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By Brad Gray

3. Namaste won a recent Warwick Farm trial in good style. He first trialled back in September where it all came too soon, boxing away to be beaten five lengths by North England. The Savabeel colt, trained by Bjorn Baker, obviously took benefit from a break. There was a lot to like how he executed in his trial win too. He was the fastest out of the barriers, took up the running and found late. That trial looks the obvious reference for this with Barbarossa working home late into sixth. The early betting marks those as two of the main dangers to Namaste. The other piece to that trial puzzle is that Coolmore colt Wodeton ran second and he has already been backed in the Golden Slipper despite being unsighted at the races.

Dangers: Godolphin colt 1. Barbarossa is a half-brother to Group One-placed sprinter Encryption, being out of gun mare Guelph. He cruised to the line under a hold in his first Hawkesbury trial before being asked to do more at Warwick Farm. He closed off well, under some riding. Maps to get his chance. Godolphin’s Lonhro filly 6. Charlecote Mill has been held together in two trials. She looks to be better than her trial finishing positions suggest.

How To Play It: Namaste WIN

14. Trafalgar Square has to jump from 1200m to the mile but her pedigree suggests that she’ll handle the trip being a daughter of Churchill. Not sure where else to turn to in this Midway! It’s a lottery. At least Trafalgar Square does have some upside being a three-year-old filly. She also comes through one of the best Midways we’ve seen run recently with Zoubaby, Emmadella and High Blue Sea all running well subsequently. Thought she had her chance given she settled in behind the speed in a slowly run race but she looked one paced to the line, holding her ground. It’s worth a shot out to 1600m now. She carries 52.5kg for Zac Lloyd, maps well and was running around in Group races against her own age back in September. Seems to respond well to being kept fresh too.

Dangers: Have got slight trust issues with 8. Edmond but he does look to have returned well. Should have finished closer at Warwick Farm first up before he was only beaten half a length by the unbeaten Magic Stalker at Kembla Grange last start. Should get the right run. The same can’t be said for 3. Magnatear where he has drawn. It looks problematic. Appears to only be a matter of time before he wins a Midway.

How To Play It: Trafalgar Square WIN

9. Ritzsun was beaten by the barrier at Wyong first up. He settled out the back and rattled home to be beaten half a length by Welcome Gypsy, a handy benchmark level mare. Ritzsun was hard in the market as second favourite. That was on the back of two dominant wins at Scone to kick of his career. He beat a subsequent winner on debut on a heavy track over 900m before winning just as comfortably out to 1100m four weeks later. That was on a dry track. He has already ticked off the 1100m box, handles whatever going Wyong will throw up and still has more to come with just three career starts next to his name. Jockey Christian Reith has been aboard the three-year-old gelding all the way through and heads to Wyong for the one ride.

Dangers: Trainer Danny Williams has never hidden his opinion of 3. Kreon. The four-year-old grey found himself in a Kosciuszko at just his sixth career start yet it all came too soon. He was wide the trip throughout from a wide gate, which didn’t help. Trialled well behind stablemate Highway Strip who threw away a Highway win first up. 1. Duke Of Bronte has pulled up with heat stress after failing at his past two starts. Didn’t show his customary early speed last start and it was game over from there. Has to stretch to 1100m. 6. Wilbury was said to have not handled the heavy track in Highway company before spelling. Had overachieved at double figure odds in two Highway runs prior, which including a win where he beat Gallant Star. 2. Remember Jack and 4. Nipotino go into exotics.

How To Play It: Ritzsun WIN

8. Grand Impact looks well placed up from Melbourne for Mick Price and Mick Kent Jnr. The lightly raced five-year-old fought out the finish in a BM84 at Pakenham last start having settled in behind the speed. Prior to that he was dragged back to last at Moonee Valley from a wide draw, finding the line late. His tactical speed looks a huge asset here given the make up of the field. There isn’t another noted leader. Elettrica has led at times throughout her career but ran well with a change of tactics to be ridden more conservatively last start. That doesn’t leave any other candidates. Grand Impact drops to 52kg up in grade. He raced in a Coolmore as a three-year-old before a lengthy spell. He is racing his way back to form and finds a perfect set up now fourth up. A wet track won’t bother him either.

Dangers: Tactics will be interesting with 5. Elettrica. She is versatile. She kept chasing to run second to Ang Pow at Randwick three weeks ago. Holding her form well this time back. 6. Excelladus is into his third preparation for Joe Pride. He has won third up in both of his previous campaigns. He is on the seven day back up and should get his toe into the ground, which he loves with rain forecast for the week leading into Saturday. Was a touch flat at Randwick behind Accredited but he can bounce back from that. He was great first up in the Razor Sharp over an unsuitable 1200m. 1. Iowna Merc had also accepted at Flemington. The 1350m is unknown territory but he is chasing three wins in a row. Maps to be last. 2. Coastwatch and 3. Strait Acer are racing well without winning.

How To Play It: Grand Impact WIN

3. Dollar Magic doesn’t win out of turn but she’s rarely out of the finish. The six-year-old has won four of her 23 starts with a further 14 minor placings. She comes off a last start fourth in the Canterbury Sprint, a Listed race over 1200m beaten a couple of lengths by Iowna Merc and Pereille. Here she is back to a BM78 against the fillies and mares. It’s the first time this campaign that she races against her own sex. Like the drop back to 1100m from 1200m, she draws to get the right run and the prospect of a soft track suits her perfectly. Two starts ago she went toe-to-toe with the flying Fire Star on a wet track at Rosehill. There’s depth to her form.

