Venom might be looking for further than the 1200m but there was a bit to like about the way she found the line on debut at Rosehill behind Sizzling Belle with Outrageous, a winner at Newcastle on the weekend, in second. Blinkers go on her and she’s sure to be charging home. 2. Black Haze is surprisingly double figure odds. I thought the debut was a sound one at 1000m around Gosford where he saved ground on the turn then ran into some dead ends and really didn’t get a chance to wind right up. He’ll have a better chance up to 1200m and is one to keep safe. 1. Adana goes in on suspicion as there really wasn’t a great deal to take out of his latest trial. But the Waller youngsters can jump out of the ground on race day and he has found Kerrin McEvoy to ride. Each-way claims.

How to play it: Dio D’Oro E/W ($5.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Dio D’Oro’s debut second at Randwick on January 20

Despite the small field this will be a very competitive maiden and features a couple of horses that should be able to feature in better races over a bit more ground. 2. Touch Of Mink ran four excellent races last time in and couldn’t come away with a win, she was touched out here second-up after looking the winner then went into a couple of stakes races and came away with a G2 placing in Melbourne. First trial was sound and I’m not paying a lot of attention to the second one against better performed horses, though she wasn’t tested. Entitled to go close for mine.

Dangers: We're left with four after Primitivo's late scratching. 4. Decroux led them up and faded on debut at Newcastle in what has proven a strong maiden. Performed well in both trials this time in and you had to like the way he stretched out in the second. Sure to be on the pace and could take running down. 3. Pretentious Man is very hard to line up because while he did look very good in his easy Wyong trial win last month you have to wonder what was behind him as neither of the placegetters have raced yet. On face value he can give a good account but he may be unders at this point.

How to play it: Touch Of Mink WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

Keep an eye out for Touch Of Mink cruising home late in a Rosehill trial on January 22

1. Sheikha clearly has the best form in the race, being a G3 placegetter, and she drops out of Saturday grade after a handy third behind the smart Charlayne at Rosehill first-up. Sure he rises 5kg but she does look very well placed to just track the speed and pounce early in the straight. Only had the one trial going into that fresh run so she’s sure to be much fitter and if she can’t be competitive in this field she’ll be hard to back in anything better.

Dangers: 3. Deity is a very well bred filly coming off a very easy maiden win at Wyong last month. The runner-up has since been placed at a Friday night meeting. She sat on the speed when too good last time and will likely be prominent again from the outside gate. Could measure up. 4. Ready For Love didn’t threaten the winner first-up at Wyong but that’s not a surprise given the winner had a picnic in front and just had to sprint home. Gets an extra 100m and potential for a bit more tempo so she has to be included. You could make a case for both 5. Tarabai, who won well on debut, and 6.Dreamy Belle to be competitive here too.

How to play it: Sheikha WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds).

Sheikha’s first-up effort when third at Rosehill on February 3

Anyone watching the Randwick meeting last Wednesday will vividly remember the fact that 10. Mazaz was a good thing beaten so you don’t need me to tell you a lot more. (Considering he was held up his splits from Punters Intel of 12.09, 12.12 and 12.22 were great). He’s back 200m and has a cosmetic class rise that sees him drop 2kg and he picks up The Gun to ride. The only niggling query is the one win from 14 starts so he does need a kill and he gets that chance here.

Dangers: 1. Hurricane Harbour didn’t get into the race last Friday night after the winner had an easy lead. That said the runner-up did run on from last. Game in defeat behind Beijing Board over this course prior to that so is well worth another look especially with a couple of key scratchings. 11. Just Keep Giving is locally trained and really jumped out of the ground to break through at Wyong last month. Capable of measuring up here. I'd expect 7. Red Dream to start to hit his straps now after two runs back and stepping up to a much more suitable trip.

How to play it: Mazaz WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds).

Mazaz finishes an unlucky third at Randwick last Wednesday

Now that he’s broken through so impressively I can’t see why 2. Aquatic couldn’t go back to back even with the short turnaround after his easy win on Friday night. He did make it hard for himself in the early stages but was simply too good and this race isn’t any harder. Punters Intel showed him running 35.72 for the last 600m. It probably lacks a little bit of speed but so long as he’s able to wind up he should be right in the finish again.

