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By Brad Gray

1. Elettrica only has to hold her form to be the horse to beat again. The mare hadn’t had much go her way prior to last start and with clear running at the right time, she delivered. That was at Rosehill over 1800m. The drop back to the mile shouldn’t bother her and with that elusive third win now out of the way, and her first in Australia, she’s well placed to go back-to-back. The cherry on top is how well she maps. Touch wood, but her days of missing the kick appear to be behind her. That should see Jason Collett settle a couple of pair’s back in the run, and with good speed on paper, get her chance to charge late. Collett had his first ride on the five-year-old last start. Gets an extra 2kg for having won three weeks ago.

Dangers: 14. Miss Couver was wide and working throughout at the midweeks last start. It was a big run given the context of the meeting. The headwind made it near impossible to make ground from that position. Her debut win was impressive too. 3. Go Troppo wasn’t far away from Elettrica three starts ago in Midway company and has been okay in two runs since then. He tends to take a while to get fit. He too maps to get a soft run in behind the speed. 2. Backrower was entitled to do more at Randwick behind Strait Acer a fortnight ago. He didn’t have the change up to get into the finish. He could be looking for the mile, which he gets now third up. Blinkers go back on. 13. Loving Cilla has a knockout hope.

How To Play It: Elettrica WIN

13. Once Again My Girl is exceptionally fast. The four-year-old mare annihilated the Scone 1000m track record on debut, taking a couple of lengths off the previous mark set by Lost And Running. She then backed that up four weeks later with an equally arrogant win out to 1100m. She sat outside of a slow tempo before exploding clear, justifying being sent around as a $1.30 pop. That saw her jump a heavily backed favourite in the Denise’s Joy despite jumping from Class 1 company into a Listed race as just her third start. It all came too soon for her, failing to fire when finishing midfield behind Red Card. The daughter of Deep Field was tipped out thereafter and has been sharp in two trials since then, winning her latest by a widening five lengths.

Dangers: It has to be 2. Derry Grove. He blitzed his Highway Handicap rivals a month ago which booked him a spot in the Kosciuszko despite still only having a benchmark rating of 74. Back to 1000m perhaps isn’t ideal but suspect this will be his final lead up run given how dynamic he was last start when four weeks between runs. 6. Salire is at his most explosive over 1000m and 1100m. This sets up well for him after a seven week freshen having run second to Iron Will out to 1200m. 1. Debussy held his own in midweek company last start and he is even better suited on good tracks. Profiles as the best roughie, alongside 15. Feel The Knight, who races well fresh. 3. Dollar Magic has the quality but draws awkwardly.

How To Play It: Once Again My Girl WIN

9. Gan Teorainn was never going to beat Just Fine at Randwick two weeks ago but she should have finished much closer, arguably running a clear second. The import held a prominent spot from a low draw but she didn’t get the runs when she needed them in the straight. The winner smashed the clock so want to trust that form reference with the flying Tazaral getting home into second. At her first Australian run she worked to the line from a wide gate in the Rowley Mile. She was a Group One placegetter over the mile in France so her class have never been in question. If there is one little query it’s staying at 1600m for the third run in a row and whether she is looking for 2000m now third up. Otherwise, it’s a perfect race for her.

Dangers: Not sure how to assess 10. Strait Acer. Would typically dodge a last start Midway winner in a BM88 but his was no ordinary Midway win. 6. Mystery Shot went past Glint Of Silver first up. He could be underrated again by the market. 1. Mission Phoenix needs to bounce back.

How To Play It: 9. Gan Teorainn WIN

8. Ausbred Flirt can run a big race at odds first up given the set up. The lightly-raced five-year-old is a dead set dry tracker so that’s the first tick. She only fell in to win a fillies and mares midweek race last campaign but that was on a soft track. The daughter of Maurice resumed last preparation in the Birthday Card, attacking the line late behind Zapateo, finding the 1200m a touch too sharp. Kicking off over 1400m looks more suitable this time back. She’s only had the 11 starts so the best should still be ahead of the Brad Widdup-trained mare. Love the way that she trucked Tyler Schiller through the line in a recent Rosehill trial too. That was her second trial over 1000m. That says she is ready to go. Should settle in the first couple from the draw.

