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By Brad Gray

13. Rockabilly Rebel looks to have the natural speed to offset the wide gate and scoot across to take up the running. The filly has been impressive every time she has stepped out at the trials. The daughter of Street Boss ran sharp time when matching motors with Steel City back in late December, with Steel City franking that form last Saturday. Rockabilly Rebel then had no trouble finding the front in her most recent hitout, again over the Rosehill 900m, before coasting to the line to post a comfortable win. Her half brother won out to 2000m but she looks to have plenty of brilliance about her. Certainly enough to win over 1000m on debut. Catch me if you can. As a side note, Stay Inside won this race on debut two years ago.

Dangers: 4. Fleetwood has finished fourth in both of his trials but he wasn’t asked to do a lot late, yet still caught the eye. In his first trial, back in October, he worked to line just as well as 1. Coincide. Big watch at odds. Coincide has obviously claims himself here. He gives away weight to the rest of the field but he has race experience on his side after running a narrow second to Barber on debut before ridden more conservatively in the Golden Gift, which backfired. Being a half-brother to Converge, he should be better over further in time. 3. Don Corleone made a big impression in his first Randwick trial before being tipped out. He has trialled twice since then. The barrier likely sees him settle last on debut, however.

How To Play It: Rockabilly Rebel WIN

9. Crafty Eagle is only four starts into his career but he’s entitled to be hard in the market for Saturday’s Midway on what he has done this time back. The three-year-old is still learning on the job but is winning along the way. He won his maiden at Warwick Farm first up before third up he made a mess of his rivals at Gosford. It was a Class 1 and the subsequent form from the race hasn’t been too crash hot but he always travelled like the winner. That was the son of Starcraft’s first crack at the mile and he relished it. The cherry on top is how well he maps at Randwick. Keagan Latham, who rode him last start, shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the back of the leaders. That looks significant.

Dangers: Other than her maiden win, 8. Lovetheinvasion’s wins have been from in front. She wasn’t suited when stalking the speed first up over 1400m as she doesn’t have a change of gears. This sets up better out to the mile and she should be able to find the front. 2. Dimaggio is also better suited dictating. He’s likely to settle outside of Lovetheinvasion in the run and without much obvious pressure on paper, he’ll also get his chance from there. The same can’t be said for 7. Divine Breath. She is going to need a lot of luck from the gate. Continues to race well, however. 3. Dr Evil is building towards a win. His fourth to Kanazawa and fifth to Logan Street Lion reads well for this and he finds James McDonald. 12. The Crimson Idol was luckless last start and has knockout claims at odds.

How To Play It: Crafty Eagle WIN

8. Smokeshow was no match for unbeaten rocket Passeggiata at Rosehill last start but there is no shame in that and it’s what she did in defeat that sees her set up so well back to Highway Handicap company. The form guides reads fifth of six runners two weeks ago but she was only beaten four lengths at the finish after becoming detached from the field. Her last 600m split was the quickest of the entire meeting and her last 200m the fifth quickest. Prior to that the four-year-old won in a canter over 1000m at Wagga. Don’t love the low gate for her given she likes to balance up and attack the line but the speed promises to be genuine for her to weave a passage late. The blinkers go on again.

Dangers: 4. Gallant Star shot through the grades as a two-year-old, culminating with a third at Randwick behind Midnight In Tokyo. Loved how he trialled at Dubbo recently. 14. Syrian Star got out to 1500m last preparation to run fourth in Highway company. Looks for her to be charging late. 10. Iron Will tasted defeat for the first time last start but it was at Warwick Farm in benchmark company.

How To Play It: Smokeshow EACH WAY

2. Logan Street Lion produced a career best at Rosehill last start and although he is sixth up on Saturday, the step out to 2000m could see him improve again. Mahagoni came out of the pack two weeks ago and looked certain to go straight past him but Logan Street Lion was holding him on the line. The five-year-old has built an imposing record (12:5-3-1) and should camp just in behind the leaders with James McDonald in the saddle. The son of Tavistock is well found on the back of being a last start winner, trained by Chris Waller and ridden by J-Mac but at least we know what we are going to get with him. The are question marks over the head of a number of his key rivals while those with the same form lines as him, he has beaten them fair and square already.

