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By Brad Gray

12. Unique Ambition is a talented mare. Her record doesn’t do her justice. Five of her nine starts have been in Group company. This time last year she should have been fighting out the finish in the Tea Rose Stakes behind Tiz Invincible and Kimochi. First up last campaign she got the maiden out of the way, and did it in style, then heavy tracks saw her underperform over The Championships. After that she dropped back to Class 1 company at Scone and won despite covering ground, beating a horse that had placed in town prior. The four-year-old was given a conspicuously quiet trial to tune up for her return. Ignore that she didn’t beat a runner home. Saw enough through and past the line. She only trialled once prior to winning fresh last time in. Maps well. Finds Blake Shinn. A soft track would be perfect.

Dangers: 2. Iron Man has found himself in two leader-dominated races at his past two starts. Forgive him that. His win prior putting a gap on Willaidow at Rosehill was impressive. He’ll appreciate getting back onto a rain-affected surface and has trialled nicely since last start. The first three to the home turn ran the trifecta in 18. Alabama State’s Midway last start. Have question marks over the depth of that race but he looked to be the horse to follow from it and Lovero has since won despite running 10th there. 6. Danish Prince shows up preparation after preparation.

How To Play It: Unique Ambition EACH WAY

It was a disaster from start to finish for 15. Due Calzini first up in Highway company when midfield behind Super Norwest. The three-year-old drew wide and had to be snagged back to the tail of the field. He raced a touch keen early and just as he was starting to build through his gears in the straight, he was disappointed for a run and had to throttle down. The five length margin doesn’t tell the story. There was money for the Danielle Seib-trained gelding, jumping single figure odds. The market respected his upside and depth of his two-year-old form. He ran second to Snow In May at Wagga back in May and jumped a $10 chance in the Listed Phoenix at Eagle Farm. Draws better on Saturday and creeps out to 1500m. This isn’t a deep Highway.

Dangers: 1. Everido loomed like he was going to be in the finish last start in a Highway behind Awaygoesthebunny. His condition blew out late having jumped from 1080m to 1400m second up. No excuses now fitness-wise and he’s well-performed on soft tracks in the past. Lumps 59kg but his form around the likes of Xidaki and Groundrush last campaign read well for this. 11. Ballinderry Sal was back and wide throughout in the same Super Norwest Highway as Due Calzini. She never got into the race. Like the way she won at Scone twice prior and she was seven weeks between runs. A wet track helps. 13. Ghost Walker ran Highway Strip to a length at Goulburn in maiden company two starts ago before rounding up his rivals at Wagga as a $1.30 favourite. Gets out to 1500m for the first time which looks to suit. 8. Hulu won well at Muswellbrook last start.

How To Play It: Due Calzini WIN

7. Campaldino is coming through benchmark staying races but the majority of the field here are in the same boat. The four-year-old went quick in the early stages of that 2400m event two weeks ago and that told late. He was still only beaten two lengths by Matusalem. He also raced up against the fence which wasn’t the best ground at that meeting. He now meets Matusalem 3.5kg worse off. Not ideal but the most important factor on Saturday for the former Kiwi is the prospect of a wet track. His two wins in New Zealand were on heavy tracks. On what we have seen in three runs in Australia, that’s not surprising. He is a grinding style of stayer and a wet track takes the turn of foot away from his rivals. Matusalem on the other hand is hopeless in the wet. Campaldino is a 69 rater in a Group Three and horribly weighted but put nothing past the Waterhouse and Bott yard when it comes to stayers.

Dangers: It’s a very different story for the topweight 1. Changingoftheguard. He is thrown in with 58kg, just four kilograms more than the rest of the field. The six-year-old import is a multiple Group winner already in the UK. Would have liked to have seen a touch more last start behind Redstone Well but he should be nearing his top now third up after a 57 week spell. His best would blow these away. 2. Strathtay handles all going. He flattened off a touch at Randwick last start beating six lengths but respect how firm he was in betting. Rain around is a bonus if anything for the son of Preferment. 8. Think ‘N’ Fly comes through that same form reference and overachieved as a $21 chance. A repeat of that has him thereabouts again.

How To Play It: Campaldino WIN

2. Super Strike can mix his form but the form through the Premiers Cup last start reads exceptionally well now. The winner Eliyass is one of the Caulfield Cup favourites after impressing in the Kingston Town. He was beaten near three lengths but there was gas back through the field.