Dangers: 1. Altivo has won four from five and was beaten in a photo finish to lose his unbeaten tag the last time we saw him at the races. That was back in May when $1.50. He has the runs on the board, the record and strong SP profile coming into a BM78 first up. Just the one trial ahead of his return. The Maher and Eustace-trained 4. Holymanz sprinted home in fast time when midfield at Caulfield first up. The wide gate and 1200m brought about his undoing. Has trialled well since and he mixed it with some handy three-year-olds over the autumn. His stablemate 6. Gringotts found it hard to make ground at Moonee Valley first up given the pattern of the meeting. Lightly raced and he too is much better placed out to 1400m. 2. Super Pursuit is always a knockout hope.

How To Play It: Ausbred Flirt EACH WAY

It was only two weeks ago that 4. Montefilia was a heavily backed favourite in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes at weight for age. That was on the back of a slashing return in the G1 Winx Stakes. As it turned out it was an on speed dominated race and she never got the chance to get into the race. Her run also suggested that she is looking for 2000m now, which she gets third up. The six-year-old mare is so well placed under the conditions of Saturday’s race given her benchmark rating. Twenty of her 29 starts have been in Group One company, winning four or them and placing in a further four. Jason Collett jumps back on and he rode her in two of those victories. The best wins in her career have been over 2000m. She maps well, there’s plenty of pressure engaged. No excuses.

Dangers: That’s no knock on 16. Just Fine. He made a huge impression in his first Australian start. He ran significantly faster time than the Chelmsford on the same meeting. It was a big win. That was as an $11 chance in a BM94 though. Now he is favourite in a Group Three against the likes of Montefilia. 2. Major Beel was excellent in the Chelmsford over the mile and he too will relish getting out to 2000m now given he was a Derby winner as a three-year-old. The barriers look problematic for 5. Navajo Peak and 7. Protagonist. 11. Sky Lab looks to be going well.

How To Play It: Montefilia WIN

8. Tropical Squall has won two from two and it’s easy to get the impression that she still has so much more to offer. After justifying the short quote to win her maiden on debut back in June she returned at the midweeks, leading all of the way. She did get a breather in the middle stages but under hands and heels the powerfully-built filly quickened in the straight to win comfortably, running right through the line. The daughter of Prized Icon runs a strong 1400m, we know that for sure. The knock, if anything, is whether she wants the mile already. There’s obviously more depth to Saturday’s race compared to what she has faced to date but both wins have been soft at the finish. Won’t be easy to get past given she looks the likely leader again.

Dangers: 1. Tiz Invincible has only won by narrow margins first and second up but she has always had the races in her keeping. Like the way she accelerated in the Furious Stakes two weeks ago before holding her finish. Doubt the 1400m will see her out. Maps perfectly again. There hasn’t been a lot between Tiz Invincible and 3. Kimochi in their previous clashes. Kimochi’s last 200m in the Furious screams 1400m. 7. August Bloom comes through a Hawkesbury maiden but she was fast home and always gave the indication that she was a Flight Stakes filly as a two-year-old. Four weeks between runs. The barrier doesn’t do 11. Tutta La Vita any favours but her run in the Up And Coming was excellent. She too will be even better out to the mile. Gets blinkers first time. 12. Unique Ambition has upside too.

How To Play It: Tropical Squall WIN

9. Fangirl is going to be giving away a head start to her main rivals in the market. That’s the negative. The map. Otherwise, the race is tailor made. The Randwick mile on a firm track with enough speed on paper to ensure she’ll get her chance to rattle home over the top. It won’t be an easy watch but want to be in her corner. How the track is playing in the six races prior will have a big say in how this market settles late. The five-year-old stormed home in typical Fangirl style to take out the Winx Stakes first up, despite the tempo not suiting. It wasn’t a fast run race. Significantly, it wasn’t on a good track either. If it wasn’t for Anamoe she’d have another two Group One wins to her name from last campaign.

