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By Nick Berney

Opal Ridge (Pic: Bradley Photos)

ROYAL RANDWICK– BEST BET: Race 10 # 2 – Opal Ridge

Was impressive winning the Listed Darby Munro Stakes (1200m) first-up at Rosehill and produced a career peak performance. The filly was restrained from a wide draw, settled at the rear of the field but travelled well into the final straight. Further, once a gap appeared, she burst through it, accelerated hard and put her rivals away in style. She brings the clear best ratings/sectional profile into this event and the anticipated genuine tempo will allow her to elevate to a new level again. Can settle closer and is hard to beat with even luck.

ROYAL RANDWICK– BEST VALUE: Race 5 # 7 – Bianco Vilano

Has improved significantly since the blinkers have been applied, and he has quality. The four-year-old bolted in to win the SDRA Country Championships Qualifier (1400m) and ran very-fast time. He was blocked for a run at a critical stage, but once clear, he showed a sharp turn of foot and pulled away from his rivals over the final stages, clocking the fastest last 200m split of the day. The middle draw is perfect for the gelding, where he can absorb the pressure throughout and have the last crack at them. Each-way.

ROYAL RANDWICK– SECTIONAL STAR: RACE 7 # 10 – Giga Kick

Was enormous in defeat first-up in the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m), where nothing went right over the specialist distance. He was checked significantly at the start, lost his position, and had the pace/bias against him. Even after all those factors, he still came out to win the race sprinting hard and surging to the line clocking the meeting's fastest final, 600m/400m/200m splits in 32.33/21.47/11.08. He can bounce back to his TAB Everest (1200m) figure/performance and be extremely hard to beat.

Premise (Pic: Bradley Photos)

ROYAL RANDWICK– HORSE TO WATCH: Race 4 # 2 – Premise

Is a lightly raced improver on an upwards ratings spiral this prep, and she has been impressive in her past two starts winning at the provincial level. Last start, she showed the key attributes of relaxing, conserving energy and then sprinting. Further, her visual dominance was backed up by the clock, with her final 200m splits being one of the fastest of the day, and she went through the line full of energy. Expecting her to be ridden conservatively from the wide draw and asked to hit the line hard. Next week, she holds a nomination for the Group 1 Oaks (2400m) and could be a key player.

ROYAL RANDWICK– DONCASTER MILE: Race 8 # 21 – Osipenko 

Read the runner-by-runner guide HERE…..

Keen on both Osipenko and Fangirl at the current odds, who are the main overlays against my prices. Cepheus is a knockout chance, and last year's winner Mr Brightside will have the opportunity to go back-to-back with a positive race setup.

HAWKESBURY – PROVINCIAL PICK: Race 4 # 9 – Allasandra

Was well fancied all morning and then backed again late in the trade first-up at Kensington. However, nothing went right for the filly after racing wide throughout, and she wasn't suited to the sit/sprint race shape. She loomed in the straight, peaked, but to her credit, she kept wanting to find the line, and all key indicators suggests she will improve significantly off that effort. The drop back to the provincial circuit suits, and she has a positive race setup.

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