Dangers: 8. Unusual Legacy’s last start win was better than the margin suggests. He showed a turn of speed to win from last. This is an important stepping stone regarding his Metrop credentials. Hard to beat given his upside but he’s well found in early betting. 17. Forecaster gave cheek when second to Unusual Legacy two weeks ago. He’s in terrific form and will likely control this race again from in front. 7. Firestorm and 12. Mare Of Mt Buller are both chances but jump sharply in trip second up.

How To Play It: Super Strike EACH WAY

Want to give 3. Gatsby’s the chance to bounce back. He blew his rivals away with a brilliant turn of foot first up in the Rosebud over the Rosehill 1100m on a soft track. That saw him start hard in the market in the San Domenico. He was favourite until the last few minutes of betting with Storm Boy landing a late plunge. Gatsby’s raced a touch flat second up, as he did in his first campaign. He camped in behind the speed but wasn’t able to quicken. The form through that race has stood up since through Storm Boy, Mayfair, Tropicus and King Of Roseau. Saturday’s field doesn’t boast the same depth. The Snitzel colt will need some luck angling off the fence at the right time but like the set up for a month between runs and back onto a wet track.

Dangers: 2. Althoff raced without luck first up at Randwick. He travelled into the straight like he had a lot to offer but never got the chance to let down. Has to cope with a drop back from 1200m to 1100m but he’ll be strong late. 5. Perspiration was said to have felt the good track in the San Domenico. Could be a sharp improver with the sting out. He only had one trial prior to his return too, five weeks prior.

How To Play It: Gatsby’s WIN

2. Ruby Flyer is a lightly-raced six-year-old that continues to improve. He has won his past two first up runs. The most recent of those was at Kembla Grange in a Provincial Midway Championship qualifier, savaging the line from well back. That was with Zac Wadick in the saddle and the three kilo claimer jumps back aboard here for the first time since. It offsets the original 61.5kg he was asked to carry in BM88 company given his record of six wins from 15 starts. The 1400m looks a perfect kick off point for the son of Flying Artie and he handles all conditions. Rain around would help as it’d bring a few back to him. He has trialled twice and there was a lot to like about the way he attacked the line. This is perhaps the most open race across the meeting but he profiles well at double figure odds.

Dangers: 12. Willaidow rode a hot speed at Rosehill a month ago and that told late. The tempo of a 1400m race could suit better. James McDonald sticks, wet is fine and he looks the leader. Potentially the sole leader despite the big field. 6. Tavi Time didn’t go on with it like many though he would last campaign but don’t be too quick to drop off. His best gives this a shake.

How To Play It: Ruby Flyer EACH WAY

Can see why there has been an early crush on the price of 4. Semana. The five-year-old has raced in Group One company at her past five starts, placing in three of them and running fourth in the latest. That was in the Winx Stakes behind Via Sistina, Zougotcha and Fangirl. Ciaron Maher has kept her fresh since then, tackling this five weeks between runs. It’s a formula that has worked for her in the past. Having run second to Bella Nipotina in the Tatt’s Tiara back in late June, she ran in the Winx after a six week break. The five-year-old gets in particularly well under the conditions of the race with 55kg and is effective in all going. A wet track wouldn’t diminish her chances. It’d enhance them as there’s a question mark over a couple of her key rivals on rain-affected ground.

Dangers: It was easy to be disappointed with the first up run from 2. Amelia’s Jewel given she didn’t win but she was good in defeat behind Royal Patronage who ran time and has since held his own alongside Fangirl under weight for age conditions. If it wasn’t for a slow getaway he is perhaps in the finish. Amelia’s Jewel has always had a question mark over her regarding wet tracks. She hasn’t raced on anything worse than a Soft 5 to this point in her career. We’re likely to found out how she handles it come the weekend. 6. Makarena had to cart the rest of the field up to a tearaway leader first up in the Sheraco and boxed on bravely. Comes on from that, stepping out to 1400m. 7. Arctic Glamour ran on well behind Amelia’s Jewel last start. Expecting 8. Sounds Of Heaven to run better than her odds suggest.

