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By Brad Gray

5. Madeira Sunrise has been beaten by 9. Sicilian in both of her trials but she was asked to do very little. It doesn’t take much imagination to conclude that she’d have gone straight past her had she been asked to quicken. The daughter of I Am Invincible also draws a plumb gate to find the back of Sicilian in the run. That looks significant in what’s sure to be a battle of tactics over 1000m. The cherry on top is the booking of James McDonald, who has ridden stablemate 3. Mexico in the past but here he is on the first starter. Michael Freedman and McDonald have combined nine times in the past for four winners. There is a lot in her favour to make a winning debut.

Dangers: There is a chance that 7. Portorosa is run off her feet over 1000m on debut but if she can hold any kind of position early from the low draw, she could storm home over the top. Love the way she ran through the line in her most recent Rosehill trial, which was by far the quickest 900m heat of the morning. Mexico has been an eye catcher in both of his trials this time back, putting a margin on his rivals in the latest of those. Just not sure where he gets to in the run, despite the small field. He has race experience on his side. The same can be said for 9. Sicilian, who stuck on well in the Gimcrack Stakes on debut. Inclined to keep 4. Tawfiq Star safe too.

How To Play It: Madeira Sunrise WIN

Can’t see any reason why 1. Banana Queen can’t make it four straight. The mare is charging through the grades this time back and comes off her most dominant win yet. That’s coincided with a run of dry tracks, which she’ll get again on Saturday with fine weather forecast all week. Last start was her first try at the mile and she relished it. The trade off for her picket fence is the extra weight she is forced to carrying, jumping 1.5kg from last start. The daughter of So You Think is versatile enough to cope with the wide draw, likely to slide across to settle outside of the leader. Looking at the make up of the field, you’re forced to make excuses for most of them. Not with Banana Queen.

Dangers: 4. Cosmic Minerva had every possible chance last Saturday at Rosehill. He jumped favourite but didn’t show the same turn of foot as he did the start prior when charging home into second. Hence the blinkers go on for the first time seven days later. The quick back up, likelihood of him finding the one-out-one-back position and with James McDonald booked to ride makes it an easy case to make. 5. Lekvarte was tightened soon after jumping last start which out her out of play from the get-go. That was compounded by a lack of speed up front. It was mission impossible. There was merit to her fourth. 7. African Daisy beat Cosmic Minerva fair and square last Saturday. 2. Festival Dancer pulled up with heart irregularity last start.

How To Play It: Banana Queen WIN

10. Miss Lenorr has been up since October but she is racing as well as she ever has at the moment. It’s easy to forget that she’s only had nine starts. The four-year-old easily beat Crafty Eagle three starts ago at Kembla Grange, which subsequently reads well for Midway company before luckless placings in town. She brings that upon herself to some extent with her racing pattern, however. The daughter of Maurice just needs the gaps to arrive at the right time. She gets in with just 52.5kg on her back and should be able to hold a midfield position from the gate. Doesn’t have to do any more than hold her form to be in the finish of this.

Dangers: The challenge for 2. Dr Evil is staying at the mile and on a dry track. However, James McDonald sticks. 7. Healthy Beauty is an improving mare chasing four straight wins but this is much harder than what she has been contesting. 9. Oh Golly Gosh maps to get the run of the race and has already placed in Midway company.

How To Play It: Miss Lenorr WIN, 10,4 QUINELLA

8. Preemptory was building towards a win late last year before a minor setback presumably derailed the plan to back up in a Highway Handicap over 1400m in December. The set up isn’t ideal with eight weeks between runs now but like the way the four-year-old has trialled since then at Goulburn and there is enough in the early price to gamble that he’s fit enough to still figure in the finish. He was excellent in two benchmark races, his two most recent starts. In the latest of those he should have finished on the heels of the winner if not for finding trouble in the straight. Have got no doubt that the former Victorian will be winning races for Danny Williams, it’s just whether this is a run too early to be backing him.

Dangers: 10. Running Bear shouldn’t have any excuses either and he is a proven Highway performer with two seconds from his last two Highway runs. 11. Super Extreme has had five weeks to freshen up after running a narrow second to King Of Spades over 1400m in Highway company. 12. Clever Art and 14. Supido Beauty still have unknown upside while respect the class of 1. Amulet Street. The barrier looks problematic for 16. Iron Will.

How To Play It: Preemptory EACH WAY

3. Rupertaar can be hit-and-miss but her best gives this a shake. Despite being unproven at 1300m, the way she found the line at the Gold Coast last start in a much deeper race than this, provides some confidence that she’ll run it out. The four-year-old was brave in defeat beaten three lengths in a WFA sprint, getting just 2kg off the likes of Eleven Eleven and Scallopini. She should have finished on the placegetter’s heels too. Rupertaar was shuffled back in the run from the wide draw before copping interference in the straight. The race was gone by the time she saw daylight yet she still found the line. This is grades easier.

