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By Brad Gray

4. Magnatear was eight weeks between runs when winning at the midweeks last start. He rolled across to take up the running before holding off a couple of late charges. We’ll get a look at the Wembanyama form reference on Friday at Scone. The four-year-old was there to be beaten but he stuck on strong at the finish. The way he was rallying through the line sets him up well out to 1700m now. He ran second in Midway company back in January behind Uzziah over the mile and was a touch unlucky in defeat. With only the nine career starts, the best is still yet to come. Like the wide gate for him too as he takes a while to get going early.

Dangers: 8. Smart Legend fits in well here given his midweek form lines and the consistency he has been racing with all campaign. He is yet to win this time back but comes off a run of four straight placings. The likes of Firestorm, Gold Bullion and Speycaster have all held their form subsequently. He too will be positive to offset the draw. 7. Olympic Theatre broke a run of outs in good style at Newcastle last start. That coincided with a drop back in trip. Maps to get a soft run and only has to hold that form to be in the finish again. 12. Karmazone overachieved in Midway company first up as a $101 chance. Has been 83 weeks since he last won. 1. Danish Prince is tough, honest and very fit now.

How To Play It: Magnatear WIN

This looks a target race for a number of Scone trainers including local Lou Mary with his mare 14. Magic Pharoah. Interesting that he elects to tackle the mile first up but she did win fresh last campaign over 1500m impressively, albeit in maiden company. She was flying last preperation, finishing in the money in all three of her Highway runs. One of those was alongside 1. Rematch, where she came from well back to run him to half a length. A drying Scone track also looks to suit. He has drawn wide but tends to drift back in her races regardless. Her recent Muswellbrook trial suggests that she has returned at least as well.

Dangers: Rematch has been asked to lump 65kg and 63kg in his two runs back. Again, this looks to be the race that Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich have had circled for four-year-old. Third up out to the mile, the big weight is offset by the claim and he draws soft. No knock as the race favourite. 4. Macleay has drawn off the track but his first run for Jane Clement was excellent, savaging the line from last. The mile looks to suit given his record over the trip. Another one at odds that could run well is 5. Cenotes. He was competitive in Highway company last campaign. 2. Dirty Merchant bumped into a good one last start in Belvedere Boys.

How To Play It: Magic Pharoah WIN

3. Lazzura got under the guards of punters on debut at Kembla Grange sent around $31. She was friendless. That was on the back of one soft Rosehill trial six weeks prior. After copping a squeeze at the start she settled in an awkward spot but once she angled into the clear, let down well to win in good time. The runner up Megastar Heart won on Wednesday and there was three lengths back to third. Perhaps not ideal coming back slightly in distance.

Dangers: 10. Let’s Go Barbie made good late ground behind Toque on debut. Just might want a touch further now. 5. Graceful Artist won at double figure odds herself on debut at Muswellbrook, coming from well back in the field.

How To Play It: Lazzura WIN

8. Unusual Legacy wasn’t suited first up at Rosehill over 1500m given it turned into a sprint home. Liked how he ran right through the line in defeat. He was forced to switch back towards the inside to ensure a clear passage. He was predicably left a touch flat-footed given he is a middle distance prospect. His upside is built into his price on Saturday but the former Kiwi-trained gelding has won three of his five starts and gives every impression there is still so much more to come. The same can’t be said for many of his rivals here. Jason Collett is the jockey tasked with angling into the clear at the right time but the soft gate ensures he won’t be too far away in running.

Dangers: 4. For Victory took 10 starts to break through for his first win in Australia but now he is chasing three on the bounce. Don’t think the Hawkesbury field he beat two weeks ago had a lot of depth but he wan fast time and won easily. Comes back again in trip but he is in terrific form. Will be interested to see what the market does with UK import 11. Tajawal. Has found the line in both trials ahead of his first run for Annabel Neasham, who we know has a knack with this profile of horse. Only has seven starts to his name. Stablemate 7. Perfect Play boxed on okay at the midweeks in his first run here. It turned into a stamina test. That’ll bring him on. 6. Baltic Coast next best.

How To Play It: Unusual Suspect WIN

13. Ostraka was the only on speed survivor first up at Rosehill in a race that was set up for the closers. The three-year-old travelled sweetly in behind the leaders and hit the front at the 300m, dashing clear like the winner but his condition blew out the final 50m. It was a big run in defeat. The Annabel Neasham-trained gelding was a dominant winner second up last campaign, albeit in maiden company but he gapped Kaizad who a couple of starts later was a Group winner. In his second up run in his first campaign he ran second to Celestial Legend. He’ll appreciate getting out slightly in trip to 1300m. Want to follow this horse this campaign. Has the talent to charge through the grades.

Dangers: 18. Need Some Luck also has great depth to his maiden form lines. He beat Keenan and Pajanti to break through last campaign, running faster time than the benchmark race. In his second run as a two-year-old he ran second to Griff. He’s the half brother to Chautauqua. 8. Jewellery flashed home into second behind Spring Lee first up at Canterbury. It was in mares company but she looks well set up out to 1300m. Ningaloo Star franked the form line on Wednesday. 14. West Of Africa comes through the same race as Ostraka. He was potentially flattered by the shape of the race but it was an encouraging return. His first run as a gelding.