Dangers: 1. Le Melody has won four from six first up. She’s an excellent fresh mare. She didn’t win first up last campaign, her first for Brett Cavanough, but she did run second to Our Kobison in a BM88 with Sebonack in third and Boston Rocks in fourth. No official trial to judge her off. Looks a better chance than her early price suggests. Want to be slightly against 6. Bonita Queen given her price. The speedy mare does have a history of improving with a run under her belt. Looked sharp in two trials but that’s nothing unusual for her. Adam Hyeronimus has won on her twice already. 4. Queen Of The Mile has returned a better mare. The drop back to 1100m looks a positive given her record over the trip (9:3-1-0).

How To Play It: Dollar Magic WIN

2. Invader Zim was excellent first up in a sprint home behind Disneck. The winner backed up at Randwick last Saturday to win again. Invader Zim can only build off that return. What the four-year-old also did is tick off the good track box. All of his previous form was on wet tracks. The prospect of a soft track on Saturday is a bonus for the son of Invader. Second up last preparation Invader Zim beat Kerguelen and Yorkshire. That was on a wet track over 1300m. He found the best part of the track but that’s another strong form reference for this. Chris Waller has entrusted claiming apprentice Ben Osmond, offsetting the 60kg. The pair should get a perfect trailing run from barrier 1. Just needs luck angling into the clear at the right time.

Dangers: 3. Headley Grange picked up where he left off last preparation. He is also still improving. Some knock on staying at 1300m given he has won out to the mile. Should settle midfield from the gate. Have also scored him up with a wet track likely. 10. Imposant had the task of chasing home Tuileries at Randwick first up. She ran as well as she could in defeat. Would prefer this to be 1400m but that return sets up her summer campaign. 12. Point And Shoot is tied to his starting price from two weeks ago which sees him well found here. Swap the runs and swap the result last start. Ultimately he still had his chance. Gets back out to 1200m now. The barrier doesn’t make the task an easy one. 7. August Bloom is better than what she produced last start.

How To Play It: Invader Zim WIN

4. Zaphod has won four from seven to this early point in his career. He faces his toughest test so far on Saturday in a BM88 but he looks to get the right conditions to measure up. The Irish import hit the ground running in Australia, bolting in at Scone on a heavy track and has gone right on with it since. He resumed this time back with an eye-catching second over 1800m at Rosehill before winning at Eagle Farm. The third horse Miss Joelene was luckless in defeat but has since franked the form line by winning herself thereafter. Zaphod draws to get the right run, loves wet tracks off what we’ve seen from him to date and he has more upside than any other stayer here. The step out to 2100m looks perfect now third up.

Dangers: 1. Hopeful can improve sharply, particularly if the track is genuinely wet. The wetter the better for this eight-year-old. Nothing has gone right for him in two runs back. He pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after dropping out at Newcastle first up before having no luck in the straight at Rosehill. Has been freshened since then six weeks between runs. The last time he raced with the same preparation he ran second to Eliyass and probably should have won. 6. Bullets High tackles this seventh up. He had no excuses when third to Saltcoats two weeks ago at Randwick. Unlikely to be far away again but he’s well found. 7. Inquiring Minds raced like he wanted this trip last start but was still good enough to come away with another win over the mile.

How To Play It: Zaphod WIN

1. Robusto worked early to offset a wide barrier at Eagle Farm last start. He was picked off by Transatlantic late but lost little in defeat. That was coming back from the mile to 1400m. That just adds further merit to the performance. Given the run of form he is enjoying at the moment, he is the horses to beat at Wyong for the flying Bjorn Baker yard. Prior to last start in Queensland the five-year-old won the Ingham at Randwick, building off a second in the Festival Stakes behind Private Eye. Has shown he can settle just about anywhere with the middle gate given Adam Hyeronimus options. Only has to hold his form to be in the finish again.

Dangers: 12. Redbreast is likely to run along in front. 9. Spangler was caught in an impossible position in the Ingham. He was $61 so Saturday’s price looks a touch short but he put himself back on the radar with a great first up run over 1300m. 13. Highlights looks to be trending the right way. Mile suits now.

How To Play It: Robusto WIN

2. Flying Destiny pulled up three out of five lame after failing last start so had a genuine excuse. Forget that. Off his firs up run when second to Eye Of The Fire and the way he ended last campaign, he is a big player here. Drawn to get first crack at finding the front but with no shortage of speed, the barrier gives Ben Osmond options.

Dangers: 4. Sir Ravanelli comes off a dominant win over 1000m at Muswellbrook. That was back to 1000m. Any rain around is a bonus for him. 5. Sandpaper has his first run for Bjorn Baker, formerly with Godolphin. Has trialled well. The map looks tricky. 11. Unstopabull chased down Point And Shoot to win last start and looks well placed out to 1200m now. Some risk that 12. Anavinci flattens off second up.

How To Play It: Flying Destiny WIN

4. Yorkshire should justify being sent around an odds on favourite to round out the Wyong card. He’s a progressive four-year-old only into his second racing campaign with just five starts to his name. He has won three of those. He resumed at Randwick with a narrow second to Accredited who has since won a BM88 by four lengths as a $1.50 favourite. Yorkshire had a few things against him three weeks ago too, other than giving away a fitness advantage. Connections unsuccessfully lodged a protest after Accredited crossed Yorkshire, forcing Yorkshire to fire up in the run. That was also his first run on a good track. All of his previous form was on wet tracks, which he is likely to face again on Saturday. His race to lose.

Dangers: 9. Romeo’s Choice boxed on well when fourth behind Yorkshire last time out. He was brilliant winning at Canterbury the start prior on a wet track. 11. Noble Conqueror at least brings a different form line. He returned a winner at double figure odds. 14. Starman goes into exotics while 15. Liberty State was forced to go too fast in the early stages two weeks ago.

How To Play It: Yorkshire WIN

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