Dangers: 6. Aravene brings an x factor to the race. We got a look at her in Sydney last preperation where she put a gap on her rivals over 2000m at Rosehill on a heavy track. That saw her start single figures in the Queensland Oaks. Now trained by Team Hawkes, she resumes on the back of one quiet trials and without blinkers. Watch for any market confidence. 4. Pretty Wild pulled up slow to recover after her last start failure and wasn’t suited by leading, according to the stable. 10. Anagain bounced back to her fast-finishing best last start when catching the eye late at Canterbury. 5. Fearnought and 9. Super Bright rate mentions.

How To Play It: Rupertaar WIN

1. No Compromise is yet to win first up in five attempts but his fresh record is deceptive. For starters, Chris Waller has only had him for two of those. The first was a third over 1400m coming from last clocking some of the fastest closing splits of the meeting before last preparation he was beaten three lengths behind Surefire, again over 1400m. He won a G1 Metrop three starts later. He mightn’t grab the headlines like his stablemate 2. Soulcombe which is why he’s a bigger price. Under the radar. No Compromise has a turn of foot. We’ve seen it in the past. Also like the way he trialled recently at Rosehill, the same heat as Soulcombe and he looked the sharper of the pair.

Dangers: How far will 6. Banju’s fitness edge take him? There is a lot in his favour. He tackles this deep into a campaign, could get complete control in front and he carries just 51kg. However, the early market was quick to react to that. It’s an opportunistic piece of placemen from Lyle Chandler and it could pay off. Soulcombe made a big impression at his first Australian start, charging clear to win over 2600m at Flemington, leaving No Compromise in his dust. No doubt an exceptionally gifted stayer. Just don’t know what he’ll do over the mile. 4. Love Tap and Randwick specialist 8. Beaufort Park the best of the rest.

How To Play It: No Compromise WIN

Love the progression 10. Kote made last campaign. The three-year-old went from a maiden winner to a Listed winner within the space of four starts. The speedster has won three of his past four and he was a good thing beaten in the defeat. Two of those wins were at Randwick, over 1200m. The obvious query is the 1000m. It’s very much a specialist distance. However, the way the son of Choisir has trialled ahead of his return suggests that he’ll be sharp enough. In his latest hit out he matched motors in the early stages with Joyful Fortune and looking at the make up of Saturday’s race, he shouldn’t have too much trouble crossing the runners drawn to his inside. Carries just 52kg.

Dangers: 1. Remarque started favourite in the Sydney Stakes the last time he raced. He needed every metre of the 1100m to win first up last campaign though. He’s a classy sprinter that’ll potentially be lining up in Group One sprints over the carnival but 62kg over 1000m poses obvious queries. He trialled brilliantly, but always does. 3. Dragonstone has recent racing on his side and the Randwick 1000m suits. 11. Sebonack returns a gelding. His stablemate Remarque trialled better than him but the 10kg difference at the weights looks significant. Patience is starting to run out with 2. Andermatt. 5. Key Largo and 6. Quick Tempo are all proven 1000m horses.

How To Play It: Kote WIN

The price is just too tempting about 5. Osipenko. Granted, most runners in the field are yet to fully realise their potential but you get the impression that we’ve only just scraped the surface with this son of Pierro. He’d be a last start Caulfield Guineas winner if not for the wide gate. Forget his failure prior to that on a heavy track behind Aft Cabin. Will he be sharp enough to win first up over 1200m with the Randwick Guineas his autumn grand final? He was brilliant winning over 1300m on debut back in June last year where he put a gap on Madame Pommery. With Nash Rawiller doing the steering there is some chance that Osipenko lands in behind the leaders given the make up of this.

Dangers: 8. Zou Tiger is sharper than his two main dangers. That looks a significant advantage. He was incredibly brave when holding on for third in the Golden Rose having led at a good clip throughout. Looks the likely leader with 9. Toronomica keeping him company. The knock on 3. Aft Cabin is the price. Anticipating a quite ride first up on the back of a bleed with just the one 795m trial under his belt. Might prove to be too good regardless but the price doesn’t appeal. 1. Sejardan has form through the right races while don’t underestimate the fillies form lines that 4. Wolverine brings into this.

How To Play It: Osipenko WIN

1. Star Sparks is unlikely to get it all his own way up front but the five-year-old looks ready to win now third up. The blinkers went back on last start at Randwick and he boxed on stoutly to be beaten half a length. That was in BM88 company. The trade off coming back in grade is the 60.5kg but out to 1800m now looks perfect. He’s likely to be racing on the firmest track he has competed on this preparation too, which is key to his chances. The drier the better. The Waterhouse-Bott trained gelding is an unassuming style of galloper but he has made winning a habit through his career to date with five wins from 10 starts. Well set up to make that six from 11 on Saturday.

Dangers: 4. Kettle Hill has had excuses at his past couple with wide gates proving costly. Gets his chance to justify the stable’s opinion of him here. 13. Monfelicity comes through the same race as King Ratel last start and she never saw daylight. The knock is whether she wants further as opposed to coming back to 1800m.

How To Play It: Star Sparks WIN

7. Sacrimony is a chance again, of course and is racing consistently. He maps well and James McDonald rides for the first time.

Dangers: 13. Lindermann might find 1200m too sharp, but this is winnable all the same.

How To Play It: Sacrimony WIN

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