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By Brad Gray

2. Jumeirah Beach holds the ace of tactical speed. There doesn’t look to be a lot of pressure on paper, if any, so the Richard and Will Freedman-trained galloper could get complete control. Punch up from barrier 1, establish the front and dictate from there on in. He is versatile, settling anywhere in the past but expect positive tactics come Saturday given the make up of the field. This isn’t a deep Midway. The five-year-old comes back from a run over 1820m in Queensland where he perhaps didn’t quite see out the trip. He still stuck on well, fighting out third with Manbehindthemoney. That reads well for this. Back in grade, back in trip, gets map favours. Prior to last start Jumeirah Beach just missed at Canterbury. He is racing well enough to get away with this.

Dangers: 6. Gelatin is the horse here with the most upside, which makes him dangerous on that alone. Teased ability as a two-year-old but he is starting to put it all together now. Won his maiden first up on a heavy track before adding to that tally at Kembla Grange, again on a heavy track. The only previous time he raced at Rosehill he should have beaten Tutta La Vita as a two-year-old. 3. Poseidon Ruler is unlikely to get the race run to suit given his get-back style but he has the finish to ambush late if a few things fall into place. 4. Decadent Tale was only fair first up over 1400m in Midway company but she is better than that. Second up last preparation she ran second to For Valour.

How To Play It: Jumeirah Beach WIN

The gamble with 1. Extravagent Lad is how forward he is going to be given he is 76 weeks between runs. He has trialled once since then, throttled down late over 900m to run a distant second. The now five-year-old has raced in three Highway Handicaps to date. The two disappointing performances we can chalk up to the heavy tracks. His dry track Highway run was great, having led. He also ran third at the midweeks in benchmark company on top of the ground last preparation, behind Shalstar and Sneaky Paige. That was also on top of the ground. The other thing in his favour is the soft run he’ll get from barrier 2. He should lob into a lovely trailing position without having to spend a penny to get there.

Dangers: 3. Divine Sinner has a knockout hope at double figure odds. He beat 2. Outback Ringer at Tamworth back in August before finishing 11 of 14 in Highway company at Randwick. That doesn’t tell the story though. He never saw daylight, going to the line with plenty to offer. 7. Life’s A Party paired off with Gallant Star to fight out the finish at Randwick two weeks ago. She came off second best but she held third comfortably and the winner looks better than Highway grade. Would’ve liked to have seen a little more from Outback Ringer in his recent Tamworth trial but like what he did last campaign. 11. I’m A Steel won by four lengths on debut. It was a Nowra maiden on a heavy track as a $1.70 favourite.

How To Play It: Extravagent Lad WIN

1. Penthouse resumed last campaign in Highway Handicap company and made light work of her rivals over 1100m at Hawkesbury. She went straight to the front and proved too fast for a game Dollar Magic. She was then tested in Listed company again when fourth to Red Card at Scone. She is no stranger to black type company either, such is the opinion Matt Dale has always had of this mare. Hannah Williams rode her first up last time in and she jumps back on for the first time since. Her 3kg claim offsets the original 61.5kg. There is no shortage of speed on paper here but don’t expect anything to cross her from barrier 1. You’d think Rosehill 1100m on a dry track would be tailor-made for a speedster like her. Has trialled once at Canberra and won by seven lengths going away on the line.

Dangers: If the short-priced favourite is beaten, you’d think it’d be due to a speed battle up top. 9. Syrian Star could prove the best of the closers. The barrier will see her likely settle last but she wasn’t beaten all that far by Penthouse in that Listed race at Scone. She probably should have won a Highway first up last campaign over 1100m if not for traffic in the straight. 4. Swift Charm got out to 1500m last time in but she should be okay fresh over 1100m. There’s some risk she is run off her feet early but she too promises to be strong late. Has trialled twice ahead of her return. Ten of 2. Blow Dart’s 21 starts have been in Highways. He has come close but is yet to win one. He is rarely far away, however.

How To Play It: Penthouse WIN

11. Infancy was inexplicably plain first up at Warwick Farm. Not sure what happened there when hard in the market. It was a head scratcher. Three weeks later she bounced back in a big way. The market wanted nothing to do with her but she defied a drift to run a luckless third at Randwick behind Chilli Filly and Spring Lee. If not for being strung up in behind runners she probably wins. Once she did see daylight she flashed home. This is another step up in grade but because of that she drops 5kg. She looks well placed out to 1300m now third up too. On the strength of her Queensland form in her first campaign she always profiled like a filly that had the scope to work through the grades.

