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By Ray Hickson

1. Odinson (Ciaron Maher): Produced a big effort to win the Inglis Nursery in December, drew wide and went back then made a long run around them to get home. That was two months after his debut and he arrives at this race two months since the Randwick win. Have to say his two trials have been mixed, looked sharp enough winning the first then appeared under some duress to run fourth in the second. Both were under 800m so perhaps he’s now ready to race. Loses James McDonald, Irish hoop Dylan Browne McMonagle has picked up the ride. Draws to get his chance.

2. Rue De Royale (Tony & Calvin McEvoy): Looks the type that will be strong at the end of 1100m as he was when we last saw him in the Golden Gift in November. He drew well but found himself buried right back in the field, near last at the 400m. So he’s done a fantastic job to run Shangri La Express to just over a length. There should be genuine speed in this race and from the draw he’s unlikely to be locked away in a race that usually has a tail, so if he's within striking range up the rise he should be hard to hold out.

Rue De Royale (Pic: Bradley Photos)

3. Beer Baron (Neil Osborne): Proved a surprise packet in the Inglis Nursery where he was sent out a $51 chance and strode to the front after sitting wide (albeit only the one turn) only for Odinson, who had his back, to pounce late. Far too good as you’d expect in a Goulburn trial recently and certainly won’t be trapped wide from barrier one. You’d obviously like to see him back up that smart debut effort and if he does then he’s in the mix.

4. Fully Lit (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott): Dominant from the front at his only start at Rosehill a few weeks ago when scoring a runaway win. His challenge comes from the wide gate here but we know what to expect, he will roll forward and look to lead or be right on the speed and with just the one turn it’s not as bad a draw as if the race were at Rosehill. It’s hard to poke holes in any youngster from the stable at the moment and if there’s scope for improvement he’ll take some running down.

5. Zestiman (Ben, Will & JD Hayes): Needed every inch of the 1000m to chase down the leader when winning on debut at Flemington back in mid-January. The placegetters haven’t raced since so hard to get a line on how the form stacks up. He has trialled in Sydney, in the same heat as Odinson and if anything looked to be travelling a bit the better. Off the one start in a small field down the straight it’s hard to know how he’ll react to a 16 horse field around Randwick but we also don’t know what upside is there so he’s worth considering.

6. Cerons (Brett Cavanough): Almost sprung a surprise when he gave some cheek as a $41 chance in the Maribyrnong Trial at Flemington back in October, he raced on speed there and was only run down by Bodyguard who eventually scored by two lengths and has a bit of a rap on him. Not sure how strong he was at the end of the 1000m there and he arrives in this race without a public trial so is a bit of a mystery. Inclined to think he’s around the right price.

7. Trunk (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott): Was trialling strongly enough behind Straight Charge before he was sent to Geelong for his debut on January 6. Did some work to find the lead there and gave a kick early in the straight before being run down by Stay Focused. He’s been back to the trials in Sydney and ran fourth behind Prost after having to go back. Not likely to go back from an ideal draw and it’s not a good idea to discount any two-year-old from the stable. Definite chance.

8. Thundering Soul (Kris Lees): Overcame a betting drift to win a 900m scamper on debut at Scone and the form out of the race hasn’t stood up as yet with the placegetters both unplaced at their next starts albeit in town. Chased home from off midfield to win that race so it was a good performance but this does contain a lot more depth.

9. El Morzillo (Kelly Schweida): Interesting runner from Queensland who did look particularly good winning over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast a couple of weeks ago, enjoying a nice run just off the pace and despite running around a little put them away impressively. Stakes placed on debut in Brisbane but no form update from the two horses she split there. Inclined to want to risk her on form but at the same time she looks the type who will be strong late and could run into the finish.

10. Nymphadora (Stephen O’Halloran): Jumped out of the ground to run third in the Inglis Nursery as a $101 chance at her second race start and will meet the two that beat her home again here. She’s run second in a trial at Hawkesbury where she sat outside the leader and couldn’t quite get past. Expect she gives away a start and will need to reproduce her last run, and more, to win.

11. Express Yo’self (Amy & Ash Yargi): The barrier draw might have hurt this filly’s chances a bit but she’d be one to keep an eye on. Thought she did a good job on debut after being a shade slow out then she led them up and found Traffic Warden too strong late, both starts back in December. That horse started hard in the market in the Canonbury last week. She’s won a jump out at Mornington in a small field. If she jumps with them the barrier might not be so bad given she’s drawn alongside Fully Lit so not discounting her.

Rag Queen (Pic: Bradley Photos)

12. Rag Queen (David Payne): Started $21 on debut and showed not a lot of speed early but plenty of it late as she worked through the field to win at Canterbury. No form of note has come out of that maiden but in isolation hers was a strong win. Tickover trial since. Thinking she probably excels over a bit more ground later on but if she can improve off that nice starting point then she’s worth an each-way ticket.

13. Winning Proposal (Kristen Buchanan): Sound debut win at Newcastle over the 900m though it’s fair to say everything worked out in her favour. Landed behind the leader, it rolled off the fence in the straight allowing the filly to sprint through and score over the 900m. For $2 million you have to take a throw at the stumps, she’ll have some upside and hasn’t drawn badly so it’s over to her to measure up.

14. Art’s Alive (Brad Widdup): Took on a few smart ones in her first two starts back in the spring, her debut second to Sovereign Hill albeit safely held was handy and she didn’t measure up in the Golden Gift. She trialled a month ago with Switzerland behind her. Suggest there’s easier races for her but she does appear to have wins in her.

15. Bella Khadijah (Brad Widdup): For a horse at pretty big odds she has some good credentials for a restricted race given her eye-catching debut third behind Switzerland. She was held up behind a wall early in the straight but once she found some clear air she finished with a heap of purpose at the end of 1000m. Granted she was a $151 chance in that race but if the performance can be repeated she could surprise.

16. Tequila Baby (SCRATCHED).

17E. Mic Drop (Todd Howlett): If this race was a maiden somewhere you’d entertain this filly as some chance on debut after performing well in both trials, the latest winning at Wyong from on speed. But she’ll need to be pretty smart, if she gains a start.

18E. Catonahotinroof (Anthony Cummings): Very well bred filly who had a third trial since January 22 when placing at Rosehill on Monday, ridden up a bit to hold third. Couldn’t recommend on what we’ve seen at the trials in a race like this but interested to see what she can do when she tackles something easier.

SPEED MAP: Everyone expects Fully Lit to burn across from a wide gate and either lead or sit on speed if something can kick up underneath. Express Yo'Self has the chance to follow across. Zestiman, Cerons and Trunk all showed good pace to be either in front or right up there in their respective debuts. Potential for good speed but have to say there doesn't look to be high pressure on paper.

SELECTIONS:
2 RUE DE ROYALE
1 Odinson
4 Fully Lit
15 Bella Khadijah

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