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By Brad Gray

9. Treize has less convictions than her rivals here. The lightly-raced four-year-old also has substantially more upside. The daughter of Kermadec resumed as an all-the-way winner at the midweeks first up before reappearing six weeks later at Gosford. She held down second but wasn’t sharp enough to run down the winner. Disappointing for punters that backed her as the $2.80 favourite but in the context of the gap between runs and dropping back to an unsuitable 1000m trip, it’d be unwise to be too critical of the performance. Back out in journey suits and she drops to 52.5kg after the claim of Molly Bourke, who has ridden her in both starts this time back. The barrier looks tricky with speed drawn underneath her. Just hope they break up enough early for her to find cover.

Dangers: 4. Poseidon Ruler is one-dimensional but he is going better than his recent finishing positions suggest. He just needs truly run races given his get-back style. He hasn’t had that in many of his starts this campaign. There looks to be pressure in numbers here. Respect how well backed he was at Rosehill three weeks ago in Midway company. The first two in the run were the first two home. The form of 6. Black Duke is well-exposed but he comes here a dominant last start winner. Maps to get a cosy run too. 3. Pharoah’s Reign has raced well fresh in the past and like the way she has trialled up ahead of her first run for Greg McFarlane. 2. Miss Checkoni is racing well.

How To Play It: Treize WIN

17. Missile Leader is loaded with talent. We’ve only seen a glimpse of what’s to come. That’s the impression he gives. He was tested in Highway Handicap company at the backend of last campaign with the wide gate bringing about his undoing. He charged home from last to be beaten 1.6L at the finish. The son of Smart Missile didn’t look comfortable on heavy ground at Moruya first up over 1200m, before improving sharply second up out to 1400m on firmer footing. The margin was only narrow at the finish but he looked to always have the race in his keeping. That should top him off perfectly for 1500m third up and he finds Tommy Berry.

Dangers: 8. Fay’s Angels last won over 2200m but she has a sneaky knockout hope here first up over 1500m. Thought she looked sharp in a recent Tuncurry trial win. 5. Stay Safe demolished his rivals at Ballina last start, clearing out to win by nearly six lengths. Found it hard to make much sense of the Bon Frankie Highway two weeks ago. Perhaps 3. Cenotes was the pick of them. He looks ready now third up. Can make cases for the runner up there 9. Agirlsbestfriend as well as luckless runners 6. Lensman and 11. Kaihoko.

How To Play It: Missile Leader WIN

1. Traffic Warden pays a 3kg penalty for what he has done to date but those runs on the board count for plenty here. The Street Boss colt bumped into the best two-year-old in the country on debut in Storm Boy, he was beaten two lengths but there was a further four lengths back to third. That saw him jump an odds on favourite at Caulfield second up. He justified the price and won impressively, still seemingly with gears up his sleeve. James Cummings elected to freshen him up thereafter with eyes on bigger prizes. He’s had a tickover trial since then where he wasn’t asked to do much but you had to be impressed by the way he coasted to the line. Finds Nash Rawiller and should get his chance to ambush with enough speed on paper.

Dangers: 8. Prost got himself into a tricky spot on debut in the Breeders’ Plate back in September but kept finding the line over 1000m to get into second. He isn’t blessed with natural speed but barrier 1 should ensure he is close enough in the run. Have got him punching up to box seat. Has won both trials ahead of his return but he had to be ridden out. That’s just him, however. 3. Enhance is more your jump-and-run style of two-year-old. He gives away race experience but looks a sharp type off his trials. The Rosehill 1100m should suit. 5. Fearless also comes through the Breeders’ where he was allowed to balance up and hit the line. We’ve seen similar in his trials. Expect him to be strong late again.

How To Play It: Traffic Warden WIN

Have been guilty of underestimating 6. Hard To Say in the past. No longer. This four-year-old is still improving. That’s despite being 16 starts into his career. It was only back in August last year he scrambled home to win a Midway. Fast forward to now, he has won another three races including beating Recommendation and Dashing Legend in a BM100. That saw him freshened up for a crack at a Magic Millions feature and he didn’t get a lot of luck behind King Of Sparta and should have finished closer. Expect a positive ride from Dylan Gibbons, ideally stalking Malkovich, who is suspect at running out a strong 1200m. Gets a lovely set up to transition into Group company with just 53kg on his back.