Dangers: It’s never easy to make the transition from Highway company into benchmark grade but 2. Gallant Star was brilliant when winning two weeks ago. He had a lot against him so overlook the narrow winning margin. Should get a soft run throughout. 10. Fire Tribe knocked off his maiden last start but it looked a deep one at Randwick. Prior to that he ran second to Sydney Bowler. 9. King Of Dubai ran second to Sydney Bowler himself, but at Randwick two weeks ago. The Jason Coyle-trained three-year-old has taken it all in his stride this time back. Races handy too. 7. Don Pedro blew out the cobwebs at Wyong first up over a trip short of his best. Might need this too. The mile is more his go. 1. High Blue Sea is talented but resumes from a 57 week break and draws wide.

How To Play It: Infancy WIN

2. Winning Verse has always been an impressive trialler given her natural speed but thought she looked exceptionally strong in her two heats this time back, winning them both. The Marc Conners-trained mare also draws well. That looks significant given the make up of this field. She is a free-running style of mare probably best suited to sitting outside of the leader. A couple of her main threats in the market also like to race handy and they’ve drawn widest. One of those is Either Oar, who she has beaten home in their two previous clashes. Winning Verse never found a rhythm first up last campaign tackling 1000m. Like the intent in running over 1200m fresh this time back. Jett Stanley got a feel for her in her trials.

Dangers: 7. Mrs Chrissie was a dominant winner at Caulfield first up, leading throughout. She is yet to win beyond 1100m but was only beaten narrowly in two runs over the trip at the backend of last campaign. She’s well found in early betting but is entitled to be. 3. Either Oar had three trials ahead of her return two weeks ago so the writing was on the wall that she was more forward than in the past. That proved the case, scoring a typically dogged win. 9. Kitty Chat carries just 52.5kg coming out of maiden grade. That was against three-year-old fillies at Canterbury. Has scope to keep progressing but she jumps a few grades and the barrier doesn’t help her cause. 1. Diamond Dealer will improve with the run but she’s the class runner here.

How To Play It: Winning Verse EACH WAY

1. Tony Be is a tease, granted. However, at the odds on offer he might be worth a ticket on Saturday. Thought he did enough at Eagle Farm first up over 1400m in a better race than this won by Freedom Rally. The six-year-old has been dynamic in his most recent two second up runs. One of those was over this same track and trip, which saw him land the most impressive win of his career. At his second run back last time in he was a luckless fourth in BM88 company behind Cotehele. There is a case to be made that he wins if the breaks fell his way. If Tony Be runs to pattern, this is the time you want to be on him. The 1800m is about his sweet spot too. Draws soft, ride him for luck and let him zip through late.

Dangers: Keen to see 8. Louisville beyond a mile for the first time. He was no match for Miracle Spin at Randwick two weeks ago but continues to race well. The inside draw won’t see him exposed so soon. Not sure how to approach 3. Aristonous. Was bullish about his chances second up but he was eased out of the race. It was too bad to be true. Has been back to the trials since and looked to get himself back on track. Respect how confidently supported he was too three weeks ago. 2. Caboche boxed on well behind Naval College last start. That looks a strong form reference for this. Back in grade here. 6. Too Much Caviar also failed in the same race as Aristonous. He’s better than that too but again you have to take him on trust.

How To Play It: Tony Be WIN

12. Naval College is a stayer going places. This is tougher than last start at Randwick, stepping into Listed company for the first time in his career but he was in total control two weeks ago. That was over 2000m and after stalking the speed, he put his rivals away with minimum fuss. Drops 3kg with the rise in grade and although Jett Stanley can’t claim, he stays with the five-year-old import given his association with the gelding. He has ridden him four times for three wins. Naval College should only improve off what he did last start given he was only second up. He also has tactical speed. This doesn’t promise to be a fast run race so should find himself in the first four upon settling once more.

