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By Brad Gray

This is by far the most suitable race 5. Invincible Legend has contested this preparation. He was always going to find 1200m first up hence being sent around a $41 chance. He was tacking on well late despite beating just the one runner home. Four weeks late he reappeared over 1400m when sixth to Amor Victorious. The lack of speed in the race made it impossible for backmarkers. That was in BM78 company where he was again sent around at big odds. Now third up out to the mile, back in grade and drawn soft, it looks to have aligned for a sharp improvement. The early market has recognised that. It was third up last campaign out to 1500m he started to put it all together. Looks ready to win and has found the perfect race.

Dangers: 8. Cirebon kept on running from in front at Canterbury two starts ago to beat Hellfire Express. She subsequently went down a nose with 59kg on her back in a similar race. Her biggest advantage in this is her tactical speed. She’ll take catching as the likely leader and Reece Jones knows the mare well. Don’t think there was any fluke to the first up win from 7. Our Maryanne. She grew wings late to come from last in the small field. This isn’t any harder. The knock is if she flattens off a touch second up staying at the mile. 12. Leandra lost her way for a couple of runs but looked to get her campaign back on track at Rosehill last start in BM78 company. Reunites with Jason Collett.

How To Play It: Invincible Legend WIN

Want to take a punt on 2. Embassy at double figure odds. The I Am Invincible colt, trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, has done little wrong in his three trials. He gives away race experience but he’ll be well educated out of a very astute two-year-old stable. Embassy has won both of his trials this time in, doing it comfortably at Warwick Farm in testing conditions, despite the narrow margin, before gapping his three rivals at Hawkesbury. That can be deceptive but his time was clearly the quickest of the five 1000m heats that morning. Tommy Berry sticks on debut having ridden him in those two hitouts. It purely comes down to price. If the favourite is softened up early from the wide draw, Embassy should be there to pounce.

Dangers: 1. Anode has been backed into an odds on quote in early betting. Perhaps he is simply better than these. He won with authority at Randwick on debut back in December. He went straight to the front and powered through the line. Has been freshened since then with two trials to bridge the eight weeks between runs. The biggest hurdle will be crossing from the wide draw. 3. Kingdom Underseige is another Snowden first starter. Like the way that he has trialled on two occasions and he should get the right run from the draw. 7. Castanya made late ground behind Switzerland on debut, who is on the second line of Golden Slipper betting. Will give away another big head start here though. Respect 8. Celerity, scratched from the barrier last Saturday.

How To Play It: Embassy EACH WAY

2. Super Chilled was beaten 3.5L first up but her sectionals home were deceptively fast. Her last 200m split was the third quickest across the meeting. The emphasises how unsuited she was by the shape of the race. The winner Amor Victorious got control from the outset and dashed clear to win impressively. Estadio Mestalla was a distant second and has already franked the form by winning himself last Saturday. Super Chilled gets out to the mile second up, which suits, and finds another BM78 but with less depth. The knock is again the potential lack of speed on paper. There is enough in her early price to take the punt that she can overcome it. Hasn’t been the most reliable horse throughout her career but her best gives this a shake.

Dangers: 9. Canadian Ruler loomed to win last start over this track and trip behind Dazzle Legend but perhaps peaked on her run. That does raise a question regarding her late strength at the end of the mile but that run over the trip could toughen her up for a second try. Gets in light and wouldn’t be surprised to see Jay Ford aggressive early. 4. Hell Hath No Fury was stuck on one career win for some time but she’s now won two on the bounce. More depth here coming through midweek races but it’s a winnable Saturday race. 6. Infinitive was beaten half a length by Hell Hath No Fury a couple of weeks back but was only first up. Better suited out to the mile too. A drying track would play against 8. Nana’s Wish.

How To Play It: Super Chilled WIN

20. Atmospheric Rock was horribly suited by a lack of pressure in the Highway Handicap he contested first up behind Blow Dart. He drifted a long way back, which is typical for him, before charging late into fourth. It was a big effort to run fourth given the set up. In defeat, he clocked the second quickest last 600m split of the entire meeting. Only bettered by the two-year-old winner over 1000m Switzerland. The conviction with Atmospheric Rock remains his one win from 10 starts. He’s contested seven Highways for three minor placings and a further three fourths. The capacity field here should generate enough pace for him to get his chance. Jason Collett sticks. He suits the horse given his get-back pattern.