Dangers: 3. Lady Laguna has won her past couple in good style, albeit both in fillies and mares company. The market has well and truly found her with James McDonald sticking from last start but her price reflects the lack of depth to this race. Still think she’s too short. 1. Baller comes through the same King Of Sparta race as Hard To Say. Lumps 59kg due to his rating but look for him late. His class sees him run well. 4. On The Lead scored a confidence-boosting win at Eagle Farm last start. He appreciated getting out to 1200m there. 2. Malkovich will lead these up as per his usual free-wheeling style. The timing is right to try again over 1200m, albeit it’s a box he is yet to tick.

How To Play It: Hard To Say WIN

It didn’t look to be a vintage edition of the Gimcrack that 6. Lady Of Camelot comes through, supported by the clock and the busy finish. However, Lady Of Camelot had excuses. She was trapped three wide throughout, dashed briefly like the winner only for the wide run to take it’s toll the last 50m. She won’t have that same map concern here given she has drawn barrier 1. The daughter of Written Tycoon, trained by two-year-old powerhouse Waterhouse and Bott, has trialled up like a rocket since then. She put nine lengths on her six rivals at Canterbury before backing that up with another dominant showing at Randwick. It was sustained speed again, and she ran right through the line. Her early price is no spoil but she does look mighty hard to beat. Catch me if you can.

Dangers: Exceed And Excel is the gift that just keeps on giving for Godolphin and 3. Celerity could add to that legacy. She was beaten out of sight by Lady Of Camelot in her first trial but was just there for a look. Don’t read too much into the near 11 length margin. She then zipped to the line in a Warwick Farm trial. Lovely moving filly and James McDonald sticks from the latest trial. 4. Extreme Diva has run placings behind Lady Of Camelot in her two trials. Like the gap back to third in the latest of those. Looks big odds if playing exotics. 2. Alinea didn’t get the clearest of runs home in the Gimcrack behind 1. Manaal on debut. Maps awkwardly but should be strong late and her trials since suggest that she has improved. 9. Wave Breaker has trialled well.

How To Play It: Lady Of Camelot WIN

2. Age Of Sail made a big impression at his first Australian start, winning over the mile at Warwick Farm. It didn’t look like much of a race on paper, with due respect to his rivals, but this isn’t a great deal harder and he can only improve second up out to 2000m. The half brother to Sydney Cup winner Polarisation showed a nice turn of foot under Nash Rawiller in a race that turned into a sprint home. He didn’t go around a horse from barrier 1 but he looked soft on the line, despite the narrow margin to Morning Sun in second. That rival again looks his key danger here. We’re still learning about where Age Of Sails fits in among our staying ranks but like his relation, he has stretched out to two miles in the past already so the fact that he was sharp enough to win over 1600m first up bodes well for his future.

Dangers: 4. Morning Sun maps to be closer in the run than Age Of Sail. That gives him the chance to turn the tables. The market sees it that way too. Thought Nash was kind on Age Of Sail and the margin flattered Morning Sun but respect that Annabel Neasham scratched her import from a winnable race on Wednesday in preference of this assignment. 3. Sky Out caught the eye running home into fourth first up over 1500m behind Running By, a high rating race. That sets up his preparation nicely. The four weeks between runs hopefully keeps some speed in his legs second up. 10. Angel Of Light looked to have her chance at Rosehill last start in a similar race to this but she wasn’t beaten far. Gets in light again and looks well placed out to 2000m fourth up.

How To Play It: Age Of Sail WIN

4. Logan Street Lion is a six-year-old with a deceptively good fresh record. Two preparations ago he was narrowly beaten first up by Coal Crusher at Rosehill over 1400m. He was tipped straight out thereafter and launched his subsequent campaign with a fifth at Rosehill beaten 1.3L by Attractable. Those form references read well for this. He has been proven at this level for some time. Tommy Berry has ridden the gelding once in the past for a win. He jumps back on here. Logan Street Lion was given an easy time in his first trial head of his return before we saw more from him in his second hitout, coasting to the line to run third. Has raced well on his home track in the past and like the set up of tackling 1500m fresh. Maps well.