Dangers: 3. Elatus had a slowly run race against him when he resumed at Kembla Grange with a late closing third. He finished not far off Miami Dade who went to Canterbury and won last Friday night. Looking for a bit more than a mile but proved he’s come back well and is a much better chance than his price suggests. 1. Sir Barb has threatened to do something at times but has tended to get too far back in races not run to suit. He may have the same problem here but back to a midweek race he’s worth another chance. Certainly throw in the quaddie. 8. It's A Lottery did a lot of chasing in the Highway at Rosehill recently won by Mate Story and battled on to hold third. This won't be as hectic and is close to a peak. Must include.

How to play it: Aquatic WIN ($1.90 TAB Fixed Odds).

Aquatic breaks through for an easy win at Canterbury last Friday night

Lightly raced mare 5. Artemis Rose shapes up pretty well for what is a race with several chances. She hasn’t raced since October when chasing home the in-form Best Guess and looked to be travelling sweetly in her only public trial. Hopefully the inside gate isn’t a disadvantage (there’s no reason to think it will be at this stage but you don’t really know until a couple of races have been run), she’s capable of racing handy and looks a very good chance.

Dangers: 2. Once More A Lady had a perfect sit behind a runaway leader first-up over this course and was never really going to be beaten. Up 7kg on the win and drawn the outside but she’ll probably race in the first few and a repeat of that fresh effort is enough to see her go close. 4. It’s Time For Magic has a handy first-up record and did do a bit of teasing a win early last prep in Melbourne. Did enough winning a recent trial to show she has come back in good order and she can put herself in a forward spot. Keep in mind. 3. Phoebe’s Lass had her chance on the pace but did stay on well in her close third to Tswalu here on Australia Day. Home track again and gets the claim so she shouldn’t be left out of the main hopes.

How to play it: Artemis Rose WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

Artemis Rose runs a close third in her Randwick trial on January 29

I’m not surprised 3. Raiden has come up favourite but I am surprised he’s not a bit shorter in the market. He’s still an up and comer and he should have walked in first-up last prep at Port Macquarie before he atoned at Gosford by a big margin. Before a spell he wasn’t disgraced at this track when fifth to To Excess in a race with a bit more depth than this. Two trials and wasn’t tested at all in the latest. Has the inside and will be right on the speed, or just behind it, and will be the one to hold out.

Dangers: 2. Miss Liffey is a fairly speedy mare with all her form at the 1000m. Led them up at Canberra last time and was run down by handy type. Competitive at Canterbury before that in a good form race and she should be around the mark again. 5. Centro Superior is fditter for two runs back and while he’s back in distance on his close up sixth to Tswalu last time if they overdo it up front he’ll be the one charging when the race is all over. Definitely one to keep in mind. 4. Nosey is a tricky on to line up. He flew through the grades last time in with four straight wins, which is hard to do any time, and has earned a shot in town. Claim helps and does have plenty of pace.

How to play it: Raiden WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

Raido isn’t asked for a lot in running third in a Gosford trial on January 31

There’s no way you’ll find be swaying from 7. Witches given the lack of fortune she’s had at her last couple of starts. Should have won here two runs back then came from an impossible position up to Saturday grade at Rosehill and was beaten less than a length, running easily the fastest last 600m of the race in 33.67 (Punters Intel). There should be a bit of speed here and she’s drawn nicely. Chance to atone.

Dangers: 10. Mahalangur was a beaten favourite first-up at this track and if he wasn’t so short you’d have said it was a solid enough return. Gets an extra 200m this time around and a bit of speed so he won’t have too many excuses. 1. Ghostly has improved with each run this prep and finished strongly despite a betting drift to score at Canterbury over the 1250m. Whether he’s more a sprinter will be determined here back to the 1400m where he’s had a couple of cracks. Can’t leave out. 4. Kelvinside was excellent when resuming at 1200m here a few weeks back suggesting he could be in for a handy preparation. Meeting a few Saturday class types here and I'm not sure he's quite at that level this time of year but certainly an each-way chance.

How to play it: Witches E/W ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

Witches runs home strongly late at Rosehill on January 27

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s meeting at Warwick Farm