Dangers: 4. Outback Ringer resumed at Rosehill four weeks ago in Highway company. He was sent around $7 and after racing tight in the straight, like the way he picked himself up to still find the line. That second effort he raised through the line suggests that 1200m won’t an issue. 11. Divine Sinner comes through the same Highway. A slow getaway proved costly. The run was much better than it reads on paper. Drawn wide too, though. 10. Rapbidash is nine weeks between runs and no official trial. She is sure to improve with the run but she is a smart mare with a rattling finish. She beat Black Duke at Newcastle first up last campaign. 9. Nipotino has a knockout chance on the back of a hidden run last start while 12. Sharp Shock is always around the mark at this level.

How To Play It: Atmospheric Rock WIN

2. Howgoodareyou charged through the grades in her first campaign winning four from six, with two minor placings. She did get control from in front in a number of those wins but this race promises to be a similar shape. There isn’t a lot of pressure on paper. Would be more bullish with her over a touch further but the best win of her first preparation was over 1500m, where she gapped Call Di. A kick off point of 1300m isn’t a world away from that. She’s looked a little disappointing to the eye in her trials but in the first of those she was run off her feet over 900m, given an easy time late, before finding the line okay in her latest. With early support for a couple of her rivals, she is getting out to a tempting price.

Dangers: 7. Gently Rolled made up good late ground in Midway company first up, running fast time home, which lays the platform for a good preparation. The creep out to 1300m suits second up. Would have liked to have seen more speed on paper for her here, however. Wonder if there is a temptation to push the button early on 5. Afterlight. She’s won three races this campaign but the two best were from in front. Has been boxing on in the right races to be thereabouts again on Saturday. 4. Dakota Vroom is putting it all together now chasing three straight wins. The depth of the Canterbury races she comes through is the obviously query but she is well set up to measure up in slightly better company now third up.

How To Play It: Howgoodareyou WIN

1. Griff shouldn’t have any trouble crossing the two drawn inside him to lead this field. And comfortably. That looks a huge advantage given the make up of the field. Can’t imagine too many will be bustled early with bigger goals over the carnival in mind. Griff’s natural speed will see him prominent, despite having won out to the mile last campaign. One of those mile wins was in the Caulfield Guineas which saw his rating soar. That sees Griff lump the 60kg. That’s another challenge in itself. However, have been taken by the way this Trapeze Artist colt has been trialling ahead of his return. He’s looked particularly sharp. In the latest hitout he matched motors with Pericles. Can make a case for most runners here but leaning on the map to land the winner.

Dangers: 5. Moravia is the three-year-old most likely to keep Griff company up front. It’s easy to forget that what he did last campaign was all in his first preparation. It all started in a 900m Newcastle maiden. Two starts later he ran Cylinder to a nose in the Run To The Rose. He has only had one trial but he looked great, cutting down the margin to speedy stablemate Queen Of The Ball. 3. Encap, like many here, has the Randwick Guineas as his autumn grand final but his turn of foot over the sprint trips in the past sees him run well fresh over 1200m. 6. Celestial Legend might very well be the best horse here. He needs to prove that but he is completely untapped. 4. Caballus has the run under his belt and second, third and fourth from his first up win have all won since.

How To Play It: Griff WIN

The gamble with 4. Fully Lit is where he gets to from the gate. There will be intent of course, looking to cross and lead, but an 1100m two-year-old race with a $2m prize pool, no rivals with be affording him any favours. Fully Lit made a big impression the way he won at Rosehill on debut three weeks ago. He strode forward, led, controlled and charged clear. He put near three lengths on King Of Roseau who was thereafter heavily backed in the Canonbury Stakes win by Prost, ultimately beaten a couple of lengths. That sees Fully Lit well placed at start two in a restricted listed race. On what all these have achieved to date, he is the horse to beat, as the market suggests. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s juvenile team continues to grow with each passing week.

Dangers: 2. Rue De Royale is a strong closer. He was gapped by impressive filly Bold Bastille on debut at Moonee Valley, not suited by the track, before running a luckless second to Shangri La Express in the Golden Gift. He beat third comfortably. Nice trial since. The stable won this race two years ago. 12. Rag Queen came from last to win on debut at Canterbury. No easy task. The win was backed up on the clock, sectionally. She profiles as the sleeper in this at start two. It’s been nine weeks since 1. Odinson won the Inglis Nursery. He was strong late to get come from the wide draw. Two trials since then. Maps perfectly on Saturday. 8. Thundering Soul and 11. Express Yo’self for the wider exotics.

