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By Brad Gray

12. Steel City ran fast time when winning a recent Rosehill trial, backing up what she did at Hawkesbury in her first public outing. The daughter of Merchant Navy, and half sister to September Run, is well found in the market because of it, but she looks hard to beat. The $700,000 yearling bounced out on both occasions and would expect something similar on debut, making her own luck. Have got her mapped to settle outside of the likely leader Red Resistance and from there she gets the chance to justify her short quote and make a winning debut. Sure, there was little between her and another filly on the line in that aforementioned trial but there was 10 lengths back to third. The one to beat.

Dangers: 1. Autunno’s pedigree, being by The Autumn Sun out of a mare that won out to 1400m, suggests that 1100m is going to be on the sharp side for this colt. However, like the way he hit the line in a Warwick Farm trial. He looks the best at odds. 4. Red Resistance has obvious claims himself, punching up from barrier 1 to hold the front. He made light work of his six rivals in a recent Rosehill trial. 11. Queen Of Dragons is a full sister to stablemate Paris Dior, who won her maiden at a very similar time to this meeting 12 months ago. More was asked from her in her second trial at Randwick out to 1050m and like the way she responded to find the line behind her stablemate and Breeders Plate winner Empire Of Japan.

How To Play It: Steel City WIN

8. Sacrimony has been thereabouts all preparation without breaking through but he gets the right set up on Saturday to change that, fourth up out to 1200m. The four-year-old was brilliant first up over 1000m, charging home into second before just missing over 1100m. He perhaps could have hit the line a touch better last start at Randwick but it was the run of a horse looking for this trip now and the Dehorned Unicorn form reference reads well for this. His price appeals here given he was sent around a well-backed $4.40 chance two weeks ago in what looks a deeper race. Just the two wins from 13 starts but he is rarely far away.

Dangers: 1. Kalino was an explosive winner over 1200m first up. He’ll relish another good track and the three weeks between runs should see him fresh enough to cope with staying at the sprint trip. He was extended out to 1800m last campaign. 3. Garrison got complete control in the Midway he won first up at double figure odds but love the way he quickened to put his rivals away. Should get his chance to roll forward again in this. 4. With Your Blessing has claims but looks very short in betting while 7. Dynamic Impact should be closing off late. He can be hit and miss, as his record suggests, but he was at his explosive best first up.

How To Play It: Sacrimony WIN

1. King Of Spades has finished top two in his last four Highway Handicap runs. After three straight seconds he got his dues at Randwick over 1400m two weeks ago. That was despite covering ground throughout three wide and being first up for 10 weeks. It was a brave win, and a fairly soft one on the line too. He is such a genuine four-year-old. He can make his own luck on top of the speed and handles all tracks. The Danielle Seib-trained galloper has an extra 2.5kg from last start but there doesn’t look to be mad speed on paper so would expect Dylan Gibbons to be positive from the outset to take up a prominent position in running. From there all King Of Spades needs to do it hold his current form and he is in the finish again. Hard to knock, even as the early favourite.

Dangers: 3. Zaru can settle a couple of pairs closer than his past two, both in Highway Handicap company. That’s resulted in two good efforts without ever troubling the winner. He comes through the same race as King Of Spades last start and that should top him off perfectly now fourth up. 5. Lockdown Gamble is another one coming through that same form reference. He may have peaked on his run late given he was six weeks between runs. Like the wide draw allowing him plenty of room to wind up. The Jenny Graham-trained gelding 6. Evocator is 1250m straight to 1500m second up and four weeks between runs but his dominant first up win at Taree suggests that he has returned better than ever. Respect the record of 4. Eastern Glow.

How To Play It: King Of Spades WIN

8. Ringmaster was always in control at Canterbury first up, adding an overdue second win to his record. The three-year-old has spent much of his career in Group and Listed company. If there was a query going into his return it was whether he was going to find one or too a touch sharp over 1200m but after being given the run of the race, the sprint journey was no obstacle. The son of Zoustar sets up even better second up out to 1350m and from another soft draw should get the same trailing run behind For Valour, the horse he beat two weeks ago by 1.2L. The prospect of another good track should see Ringmaster at the very least hold his form.