Dangers: 2. Zaaki was only beaten half a length by Fangirl in the Winx first up and he went into that with just one soft 900m trial under his belt. He arguably has more improvement going into this race second up. Now a nine-year-old, however, it’s fair to assume that his peak runs are behind him. Settles down in the first couple. 1. Think It Over is working his way back to full fitness after a lengthy spell. He should have finished closer in the Winx and has run in the Chelmsford since, sticking on okay to run third. 5. Zeyrek looks the best at odds.

How To Play It: Fangirl WIN

5. In Secret was only warming up through the line at the end of 1000m first up in the Concorde Stakes. If she bounces off that as she is expected to, the four-year-old mare is in for a lucrative spring carnival. Unsurprisingly, her closing splits were the quickest across the entire meeting. The daughter of I Am Invincible still had some cleaning up in the coat to come too. There is a lot in her favour on Saturday, hence why she is so well found but confident that she’ll justify the price. She is dynamic on top of the ground, draws well to settle forward of midfield and with Overpass highballing out in front, she’ll get her chance to showcase her brilliant turn of foot. We could see an Everest statement from her four weeks out.

Dangers: We know exactly where 4. Overpass will be in the run, in front, and that Bjorn Baker will have the speedster screwed down. He needs to put his name in lights to book a spot in the Everest. Two trials have him ready and he ran second to Nature Strip in this race last year. Out of sight out of mind with 3. Lost And Running. Forget last campaign, first up on a heavy track before going way too fast in front in the All Aged Stakes. 6. Buenos Noches made a statement of his own first up in the Show County, scoring a dominant win. Back to 1100m perhaps isn’t ideal but he has had four weeks to freshen up and has trialled well since. The stable seem confident that 1. Private Eye can find his best form again.

How To Play It: In Secret WIN

1. Converge bounced back last preparation, which coincided a run of good tracks. His only failure in five runs was on a heavy surface in the Doncaster Handicap. He was beaten less than half a length by Anamoe and Fangirl in the G1 George Ryder Stakes prior to that. He then went to Queensland where he closed off strongly to run second to Think About It before a wide gate proved costly in the G1 Stradbroke. He was forced to get a long way back before savaging the line late. The nuggety five-year-old has trialled twice ahead of his return and looked sharp on both occasions. A capacity field awaits the starter on Saturday but there doesn’t look to be a lot of speed. That suits, despite the big weight.

Dangers: 8. Tamerlane should also get on speed favours and looks the logical leader. He typically comes to hand quickly, racing well first up and has a great record over 1400m (9:3-3-1). He too has caught the eye in two trials. Be very forgiving of 11. Olentia’s last start fifth in the Tramway as race favourite. She travelled wide the trip and the race didn’t change complexion throughout given how slow the leaders went in front. She was devastating at Rosehill prior to that. Gelding did the trick for 16. Rediener last preparation, winning three from his last four before spelling. This is harder but he can race close from the soft draw and won a recent Rosehill trial. 10. Barbie’s Fox was flying over the winter while 13. Wild Planet is a place hope.

How To Play It: Converge WIN

We only got to see 6. Kibou once last campaign and although narrowly beaten by Iowna Merc, the four-year-old left a big impression. He lumped a big weight, broke the field up and was outbobbed on the line. That carried on from his three-year-old preparation which was also cut short after he won the Up And Coming Stakes so impressively. The son of Maurice has had two trials, matching motors with Eduardo in the first of those before throttling down late in his most recent trial at Rosehill. The stable have eyes on the Golden Eagle, which is a long way off BM88 company but he has to start somewhere and doubt we’ll get too many chance to back him in this grade on the way through. Will be prominent throughout from a low gate.

Dangers: 20. Garza Blanca need a minor miracle to first make the field being sixth emergency but if he doesn’t happen to squeeze in, he looks the obvious threat to Kibou. As the market suggests. He too is a lightly-raced four-year-old going places. The margin was only narrow over this track and trip two weeks ago but he made a looping sustained sprint. 1. Kote has had four trials ahead of his return. The should knock the freshness out of him first up and like him tackling 1200m. The barrier helps too. 7. Dynamic Impact races well fresh and can charge late while the same can be said for 13. Dalchini despite her poor strike rate.

How To Play It: Kibou WIN

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