Dangers: 7. Mahagoni ticked off the 1800m box last start and despite being beaten, he lost nothing in defeat. His last 600m and last 200m splits were the second quickest across the entire meeting. That should see him run out a strong 2000m. He gets a 1kg weight swing on Logan Street Lion. 1. Helene Leadingstar is building towards another win having caught the eye in his two Melbourne runs this time back. Probably needs 2400m to show his best but like the Detonator Jack form reference. If you assess 5. Almania’s last start effort on face value, it’s an easy case to make that he is a bet here but he surpassed expectations first up after two years on the sidelines. The query is whether he flattens off second up. 6. Irish Legend is hard fit and will roll forward again.

How To Play It: Logan Street Lion WIN

5. Passeggiata didn’t execute as well at start two but she still scored by a comfortable margin at the finish. She raced keenly in the middle stages and looked set to be picked off in the straight but to her credit, she kept finding in the straight. She can’t afford to do that in this race as although it’s another BM72, it has considerably more depth. Plenty was made of Passeggiata’s Gosford debut where it looked nothing more than a barrier trial, and rightly so. The speedy filly shouldn’t have too much trouble finding the front again and suspect Rachel King, who has ridden the daughter of Winning Rupert in both starts, will have taken plenty from two weeks ago in terms of how best to use the filly’s biggest asset – her sustained speed.

Dangers: 4. Baroque Road made a big impression on debut himself which saw him start $2.60 at his second start in a race that was won by Osipenko with Madame Pommery finishing second. He was sidelined 33 weeks thereafter and has had a stable change. Like the way he trialled at Rosehill recently. 1. Boldinho has a fitness and race experience edge over many of his rivals. There’s good depth to his recent form lines and he maps to get the run of the race. 2. Backrower may find 1100m on the sharp side but he did little wrong his first preparation himself. 8. Lavish Empire ran good time when blowing his three rivals away on debut but how flattered was he by the heavy track? 11. Lucky Variety fits in well.

How To Play It: Passeggiata WIN

4. Titanium Power bounced back to his front-running best last start after having the excuse of cardiac arrhythmia the start prior. He got complete control in front so was entitled to give a kick but it was an arrogant win. What you see is generally what you get with the hulking sprinter. He gets out in front and dares his rivals to run him down. The five-year-old jumps into Listed company now but gets a 5kg weight drop because of it. Vreneli will keep Titanium Power honest up top but can’t see that pair carving each other up to their detriment. Drawn barrier 2, Glyn Schofield shouldn’t have too much trouble punching up to hold the front. There are several different form lines coming together for this but with his racing style, Titanium Power appeals as the bet.

Dangers: 1. Looks Like Elvis has only ever won once in NSW. It was at Grafton in 2018. However, some of his runs in Sydney, and in better races than the one he has contests on Saturday, have been grades above this. His two recent Melbourne runs suggest that he is going as well as ever despite being an eight-year-old now. 3. Nicolini Vito’s form lines tie into Look Like Elvis and he finds James McDonald. Will get back but the small field suits.

How To Play It: Titanium Power WIN

7. Lekvarte had excuses at Gosford last start after jumping $5.50 in the G3 Belle Of The Turf. The wide gate saw her ridden for luck up the fence after she failed to tack on when the sprint went on. Hence why Joe Pride opts for the blinkers again now fourth up. The four-year-old grey was brilliant prior to that, savaging the line first up over a sprint trip before backing that up with a last-to-first win at Randwick over 1400m. The daughter of Reliable Man looks perfectly set up on Saturday. Stays at the mile, gets another dry track, swaps the tight Gosford track for Randwick and finds a benchmark race against her own sex with sufficient speed up top for her to get her chance. Shouldn’t have any excuses this time.