Dangers: 1. Contributingfactor was flying at the backend of last preparation, winning a Midway over 1300m, with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle, before running Casino Kid to a narrow margin. Like the way he won a trial at Gosford recently. Bjorn Baker has been quietly building the confidence of 11. Cosmic Minerva, moving through the grades and he looks ready for Saturday company on the back of a dominant Gosford return where he beat King of Naples. 7. Travest will see most of these turning for home but he’s an excellent fresh horse and the way he won a Warwick Farm trial suggests he has returned as well as ever. Look for 2. Erno to improve given he was three years between runs first up.

How To Play It: Ringmaster WIN

2. Gracilistyla is the only proven Saturday company horse in the field and his first up record is a little deceptive. The four-year-old is yet to win fresh but his three previous first up runs have been outstanding, for varying reasons. Last campaign he resumed at Randwick over 1400m and despite travelling three deep the trip plus being turned sideways in the straight, he dusted himself off to still find the line. The grey then jumped $7 and $4.80 in BM78, proving no match for his talented stablemate Waterford on both occasions but there is no shame in that. The query is tailing off last in his one barrier trial ahead of his return. Overlook that, however, and he’s hard to beat at odds.

Dangers: A slow getaway probably cost 5. Cotton Fingers victory first up at Warwick Farm when second to Fielding, who has since franked that form line. Jumps from 1100m to 1300m second up but maps to get a lovely trailing run. 9. Ramones comes out of maiden grade but he has always teased good ability. His race will be won or lost in the first 300m, pending on how much work he is forced to do to cross. Had to find a spot for 13. Hokkaido at the odds. The former Kiwi flopped out of the barriers first up but made up a stack of late ground. Has knockout claims if he executes better. The chances don’t end there with 7. Royal Merchant not without claims.

How To Play It: Gracilistyla EACH WAY

4. Dalaalaat is building towards another win. He has been excellent in defeat this preparation despite the form guide suggesting otherwise. The six-year-old couldn’t have done much more four weeks ago when seventh at Randwick. He was forced to give away too big of a head start from the wide gate, yet still got within two lengths of the winner. His last 600m split was 32.77. The track was playing quick, but even still, that’s a slick closing split. The key to his chance on Saturday is that he has finally drawn a gate. That should allow Dylan Gibbons to at least hold a spot. Even midfield would be a bonus given the tasks he has been set most recently. The other non negotiable is the dry track. The Nathan Doyle-trained gelding loves firm tracks.

Dangers: 5. Kibosh fits in well here while 10. Super Bright has claims.

How To Play It: Dalaalaat WIN

8. Spacewalk should have won the Listed Rosebud first up last preparation over this same track and trip but threw the race away with late waywardness. Two starts later he was relegated to second on protest down the Flemington straight behind Buenos Noches who thereafter ran a narrow second to Giga Kick and then third in the G1 Coolmore behind In Secret. There is a plenty of depth to Spacewalk’s sprinting form lines from the spring. He returns a gelding this time back. We’ve only got the chance to see him once at the trials ahead of his return but we saw everything we needed to see. The nuggety three-year-old was the quickest into stride before cruising to the line, winning his heat without the jockey moving on him. Looks well placed with 53kg on his back to resume a winner.

Dangers: 4. Dehorned Unicorn is up and running with an obvious fitness advantage over Spacewalk. It’s hard to knock what he has done in his three runs back, winning two of them with the defeat coming at the hands of I Am Me. He should have finished closer to her too. Just faces a tricky map with 2. Mr Mosaic and Melbourne visitor 3. Midwest possessing enough speed to hold him out, at least in the early stages. If the leaders happen to overdo it, look for 5. Super Pursuit to be savaging the line. He too brings the I Am Me form line. Has just has to cope with a drop back to 1100m. 1. Mariamia was excellent in her first preparation for Joe Pride and her trials suggest that she is in for another terrific campaign.

