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By Brad Gray

This is by far the best set up 2. Jalmari has had all preparation. His form doesn’t read like much on paper this time back but it doesn’t do him justice. Huge weights, track patterns being against and wide gates have all played their part. The only positive to come from all of that is that his rating has come down which sees him get in with 56.5kg after the claim of Amy McLucas. The four-year-old carried 63kg two weeks ago in Highway company and savaged the line once he finally saw daylight. That was on a dry track too. His best form has been on wet tracks. Fourth up last preparation on a heavy track he wasn’t beaten far in a G2 Ajax before running second at Group Three level. Just about ready to win again.

Dangers: 7. King Of Spades is a proven Highway Handicap performer coming off a last start second. He handles the wet fine, puts himself on speed and is rock hard fit. Only has to hold his form to be thereabouts again. 5. Stella Glow proved herself a handy staying prospect last preparation but a testing mile plays to her stamina which suits. She put nearly seven lengths on her rivals at Newcastle on a heavy 10 back in June. Looks to be the one the early market has missed. 13. Almahero is still improving, winning first up over 1500m at Goulburn. Wet looks fine and he maps to get every chance. 17. Gold Lunar loves wet ground.

How To Play It: Jalmari WIN

12. Kote should have won a Midway at Rosehill two weeks ago. He settled in behind the speed and the runs never came. The three-year-old is well placed to atone in similar company and of the rivals that finished around him, with their own hard luck stories to tell, he looks best suited to cope with the drop back to 1200m. Would expect Plan A this time will be to take bad luck out of the equation, just as Tommy Berry did at Canterbury the start prior where he put 4.5 lengths on his rivals at Canterbury. That race has produced two subsequent winners and two runners ups. Not bad given it was a field of six. Kote didn’t love heavy tracks as a two-year-old but he looks to have returned a different beast.

Dangers: 2. Black Duke has been freshened since having no luck himself in a Midway four weeks ago behind Kipsbay. He was never going to beat the winner but should have finished much closer. His record suggests that he is hard to catch but he looks the best blowout. 1. Mayrose is another one that didn’t get clear running last start (there’s a theme developing here!). Her task is made more difficult by the wide draw and 60kg impost. 9. Either Oar for the multiples.

How To Play It: Kote WIN

If John Sargent is happy to run her, happy to gamble that 9. Pink Ivory will handle the conditions. She won at Newcastle on a heavy track before failing on a Heavy 10 at Randwick in the ATC Oaks. She had perhaps come to the end of a long first preparation, however. The four-year-old caught the eye late over 1550m at the midweeks before coming from a seemingly impossible position to win at Rosehill out to 1800m where she ran down the race fit Kalino and Hameron. The way she picked up the last 50m was that of a serious stayer in the making. That was four weeks ago now so she’s been back to the trials and she hit the line sweetly.

Dangers: 10. King Frankel made a big impression at his first start in Australia, putting five lengths on his rivals at Newcastle. This is a jump up from a set weights Class 1 at the provincials but the majority of those he meets here have just about found their level. The same cant be said for this lightly-raced import. Want to give 7. Main Stage another chance. He was left without any excuse at Rosehill last start but back onto a wet track can see him find his best form again.

How To Play It: Pink Ivory WIN

9. Willinga Beast dodged the Flight Stakes after she didn’t appear to run out a strong 1400m in the Tea Rose Stakes. That sets her up beautifully for a testing 1200m on a heavy track and taking on the boys shouldn’t hold any fears given what In Secret has achieved over the spring already. Prior to last start Willinga Beast fought out the finish with North Star Lass on a heavy track over the Randwick 1200m. That’s twice now she has fallen just short over this same track and trip in similar ground to what she’ll face on Saturday. The other huge tick is how well she maps. She can revert to playing stalker again as opposed to being the hunted in front and if Best Of Bordeaux starts to feel the pinch late, she’ll be there to pounce.

Dangers: That’s no knock on the talent of 1. Best Of Bordeaux, but there has to be a little question mark over his him given a minor setback prevented him from running in the Heritage Stakes. Did love the way he came again through the line in the Run To The Rose four weeks ago and arguably the best run of his career has come on a heavy track, when second in the Golden Slipper. There’s a case to be made that 4. Nettuno was about to run straight past Best Of Bordeaux last start but couldn’t find clear running. His is two from two on heavy ground, albeit in lesser grade. 5. Zoukerino has been freshened up since failing in the San Domencio and is well set up to bounce back. 8. Selous is the wildcard coming off an outrageous Goulburn maiden win over 1000m.

How To Play It: Willinga Beast WIN

6. Charleise might be the one that the early market has missed. The six-year-old has her first start for John O’Shea and she has really caught the eye in her two trials since disappointing in the Winter Challenge Stakes behind Cross Talk back in July. That was 10 weeks ago now. It’s been a while since she last won but she hasn’t raced with much luck. The one recent exposure she had to a heavy track was in the Glasshouse at the Sunshine Coast and after ducking and weaving her way through the field she ran third but she should have finished right there with the eventual winner. The daughter of Foxwedge also has a history of firing fresh. Looks over the odds in a typically even mares race.

