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By Brad Gray

3. Broadsiding has improved with every run in his first campaign. He is still a maiden but most here are, getting out to the mile for the first time. This son of Too Darn Hot, out of Street Cry mare Speedway, who won out to 1600m herself, comes through the best form reference. He chased home Linebacker and Anode in the G3 Baillieu Stakes two weeks ago at Rosehill. The winner is now the second favourite for the Champagne Stakes. Broadsiding was exposed a long way from home but still kept finding the line to run third. That was on the back of a fast-finishing third at Newcastle over 1300m. James Cummings has won this race three times in the past eight years, the latest with Tom Kitten just 12 months ago. Slight lean his way over Miss Busslinger.

Dangers: There was very little between Broadsiding and 2. Miss Busslinger in the Baillieu. They hit the line locked together and clocked near identical closing splits. Prior to that the daughter of Saxon Warrior ran on in the G2 Reisling Stakes behind Erno’s Cube. She’ll settle in front of Broadsiding from the gate which looks a positive, assuming she can angle off the fence when she needs to. 1. Just Party beat Broadsiding home at Newcastle on debut before justifying being sent around an odds on favourite at Wyong. 8. Okami Star ties the form lines together. He was beaten two lengths there and was subsequently beaten 10 lengths in the Baillieu. 5. El Castello comes through a midweek Warwick Farm maiden but like the way he found the line as an $81 chance.

How To Play It: Broadsiding WIN

4. Robrick savaged the line behind Estriella down the Flemington straight two runs back, with Caballus in third. Estriella has since impressed again, winning by even further. Robrick ran in the Darby Munro Stakes three weeks ago and not much went right. On the back of that eye catching run, he jumped a well-backed favourite. He ran eighth beaten over three lengths but barrier 1 turned out to be problematic. He had to switch course a few times in the straight before the only run that presented was switching back to the inside. Hard fence was not the place to be at that Rosehill meeting. He never really got the chance to build. The step out to 1400m looks perfect now, and Ben Melham, who has ridden him twice with success in the past, won’t have traffic issues from the wide draw Saturday. Can finish over the top.

Dangers: 11. Midnight Opal was a $41 chance through that same race and he ran well. He’s arguably too close in the market to Robrick here given their respective SP profile from the Darby Munro and given Robrick beat him home in the Inglis Sprint prior, but this colt with Nathan Doyle continues to overachieve. Has earned market respect now. 1. Butch Cassidy comes back to three-year-old company having held his own over 1200m in the Star Kingdom first up. Out to 1400m suits. The last time he raced over this trip he was beaten half a length in the Golden Rose by Militarize. 5. Razors is another coming back to his own age after racing well against older horses. They were races with depth too. 3. Kaizad was disappointing in the Darby Munro but is capable of better. Might be worth another chance.

How To Play It: Robrick WIN

8. Territory Express has always had his quirks, and he still has them, but the penny has started to drop with this four-year-old. The writing was on the wall after how well he trialled ahead of his return and he took that to the races first up at Kembla Grange to qualify for the final. He attacked the line to win so impressively. He proved that was no fluke with a narrow second in the G2 Ajax Stakes second up, just touched off by Democracy Manifest with Detonator Jack in third. The gelding’s Achillies heel remains his tardiness at the start. He never jumps on terms. That makes him a risky betting proposition but Zac Lloyd knows the horse well now and this race promises to be truly run. None of these can match his finishing speed. Just needs the breaks to fall his way.

Dangers: 5. Shadows Of Love has returned in career best form herself. She sprinted quickly to win at Rosehill first up then did what was expected from her at Gosford to qualify. She had the run of the race but won with something still up her sleeve. Looks to strike this at the perfect time. Out to 1400m, gets her toe in and tackles this third up. 14. Willinga Freefall hasn’t had much luck at his past two. Finds James McDonald now. Looks very dangerous given the form he finds himself in currently. Kris Lees has the task of keeping the speed in the legs of 1. Tavi Time. The signs were there last start that he is looking for further than 1400m. The barrier doesn’t help either. 2. Strait Acer hasn’t been able to recapture the form of last spring just yet but he was better last start.

How To Play It: Territory Express WIN

The best of 1. Lady Of Camelot is too good for these. Hence her place in early betting. She was 0.2 of a length off doing the rare Blue Diamond/Golden Slipper double. The Written Tycoon filly smashed the clock when winning the Widden Stakes first up, absorbed pressure when second in the Blue Diamond before quickening brilliantly to win the Slipper three weeks ago. You won’t get a better Percy Sykes profile than that. The trade off for her exceptional form is 59kg. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott scratched her from last week’s Sires with this race in mind, dodging the heavy track. Can see the appeal of chasing a drier track and staying at 1200m with her. Barrier 13 looks tricky on paper but expecting Too Darn Lizzie to cross to the front so she gets a trail across.