How To Play It: Semana WIN

4. Linebacker produced a sensational Golden Rose trial first up in the Run To The Rose. He was snagged back to last from the wide gate with this race and the Caulfield Guineas in mind. That won’t be the case on Saturday out to 1400m from the middle draw. Suspect he’ll be dragged into a lovely trailing spot by Mayfair. In his three starts as a two-year-old he settled in the first two. A fortnight ago Linebacker produced the fastest last 200m split of the meeting and had to be throttled down late, running out of room when Storm Boy rolled in. He wasn’t suited by a lack of pressure up front and hard the fence that meeting was slightly inferior too. He had a lot against yet still savaged the line to be beaten two lengths. The prospect of a rain-affected track holds no fears. Just need him to behave pre-race. Easy bet to have at the early price.

Dangers: 1. Broadsiding. It has to be Broadsiding. He is a very hard horse to line up with any confidence given he strikes the race first up. We can only judge him off his brilliant two-year-old season and his trials. He thundered to the line in his latest Hawkesbury trial and has also had an exhibition gallop on race day. James McDonald will be looking to hold a midfield position from the inside draw. 2. Traffic Warden has obvious claims being the winner of the Run To The Rose. The map looks okay for him if Ben Melham comes out positive early. 8. Emirate and 9. Tropicus both worked home well in the Run To The Rose, looking for 1400m now. Tropicus gets winkers first time. Still does a few things wrong though. 3. Storm Boy will slide across from the wide draw. How much petrol he uses to cross will make or break his chances. Reluctant to undersell 5. Anode again.

How To Play It: Linebacker WIN

1. Celestial Legend got more than a pass mark for his first up showing in the Theo Marks Stakes two weeks ago. There wasn’t enough pressure in the early stages for him to get into the finish over 1300m. The winner Encap nipped home in a sub 33 second last 600m split. The field really zipped home late, hence the bunched finish. Celestial Legend still clocked one of the fastest last 200m splits of the meeting despite never travelling like the winner. It wasn’t dissimilar to the run he produced first up over the autumn before exploding second up out to 1400m. Want to lean into that second up form. He again has to lump 59kg, paying the penalty for being a two-time Group One winner, but out to 1500m suits as does the prospect of a wet track. Wary that his Golden Eagle grand final is still a month away but loathed to overlook his quality.

Dangers: 7. New Energy charged home in that same race and was unlucky not to have finished closer. He ran into a couple of dead ends in the straight yet still savaged the line. That sets him up nicely for 1500m now too. Perhaps the wide barrier will be no disadvantage come late in the meeting. Keep an eye on that. Blake Shinn booked. Won’t want it too wet. 8. Bases Loaded was always going to improve off his run in the Theo Marks and he too is better placed getting out in trip. Has been at his best on top of the ground so monitor the track rating. He’ll have 14. Amor Victorious punching up underneath him so won’t get it all his own way. At least Amor Victorious brings a different form line, and a strong one that that having run third to Ceolwulf a month ago. Gets blinkers first time.

How To Play It: Celestial Legend WIN

1. Shezanalister was only beaten half a length in a G2 Missile Stakes at weight for age three starts ago. Here she is at double figures odds in a BM78 and she hasn’t done a lot wrong since. At Rosehill two starts ago she rode a fast pace in a race set up for the closers. She hit the front but was gunned down late, beaten less than a length. Then last start over this same track and trip she had no luck at all. The gaps never came and she went to the line hard held. She was forced back to last from the wide draw. She was never going to beat the brilliant winner Ostraka but she should have been fighting out the minors. That was in a BM88. The trade off coming back to this grade is being lumped with 63kg. That is offset by the 2kg claim of Molly Bourke. Like the map from a perfect draw, a wet track is fine and she is a proven weight carrier. Most of all, the price appeals.

Dangers: 11. Pharari is an interesting mare. She got on speed favours at Sandown last start as a $1.50 favourite but ripped clear late to win well. That was against the mares over 1000m and at the Melbourne midweeks. Her two previous wet tracks wins, in easier company again, were by a combined margin of 14 lengths. Was left flat after the first up showing from 15. Martini Mumma. She was disappointing but want to give her the chance to bounce back. She is better than that. Respect how firm she was in betting. The prospect of a wet track won’t bother her either.

How To Play It: Shezanalister EACH WAY

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