Dangers: Her stablemate 1. Promise Of Success has also trialled brilliantly ahead of her return. Love how she trucked to the line in her most recent Randwick heat, despite finish sixth. Handles the wet and she too boasts a handy fresh record (6:2-1-1). 7. Never Talk has a little fitness edge on that pair and found herself in the worst ground first up at Randwick when third to Brigantine. We know that she absolutely loves the mud. The last time 3. Heresy saw a heavy track she beat Zapateo. She did enough first up in a deep sprint race behind Remarque, who has won again since. 2. Expat is likeable given she’s third up, makes her own luck and also loves wet tracks but how well is she going? 9. Larkspur Run is in the mix too.

How To Play It: Charleise WIN

Cautious of 4. Burgunder improving sharply second up out to 1400m. His pedigree, being out of an Oaks winner, suggests he’ll get better and better as he gets out over further. Was a heavy track winner at Hawkesbury last preparation and he showed some ticker there to fight back after being headed by 2. Basquiat

Dangers: . 11. Opal Ridge bumped into a sharp one in the Heritage Stakes last start. Her closing splits were the fastest of the meeting but she still has to prove herself at 1400m. 6. Hawaii Five Oh comes through that same race and the 1400m looks suitable but being the brother to Libertini and such a big horse doesn’t bode well for him loving a heavy track. Godolphin's 8. Pericles look capable of measuring up in this company.

How To Play It: Burgunder WIN

16. Stylised gains a start. This Godolphin-trained galloper oozes quality. Yes, he is coming off a midweek maiden win where he won by a length but he was always in control. The son of Kermadec camped in behind the speed and once he saw daylight he just kept building through his gears in what turned into a sprint home. The jump out to 1800m looks ideal now being a half brother to stablemate Character who won the Tulloch Stakes over a similar journey to this. Maybe it’ll come a preparation too soon for Stylised but at the price, and in a race where it’s easy to pick holes in most of those at the top of betting, he’s the new blood on the scene.

Dangers: It’s hard to make a case for anything from the Dulcify last Saturday turning the tables on 3. Williamsburg. He gave them all a start and a beating. He’ll have to do the same again here but he loves the wet and will just keep finding the line. 2. Promitto comes through the same form lines and he too jumps from 1400m to 1800m but that pair could simply bring the superior form lines despite being well beaten twice. 6. Matcha Latte next best.

How To Play It: Stylised EACH WAY

It all went pair shaped for 2. Mr Mozart first up in the Theo Marks Stakes when he fired up in the middle stages. That saw him wide and working for the latter half of the race. Just as he looked to be fading out of the finish he pick himself up off the canvas to raise a second effort. That was on a good track too. The four-year-old relished wet tracks at the backend of last campaign, winning three on the bounce. He also thrived when being put on top of the speed. Don’t mind the wide draw on Saturday allowing Brenton Avdulla to roll across in his own time. The son of Snitzel is still trending upwards and is beautifully placed at the weights.

Dangers: 3. Startantes should have been fighting out the finish with Nimalee in the Golden Pendant last start if not for striking traffic. That’s always the risk with her racing style, however. In her only previous heavy track run she savaged the line behind Hinged in the G1 Surround as a three-year-old. 9. Loch Eagle’s Canterbury win first up had to be seen to be believed. The question mark remains as to what he beat but he mixed it with the likes of 4. Vilana and 5. Kiss Sum last preparation which ties in well here. 12. Waterford is completely untapped and the heavy track negates the obvious query, whether he’ll find 1300m too sharp. 8. Brigantine is in the mix.

How To Play It: Mr Mozart WIN

2. Atishu found herself in a race she simply couldn’t win last start. The Shannon Stakes was run at snail speed up front and those that settled in the second half of the field were never in the hunt. Jay Ford attempted to make something happen by sliding into the race early before she peaked on her run. Ellsberg came out and franked the form by dead heating in the G1 Epsom. Atishu’s run prior to that had merit too, doing her best work through the line having found the 1300m on a dry track a touch too sharp. The wet holds no fears for the former Kiwi and here’s hoping that she can use the low draw to hold a midfield (or better) position. She’s exceptionally well treated under the conditions of the race.

Dangers: Not quite as well treated as her stablemate 1. Polly Grey, however. The eight-year-old grey is the epitome of a wet tracker. She’s a completely different horse when she gets conditions to suit. The last time she raced on a heavy track she ran Zaaki to a length. The wetter the better. Wouldn’t be surprised to see 15. Narrated sneak into the placings given she is the only natural leader in a field largely made up of backmarkers. Her record reads 6:3-2-1 on heavy ground. 4. Honeycreeper wasn’t in the best part of the track first up at Randwick when beaten by 12. Ita. Wouldn’t be surprised to see her turn the tables out to the mile on a heavy track.

How To Play It: Atishu WIN

11. Feel The Knight was excellent in Highway Handicap company last start, especially given he was 90 weeks on the sidelines before resuming. Has scooted through heavy ground in the past and should be further improved at his third run back.

Dangers: The Hurricane Handicap at Newcastle over 900m is a key form reference for this and all honours to the winner there 1. Classy Jaybee given he was first up for 70 weeks. 2. Washington Towers started favourite but was too bad to be true. He could be worth another chance. 9. Devils Triangle has an excellent heavy track record (5:2-2-0) and a great record overall (10:4-3-2). Like her tackling 1000m fresh.

How To Play It: Feel The Knight WIN

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