Dangers: 2. Robusto won at this level two weeks ago over 1400m. He was dominant too. James McDonald sticks from that victory. Wouldn’t expect him to go backwards from that performance despite having been up for a while now. Should get a soft run throughout from the inside gate. 6. Estadio Mestalla looks ready to win. The barrier doesn’t make things as straight forward for him but his two runs for Joe Pride should have him cherry ripe third up. Wasn’t suited by the lack of pressure behind Amor Victorious last Saturday. There’s intent to be read into the quick back up too. 10. Anythink Goes has found his form again. Has gate speed to offset the wide draw. 8. Ita has knockout claims at odds.

How To Play It: Logan Street Lion EACH WAY

7. Saltcoats is a three-year-old with it all still in front of him. The same can’t be said for many of his rivals who have just about found their level. The former Kiwi made his way into plenty of blackbooks after his eye catching fifth at his first run in Australia back in September behind Garza Blanca over 1200m. He was well beaten second up at the midweeks but the market forecasted as much, drifting savagely late. He led there at Warwick Farm and knocked up. Tipped out thereafter, expecting the gelding to go right on with it this campaign. Tackles 1350m first up which suggests he’s forward and like the way he has trialled on two occasions ahead of his return. To seal the deal is the soft draw, allowing Tommy Berry to drop in behind the speed.

Dangers: On the topic of speed, there doesn’t look to be a lot of it. Hence the confident early support for filly 9. Infatuation. The gate saw her get a long way back at the Gold Coast in the Guineas last start and thought she stuck on well at the finish. It’s a very different looking race shape here. Prior to that she settled second in the Gosford Guineas and went down by a nose to Royal Tribute. 4. Gracilistyla has now raced 11 times at Rosehill for six seconds. He added to that tally three weeks ago. Would prefer this to be 1500m as opposed to coming back to 1350m. He’s never far away. Just when you think that 1. Buillt has found his mark, he wins again. Another dry track suits. 2. Powerful Peg was a third up winner last preparation.

How To Play It: Saltcoats WIN

6. Our Kobison improved sharply second up two weeks ago at Rosehill and justified the confident market support with a soft win. This is harder again, stepping into BM88 company but it isn’t a particularly deep sprint race. He has now won four from seven as he charges through the grades. James McDonald is yet to taste defeat on the four-year-old, with two wins from two rides. Our Kobision also has to answer the 1200m question on Saturday but his strength through the line at the end of 1100m two weeks ago suggests that it won’t be an issue. The filly Dipsy Doodle looks his obvious threat but he draws inside of her, dictating where she lands in the run, and meets her with two runs under his belt. Can see why the early market has headed in his direction. Perfectly placed to make it win number five.

Dangers: The form around 10. Dipsy Doodle just kept stacking up last campaign. Her maiden at Warwick Farm produced eight subsequent winners. Two starts later she was narrowly defeated at listed level at Scone. Has to transition from two to three and is 38 weeks between runs but she has looked razor sharp in her two trials. Matching motors with speed machine Frilled is no easy task and she made it look effortless in a recent Warwick Farm heat. 9. So Good So Cool will need the speed on to get his chance to rattle home over the top but he has come back well. 2. Dalaalaat gets another dry track and proved BM88 company wasn’t beyond him four weeks ago at Randwick when a narrow fourth to Kinloch. There’s arguably less depth to this.

How To Play It: Our Kobison WIN

14. The Black Cloud has won two from two as she picks her way through the grades for Joe Pride. This is harder again but she hasn’t maxed out yet in terms of reaching her mark. The Shamus Award filly gapped her rivals on debut ay Gosford before jumping an odds on favourite at the midweeks and justifying that short quote. She was always in control and could have won by further. Would have liked to have seen the runner up Fire Star frank that form by winning since but the arrogance of The Black Cloud’s win makes it easier to overlook the horses behind her. Jay Ford has been aboard in both starts to date, she gets in light and has already establish the racing style of going forward and making her own luck. Her claims became stronger again after the scratching of Lost to run in Melbourne.

Dangers: Fellow three-year-old filly 5. French Endeavor was fourth in a Tea Rose Stakes behind Tiz Invincible last preparation so we already know her quality. She motored to the line in a recent Rosehill trial, albeit the overall time was slow. Maps to get a soft run in transit too. 12. Wallenda’s second to Caballus last start should stack up over time as a form reference. It was only a field of six but there was another two lengths back to third. Jason Collett sticks.

How To Play It: The Black Cloud WIN

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