How To Play It: Spacewalk WIN

It all finally fell into place for the Lyle Chandler-trained 2. Banju last start and the six-year-old put near four lengths on his rivals in this same grade. Prior to that he’d had excuses, whether that be covering ground or being attacked out in front. He is being asked to carry an extra 4.5kg without the claim of Reece Jones, which is a big ask, but another good track should see him hold that form from two weeks ago. That’s good enough to give this a shake too. He’s unlikely to get an uncontested lead on Saturday back to 1500m but he’s versatile enough to take the drop on the leaders if a couple want to go right on with it in the early stages. The Scone based gelding has finished top four in 18 of his 21 starts. As genuine as they come.

Dangers: 4. Two Big Fari has found his form again with his three length defeat at Randwick last start much better than it reads on paper. He was six weeks between runs over a trip short of his best and he was chopped out for a run just as he was starting to work through his gears. Don’t mind the wide draw allowing Aaron Bullock plenty of room to wind him up. 13. Modern Millie has run three straight seconds, all by narrow margins. She’s still stuck on that one career win but the softer draw can see her settled closer than three weeks ago. 12. Manderboss has been knocking on the door all preparation himself and is worth another chance to go one better than four weeks ago. 3. Danish Prince, 6. Saigon and 9. Sweet Ruby rate mentions.

How To Play It: Banju WIN

11. Touristic peaked on his run second up over 1800m in what looks to be the right form reference for this. The runner up there Logan Street Lion has since franked the form. After settling out the back two weeks ago, Touristic was asked to sustain an 800m sprint home which saw his run end. He clocked the fastest 800-200m splits in the race. There was plenty of market confidence around the four-year-old import that day too. He shouldn’t have any excuses now third up out to 2000m and Kerrin McEvoy, who has ridden the son of Frankel in both of his Australian runs, will be mindful of attempting to hold a more prominent position, using the draw. Saturday looks the perfect set up for the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained galloper.

Dangers: It looked to be a similar story for 2. Irish Legend last start. Having settled outside of the lead, he kicked like the winner only to feel the pinch late. Suspect he improves again off that now fourth up out to 2000m. Looks cherry ripe himself now, ready to peak. 15. Monfelicity didn’t get a lot of luck last preparation, holding her own in some handy races. She was doing her best work through the line over the mile first up. Wouldn’t be surprised to see her improve sharply at big odds. 6. King Ratel has a terrific grounding now for 2000m and his second behind Banju last start was eye catching. 4. Tony Be can settle closer from the draw here while 5. Thalassophile is a player if she runs out a strong 2000m.

How To Play It: Touristic WIN

Tipping 3. Snapped with some trepidation at the early price but there aren’t too many ways to turn. The four-year-old mare has won three of her five career starts by a combined margin of nine lengths. Her brilliant turn of foot was again on display first up at Sandown where despite jumping awkwardly and settling out the back from the wide draw, she blew her rivals away, clocking the fastest closing splits of the meeting. The runner up Capital Theatre gives us a line on the Sydney form having run a narrow third to Xpresso prior to that. She gave him a head start and put a gap on him late. Barrier 1 should see Snapped punch up to be much more prominent given she has won from in front in the past. The gamble is that the Anthony and Sam Freedman stable have had 35 Sydney runners for just two wins.

Dangers: Would be keen on the chances of 2. Kir Royale if not for the drop back to 1100m. She ran his rivals into the ground last preparation out to 1400m and despite looking ready to peak now third up, two runs over 1200m back in trip doesn’t look ideal. That said, if she can find the front, her natural speed could negate that. 6. Bitcoin Baby kept finding the line at Warwick Farm first up, appreciating getting back onto a good track. That race has already produced three subsequent winners.

How To Play It: Snapper WIN

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