Dangers: 1. Luncies comes back from recent runs in Group company. The latest of those in the Summer Cup behind Lion’s Roar. He ducked up the inside like he was going to rush past the winner but fell short. Draws barrier 1 again. 5. Baby Rider comes through that same race and wasn’t beaten far himself. Positive rides have sparked the import back into form. Expecting him to lead again, without too much pressure being applied throughout. Gets his chance to give a sight. 9. Touristic meets Naval College slightly worse off under this weight scale but he gets blinkers first time. That could prove a significant gear change. 6. Lord Ardmore has a history of improving sharply second up. He has knockout claims but draws awkwardly.

How To Play It: Naval College WIN

8. Ka Bling stuck on well at Doomben last start, chasing right to the line behind Tamerlane and Freedom Rally. There was depth to that Buffering field. He ran fifth with Zoustyle and Startantes finishing third and fourth. The five-year-old was also six weeks between runs. Prior to that he ran out a dominant winner at Newcastle having box-seated. That was in BM94 company, beating subsequent Festival Stakes winner Phearson. He should get the same soft run in transit here and has just 52.5kg on his back. Not surprised that he was the big firmer when markets first went up. He looks exceptionally well placed against largely a field of horses resuming. Has hit a purple patch of form.

Dangers: 2. Oscar Zulu looks dangerous. He pulled up lame after failing at Scone first up last campaign when firm enough in the market in the Luskin Star Stakes. That derailed his campaign. Has been given a very easy time in two trials but he has won four from eight fresh, draws a soft gate and gets the blinkers on for the first time. 1. Ucalledit was a two-time Listed winner last preparation. Curious that he was six weeks between trials but like how he trucked through the line in his most recent Newcastle hitout. 5. Cuban Royale just keeps on showing up and his best from over the spring, which included a second in the Bill Ritchie to Rediener, would give this a shake. 3. Zou Tiger is hard to assess on what we saw first up.

How To Play It: Ka Bling WIN

11. Union Army gets his chance to turn the tables on Boston Rocks. The pair met in mid-December with Union Army finding 1100m too sharp, flashing home into third. We’ve seen Union Army since then, beaten narrowly at over 1200m despite running fourth. It was a busy finish with little between the top four home. It was a tough watch for his backers on that occasion, planted back and wide throughout. He raced a touch keen too. Contemporary stalked him throughout and picked him off in the final strides. A better draw for Union Army helps on Saturday. Don’t think there should be as much between Union Army and Boston Rocks as the early market has them. He looks a bet at the price.

Dangers: That’s no knock on the talent of 8. Boston Rocks. He was scratched from a wide draw last Saturday and comes up with a perfect draw here. The three-year-old has won three of his five starts and beat not only Union Army first up but also Infatuation and Accredited, back in fifth, who have also franked the form line thereafter. 5. Pereille started to convert a run of placings into wins last time in. Two soft trials ahead of his return. Maps to get his chance. 3. So Good So Cool was much better than his finishing position suggests last Saturday. He struck traffic in the straight. Respect the depth of 2. Richon’s Queensland form and he draws to get first look at finding the front. From there it comes down to the amount of pressure he’s forced to absorb.

How To Play It: Union Army WIN

5. Starman was always going to take sharp improvement from his first couple of runs this time back given he spent 33 weeks on the sidelines prior. He resumed on the back of one soft 742m trial and that was seven weeks before his first up run. He overachieved at Warwick Farm with that in mind. He was given little respect by the market second up yet ran an enormous race. He had the task of carting the field up to tearaway leader Luvoir at Randwick. It was only the last 50m that Testator Silens grabbed him and he is the short-priced favourite in this Granted, Starman jumped $61 but he looks ready now third up. Just gambling that he isn’t flat on the back of that gut buster. There is still enough in the early price to take that punt. Should get the right run here.

Dangers: 2. Testator Silens only needed another stride to be declared the winner two weeks ago. He has been beaten less than a length in all three runs for Joe Pride. No knock on his set up, just the price you’re being asked to take. 7. Gracilistyla raced like he was disinterested through that same Luvoir race. The blinkers going back on and swapping Randwick for Rosehill will perhaps spark him back to form. In his last two runs on his home track he ran narrow seconds to Marquess and Unspoken. 10. Sonora’s recent trial romp could suggest that she is ready to bounce back. She was eased out of the race at Randwick last start, beaten a long way. Hard to be confident about her chances though.

How To Play It: Starman EACH WAY

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