Dangers: 5. Eneeza hasn’t missed any big dances herself. Lady of Camelot has held her comfortably in the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper but liked the way she found the line in the Slipper from well back. Maps better her from a better gate. 12. Ameena tasted defeat for the first time at the hands of Tobeornottobe down the Flemington straight two weeks ago but was disadvantaged by racing towards the inside. Finds James McDonald. 3. Drifting matched motors with Bold Bastille at Flemington before running out a dominant winner of the Magic Night Stakes. Draws soft and has been freshened since. 13. More Territories was fast home to win from last at the midweeks. It was the same lead up race Kristilli won before winning the Percy Sykes last year.

How To Play It: Lady of Camelot WIN

It was a non-event for 1. Ozzmosis in the G1 Galaxy first up. He made a mess of the start and it was game over. He just cantered around behind them after that. Having looked harshly treated with 53kg in a Group One sprint, he goes to being thrown in under the set weights conditions of Saturday’s assignment. He is clearly the top-rated runner in the race thanks to his brilliant Coolmore Stud Stakes win over the spring. His win prior to that was over Celestial Legend in the Heritage Stakes. Forced back to the trials after the first up mishap, Rachel King was tasked with holding Ozzmosis together throughout. That didn’t look an easy task. The son of Zoustar was coiled up ready to explode. Has already proved himself an A Grade sprinting three-year-old. His rivals aren’t in that category yet.

Dangers: 11. Joliestar comes into this a last start winner of the Thousand Guineas. She presents here fresh over 1200m and although she’ll be better over a touch further, though she trialled exceptionally well behind Spacewalk in a recent Randwick trial. Like that she brings different form lines into this too. 2. Arkansaw Kid was well held by Estriella first up but there’s no shame in that. He ran second and that’s a strong form reference for this. It’s a leap to suggest he has improved enough to turn the tables on Ozzmosis from the Coolmore in the spring, however. 5. Red Resistance’s condition blew out first up. Don’t be too quick to dismiss him. 7. Raikoke beat Brave Mead at his second career start which ties into the Darby Munro form. Good roughie.

How To Play It: Ozzmosis WIN

1. Orchestral has now won five straight, the last two Group Ones. The Kiwi filly came to Australia with a big reputation having made a mess of her rivals in the NZ Derby. In second was Antrim Coast who subsequently won the Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley. There is nothing wrong with the depth of that form. You got the impression that if the Australian fillies were ever going to beat Orchestral it would have been in the Vinery Stud Stakes. She was four weeks between runs, 2400m back to 2000m. She looked in trouble at the 300m mark but once her stamina kicked in she won going away, asserting her dominance the last 100m. Her last 200m split was comfortably the quickest in the race. That’s the perfect pipe opener for the 2400m of the Oaks. There’s more to come from Zardozi but she was beaten fair and square and has a task in turning the tables.

Dangers: 3. Zardozi’s career peak came in the VRC Oaks over the spring. She looks to be building perfectly into her preparation this time back but to beat Orchestral, she’ll likely have to better that performance from last November. The daughter of Kingman will appreciate getting her toe into the ground. 5. Autumn Angel was brave in defeat in the Adrian Knox on Saturday, giving away 8kg to most of the field. She was four weeks between runs have missed the Vinery with a minor setback. In her previous run over 2000m she beat Tropical Squall. Unknown beyond that. 2. Quintessa ran on in the Australian Guineas to finish alongside Riff Rocket. Veight finished second. She was then just pipped by Antrim Coast. 4. Tutta La Vita has the right form reference from the Vinery but may have been flattered by the ride.

How To Play It: Orchestral WIN

The Sydney Cup has a history of throwing up a rough result but 12. Circle Of Fire can buck that trend. It’s all come quickly for the lightly-raced four-year-old given this is just the 10th start of his career but he looks to be a stayer going places. We won’t get the chance to back him with 51.5kg in staying handicaps for much longer given his trajectory. He clocked the second quickest last 200m split of the meeting when winning the Chairman’s Stakes on Saturday. That backed up what he did the start prior at Rosehill when again unsuited by a lack of pressure up front. He is an import with not only stamina but also a turn of foot. A great combination for a Sydney Cup. The Chairman’s has produced 10 of the past 20 Sydney Cup winners and he is arguably with the best trainer of stayers in the country in Ciaron Maher.