How To Play It: Fully Lit WIN

2. Omni Man is a 1000m specialist and flies fresh. This looks the perfect race for him first up. He resumed last campaign at Warwick Farm where he covered ground in the run yet still put away Insurrection with 59kg on his back. There was a gap back to third. Omni Man is a proven weight carrier too. Like the prospect of Omni Man getting a bunny to chase. Some of his better wins have been from that position. Sitting on the shoulder of a leader. That’s the scenario that confronts him on Saturday with speed machine Frilled drawn inside of him. She is yet to be crossed in five career starts. Omni Man pairs well with Tim Clark, has tuned up for this with two trials and given the progress he made last campaign, is right up to this level.

Dangers: 3. Derry Grove charged home to win at WFA first up at the Gold Coast. It was only a couple of starts ago her was knocking around in Highway Handicap company. Look out late if the leaders are falling into a hole the last 100m. 8. Frilled has been protected to this point in her career, expertly placed by Matt Smith. This is by far her hardest test to date. The last time she raced she scrambled home in a BM78 at Moonee Valley. Respect her unbeaten record and her SP profile throughout her career but she looks too short in early markets. 4. Key Largo has been aggressively placed at his past two campaigns. He has measured up too. Would prefer this to be 1100m but he is capable of rattling off big closing splits.

How To Play It: Omni Man WIN

7. Marquess ripped through the grades last preparation. Forget his last run before spelling. He was posted deep throughout and had perhaps come to the end of a busy campaign. He won three of his six starts and was luckless in one of those defeats. The best, and most dominant win, came over 1900m so that bares thought when assessing him over the mile here but like the intent of tackling this trip first up. He resumed over 1300m last time in. The lightly-raced five-year-old has had lengthy breaks between his previous preparations. This is the first time he’s had a more traditional lead in. Two nice trials, maps to get a lovely run following main threat Amor Victorious into the straight and profiles like there is still so much more to come.

Dangers: 8. Amor Victorious got control first up at Randwick over 1400m but you had to be impressed by the way he quickened to put his seven rivals to the sword late. The runner up Estadio Mestalla has since won too. Out to the mile suits now, has a perfect record at the track and again, maps to own this race from in front. Jumps a few grades but the trade off there is just 52kg on his back. 2. Diamil’s record suggests that he improves into his campaigns, peaking third and fourth up but resuming over the mile suggests that he is a touch more forward than he has been in the past. Was made to find the line in a recent Rosehill trial behind Alligator Blood. 9. Principessa probably needs a wet track to win a race like this but she’s trending the right way. 4. Lord Ardmore next best.

How To Play It: Marquess WIN

3. Tintookie came with a rush to beat Our Kobision first up at Randwick over 1000m before two weeks later, Our Kobision turned the tables out to 1100m. Tintookie lost little in defeat, however. She clocked a sub 33s split for her last 600m. It was the quickest of the meeting. She couldn’t have done much more. Swap the runs in transit and arguably you swap the result. Either way, we’ve seen the form stand up through the race. Like the progression out to 1200m now third up and Kerrin McEvoy, who has ridden her in her past two starts, stays aboard. Would have liked to have seen a touch more speed on paper for her but she’ll get her chance to balance up and let down. Looks to have returned in career best form now she is a mature four-year-old mare.

Dangers: 9. Shezanalister has also come back with a bang this time in. She went straight to the front first up at Canterbury and never gave her rivals a chance. It was dominant. She backed that up with another comfortable win at Warwick Farm on Australia Day. She was always in control. Adding further merit to the win was the fact that she dropped back from 1100m to 1000m. Untried at 1200m but should be okay. Maps well again. There’s a case to be made that 5. Bellinger should have won at Moonee Valley last start when third to Perielle. He ran into traffic problems the start prior to that too behind Rey Magnerio, who has gone right on with it since. 8. Mrs Chrissie found one better against her own sex four weeks ago but will make her own luck again here. 2. Fire has claims.

How To Play It: Tintookie WIN

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