How To Play It: Ostraka WIN

5. Commemorative didn’t look to appreciate being cluttered up at Randwick over The Championships in the PJ Bell Stakes. Nor did she appear to get through the testing heavy conditions. Not surprising given her size. She is a big, powerful filly. She covered ground first up when winning impressively at Wyong. Perhaps the wide draw suits on Saturday. Even if she is covering ground, she gets the chance to roll into the race on her terms. James Cummings presents the daughter of I Am Invincible six weeks between runs, offsetting coming back to 1100m with a tickover trial to keep her up to the mark. Godolphin has won this race the past two years with Zapateo and Red Card.

Dangers: 14. Spring Lee is a smart filly. We were reminded of that first up at Canterbury, smashing the clock late. The trick is just getting her to settle. She was her own worst enemy last campaign and again showed signs of that two weeks ago, yet still overcome it. 13. Martini Mumma has to make the giant leap from a Class 3 Highway Handicap into Listed company but she looks to be a filly going places. She gapped her rivals there with the runner up Tanglewood since winning a Highway himself. It’s all come quickly for the speedy grey but she maps to get the run of the race with 53kg on her back. 16. Left Field can run well at huge odds. 1. Ballroom Bella and 4. Lazzago will run well on class alone.

How To Pay It: Commemorative WIN

6. Opal Ridge’s chances haven’t been helped by the barrier but she is lethal first up (4:3-1-0). Her only fresh defeat to date came first up last campaign when second to Front Page in the Kosciuszko. She lost no admirers despite being beaten as favourite. The winner smashed the clock, leading from start to finish. Nothing else had a hope. Her form tapered off thereafter, stretching to 1400m. Scone trainer Luke Pepper will have targeted this race all campaign. Two trials tune her up. This time last year the four-year-old mare won the Luskin Star at this corresponding meeting. It was a brilliant win. Just hoping Tommy Berry can find a three wide running line. If the breaks fall her way, she’ll rocket home.

Dangers: 15. Iowna Merc trialled brilliantly to win a recent Canterbury heat. Again, a wide gate does him no favours but there is still more to come from this four-year-old. The four-year-old responded well to quieter rides in the past. Rachel King knows the sprinter well, and his quirks. 1. Insurrection is so genuine. Just mindful that he has improved second up in his past two campaigns. Maps to get the right run, bouncing out to settle in the first couple.

How To Play It: Opal Ridge WIN

6. Short Shorts looks dangerous with potential control up front. The five-year-old was grabbed in the final stride in the Hawkesbury Crown a fortnight ago. That looks an important form reference for this. She worked early to find the front but still kicked like the winner. It was sharp on the clock late. He lost nothing in defeat. Can’t find a lot of other pressure in the race outside of Short Shorts so she should carve across and give them all something to chase down at double figure odds. Alysha Collett jumps back on and she has a great association with the speedy mare, having been aboard in four of her six career wins. Has the ability to run fast time when she gets conditions to suit.

Dangers: 1. Ruthless Dame would be on top if not for the wide gate. She is lumped with 61kg but she is a genuine Group One galloper. Seven of her 15 starts have been at the top level. This is a big step back in grade. 5. Shadows Of Love looked to get her chance in the Hawkesbury Crown last start. Respect how strong she was in the market late. 2. Ghaanati and 11. Banana Queen both also ran well in the Hawkesbury Crown. They should get the right runs from their respective barriers.

How To Play It: Short Shorts EACH WAY

1. Amendable is on a Stradbroke path but this looks a perfect assignment for him on the way through. He has been tasked with carrying the top weight of 60kg but three of his past four starts have been in Group One company. The latest two at weight for age. He may have been flattered by the heavy track and his position in running in the All Aged Stakes four weeks ago but that’s by far the best last start performance anything in the field produced as a lead in to this. The cherry on top is how kind the map looks for this four-year-old. Despite his CV, he has only won two from 14 but he looks well placed to make that three on Saturday.

Dangers: 10. Mnementh looks to have been underestimated by early markets. He was nipping home behind Parisal and co over 1100m at Hawkesbury first up. That sets up his winter campaign. Second up last preperation he won the Wagga Town Plate. In fact, he is four from seven second up. 14. Jimmystar has been a beaten odds on favourite at his past three starts. He made late ground at Eagle Farm last start out to the mile. Freshens up back to 1300m. 7. Kinloch will flash home. 2. Tamerlane is a player but tends to improve with a run.

How To Play It: Amenable WIN

4. Legio Ten has won his past two first up. He is explosive fresh. Last campaign he was heavily backed at Rosehill upon his return, coming with a sweeping wide run to win from last. His form tapered off a touch in two runs thereafter. The four-year-old also has an excellent record over 1100m (4:3-0-1). This is a deep BM78 with chances right down the page but the son of Exopshere looks well set up to reproduce what he did first up last time in. That’d give this a shake. James Cummings has given Legio Ten two trials, towing his jockey to the line in the latest of those. A capacity field should ensure a truly run race giving him his chance.

Dangers: 7. Junqueira is going to need luck at the right time, angling off the fence but she possesses a big finish when she brings her best form. We’ve seen that in flashes throughout her 11 start career. The 1100m is on the sharp side for her but she has trialled sweetly. 14. Smashing Eagle is of a similar profile. His style makes him hard to catch but he can rattle of big closing splits. He’ll appreciate the big Scone straight and the promise of a firmer track than Hawkesbury last start. 8. Jedibeel justified the market support first up, winning comfortably. He can build off that. The draw does 15. Dollar Magic no favours but she is all heart. Runs well on her home track. Respect 6. Fire Lane.

How To Play It: Legio Ten WIN

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