Danger: 3. Ashrun’s Melbourne Cup fourth over the spring is the form reference that jumps off the page when assessing his chances here. Looks to be going just as well this time back having won the Pakenham Cup with 58kg before running through the line in the G1 Tancred Stakes two weeks ago to top him off perfectly for this. 6. Selino is an out-and-out two miler. He won this race in 2021 and has a history of jumping out of the ground once he gets out to his pet trip, irrespective of his run prior. Keep him safe at big odds. 17. So Dazzling comes through the Chairman’s too and stuck on well at the finish. Keen to see her out to 3200m on a track with some give. Can make cases for 9. Amade and 10. Athabascan.

How To Play It: Circle Of Fire WIN

8. Via Sistina arrived in Australia with plenty of exception based on what she had achieved in France and the UK. She had a higher rating than both Addeybb and Dubai Honour, and a better CV. She didn’t disappoint in the Ranvet Stakes. What she did late on the clock was incredible. Her last 600m was run in 32.81s. Her last 400 in 21.72s. Her last 200 11.06s. Granted, she was entitled to sprint home given the shape of the race and being a proven elite level racehorse but even allowing for that, to win eased down from where she was in the run was an exciting precursor for what potentially lies ahead in a more truly run race on Saturday. She’ll go from travelling at barrier trial speed to Pride Of Jenni speed but that won’t worry her. Deserving of the hype and the short quote.

Dangers: 2. Cascadian has a remarkable record over 2000m. He made it back-to-back Australian Cups last start taking the scalps of 7. Pride Of Jenni and 1. Mr Brightside. Has excellent Randwick form and the prospect of a soft track is ideal. 3. Buckaroo’s recent run over 2400m in the Tancred could play a role late here given that most here will be out on their feet late. It’s been a formula that has worked in the past, the latest being Think About It two years ago. There isn’t a lot between most of these on talent to that could be Buckaroo’s advantage. The set up. 1. Mr Brightside will be ridden for the last look. Has terrific Randwick form himself being a two-time Doncaster winner. Pride Of Jenni ran 2000m out last start but wasn’t as brilliant. 10. Place Du Carrousel will appreciate a test of stamina.

How To Play It: Via Sistina WIN

1. Atishu started the same price in the Australian Cup last start to what is being bet about her on Saturday in the Queen Of The Turf. With due respect to her rivals, there is no Cascadian, Pride Of Jenni or Mr Brightsides among them. Coming back to mares company, back to the mile and being hard fit, she profiles well. The Chris Waller-trained mare put 2.5 lengths on her rivals to win this race last year on soft ground. It was emphatic. That was from barrier 1. Touch wood, the six-year-old looks to have put her bad barrier manners behind her. Blake Shinn has got her to jump well at her past two starts, including when she won the Blamey Stakes second up. There isn’t a lot between the main chances here talent-wise but prefer the set up for Atishu.

Dangers: 2. Zougotcha skipped the Doncaster on Saturday, scratched to instead line up here. It’s been four weeks since she won the Coolmore Classic, fending off 5. Semana. Chasing three straight, she maps to get the right run again and she should get favourable soft conditions once more. It comes down to early pressure for 14. Tropical Squall but she was only beaten half a length in the Coolmore and she too was only second up there. Looks well placed out to the mile now third up. 6. Olentia rediscovered her best form again last start, putting behind her a disappointing showing in the Birthday Card Stakes. Enigmatic but brilliant on her day. 16. Makarena had no luck in the Emancipation.

How To Play It: Atishu WIN

4. Tashi didn’t get the clearest of runs in the straight when second behind Chain Of Lightning in the Birthday Card Stakes three weeks ago. The winner came out and won the TJ Smith Stakes thereafter. Tashi has really hit her straps this campaign, finding herself in a purple patch of form. There was so much to like about the way she won over this track and trip the start prior to that too. She beat Pereille and Our Kobision, ran fast time home, was fast overall, and off that made a seamless transition into Group company for the first time. That’s where he future lies now. This four-year-old has a great record at Randwick and likes getting her toe into the ground. The wide draw mightn’t be a huge disadvantage come the last race. Monitor how the track is playing.

Dangers: 1. Red Card is the benchmark mare here. She is well found on the back of that but she’ll spear across early to offset the wide barrier. The Godolphin mare is so well treated under the conditions of the race and Adam Hyeronimus has now ridden her twice for two wins. Just has to transfer her Rosehill 1100m form to Randwick 1200m. 3. Wee Nessy also comes through the Birthday Card. Looks to peak now third up, should get a soft run and is desperate for some moisture in the track. Her wet track stats read well. Won’t want too much sunshine. 14. Saltaire brings Estriella form into this. Has only won once in 14 starts but she typically isn’t far away and possess an eclectic turn of foot. 10. Rainbiel the best at odds.

How To Play It: Tashi WIN

All the fields, form and replays for Day 2 of The Star Championships at Randwick