Dangers: 6. Ella Te Ama started a similar price in the Belle Of The Turf and there was little between her and Lekvarte at the finish. The former Kiwi was instead forced to make a wide looping run. Prior to that Ella Te Ama put a gap on her rivals at Hawkesbury. 5. Banana Queen gets out to the mile for the first time but she gives the impression she’ll relish it, plus she maps to get a lovely trailing run. Chases three straight. There wasn’t a lot between Banana Queen and 11. Sweet Mercy last start and Sweet Mercy was 1550m back to 1400m. Back out to the mile suits better and she gets a 3kg swing. Just don’t know where she gets to from the draw. 9. Chenin and 10. Elettrica have form that ties in to those two as well. 8. Cap Estel profiles as the big improver at odds.

How To Play It: Lekvarte WIN

6. Tazaral looks set to hit the ground running in Australia if his one Randwick trial is any guide. You don’t see too many imported gallopers show that much tactical speed. It was over 1200m but the son of Fasnet Rock had no trouble racing handy. The lightly-raced five-year-old with just seven starts to his name, two in Listed company, looks set to make an immediate impression. Tazaral, whose half sister won three Group One races, looked to be kidding to his rivals in the straight. If Kerrin McEvoy ever asked for an effort he could have blown his rivals away. McEvoy, unsurprisingly, sticks for Tazaral’s first up run which looks a winnable BM78. Taking the punt on the shiny new import is a sometimes an easy trap to fall into but was particularly taken with his one trial so willing to take a leap of faith.

Dangers: 1. Kanazawa looked well set up over this same track and trip last start, in this same grade, and he delivered. Has been freshened up since then with tickover trial. Only has to hold his form to be hard to beat again. He’s well found, however. 2. Kettle Hill hasn’t been done any favours by the barrier but he might be worth another chance with James McDonald in the saddle. He did start $2.90 last start. 4. Frumos rates a mention.

How To Play It: Tazaral WIN

5. Bold Mac looked to get every possible chance at Rosehill last start but the clock says otherwise. The leader Vreneli simply got too easy of a time in front and was never going to be caught. Bold Mac had to change direction a couple of times in the straight and although it would have made no difference to the result, he should have finished a touch closer to the winner. Bold Mac still clocked the third fastest last 200m split of the meeting in defeat. There is perhaps a touch more depth to this BM88 but he strips fitter for that, again maps well and with three go-forward horses engaged, should get a more genuine tempo up front. Sets up well out to the mile now and keen to see him on a good track for the first time since being transferred from New Zealand.

Dangers: Bold Mac’s stablemate and the early favourite 1. Bullfinch has obvious claims given the depth of his form lines. He isn’t the profile of horse you’d want to take too short of a quote but there is a lot in his favour. 11. Bazooka settled down midfield last start and that saw him bring up win number four. The five-year-old should at least hold his form now third up over the Randwick mile. It’s an easy case to make that he deserves more respect in the market. 13. Beaufort Park is an interesting runner. His two Randwick runs for Saab Hasan last preparation were beauties, coming off similar Melbourne runs. 7. Star Sparks might be looking for further now but he’s a player.

How To Play It: Bold Mac WIN

11. Po Kare Kare picks herself. Despite being a huge field, there aren’t too many other ways to turn. The four-year-old mare was at her devastating best first up with the margin flattering her rivals. It was a sprint home so she wasn’t necessarily suited yet her turn of foot, and a clever ground-saving ride, ensured that it didn’t matter. The daughter of Savabeel has always had a boom on her and she sets up perfectly to go back-to-back for the first time in her career. Like the three weeks between runs, given how explosive she is fresh, and staying at 1100m. Trainer Bryce Heys also finds a field that should generate a stack of pressure. From there it’s just a matter of Alysha Collett finding the gaps as her mount will do the rest.

Dangers: 5. American President was up to his old tricks at Rosehill last start, wanting to lay out in the straight. That saw him eased out of the contest. He has been back to the trials since given the seven week freshen and looked sharp. The dry track also looks to be against him but he is a talented sprinter. 7. Liberty Sun fits in well here on his best form and he races well at Randwick. Should get the back of the leaders. 16. Narito found Passeggiata too sharp first up but he kept rallying and should only improve off that. 14. Diamond Dealer is still trending upwards.

How To Play It: Po Kare Kare WIN

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