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By Brad Gray

Like the way this race sets up for Godolphin colt 3. Spacewalk. The son of Exosphere covered a lot of ground in the Breeders’ Plate on debut yet fought on bravely to only be beaten two lengths by Sejardan. He was entitled to be beaten by a lot further given he was posted four wide throughout from the wide draw. It’s a very different scenario 18 weeks later from barrier 2. Hugh Bowman holds all the aces, kicking up to lead or ease out of that battle to take a trail. Spacewalk has been back to the trials and he moved sweetly, clearing out from third and running good time for the 743m heats. Godolphin have won this race four of the past seven years, three for John O’Shea and one for James Cummings, which was Bivouac in 2019.

Dangers: 5. Lady Laguna produced one of the standout performances from a two-year-old this season so far when demolishing her rivals at Rosehill 10 weeks ago. What we have to assess ahead of Saturday is how flattered she was by the Heavy 10 conditions and the control she got in front. The map poses a few queries. Wary of Freedman-trained filly 10. Tragara showing up on debut. She isn’t a jump-and-run style of two-year-old but suspect she has some quality. 6. Bessmati fluffed the start on debut at Doomben but charged through the line to just miss. We’ve only got one trial to judge 7. Cythera off but she look sharp while 9. Plymstock was soft late when winning at Randwick on debut.

How To Play It: Spacewalk WIN.

This is as deep a Highway Handicap as we’ve seen in some time so there’s bound to be a runner or two that the market has overlooked. Enter 3. Commando Hunt. The Cameron Crockett-trained four-year-old is a very capable sprinter. He handles all surfaces and draws perfectly. The little worry is his habit half missing the kick from time to time but if he gets away cleanly he could find himself in a perfect trailing position forward of midfield. He finished a luckless fourth behind Sunrise Ruby in a Highway Handicap over this same track and trip last preparation before making amends for that in another Highway two weeks later. Like the way he cruised to the line in a recent 900m barrier trial and Crockett is bullish about how well his gelding has returned. Big show at odds.

Dangers: What do we do with 7. Participator? He beat Verbek on debut (who is somehow still a maiden) before making a mess of his rivals at Wagga. It was one of the most arrogant wins you’ll ever see. The form through that Class 1 has proven to be very ordinary since, however. 1. Anethole draws wide but he’ll get back and blend into the race when it suits. He’ll have no problem running out a strong 1200m, which could prove telling given how willing the early speed could be. 8. Golden Point is a very genuine sprinter coming off a Highway placing last start but the barrier does him no favours.

How To Play It: Commando Hunt EACH WAY.

Les Bridge has 8. Lennon back on track. That was evidenced at Newcastle last start with the four-year-old winding up over 1500m to unleash a powerful close to score emphatically. He went straight past Carlisle Bay, who has run a terrific fourth at Rosehill since, and 13. Tycoon Hallie, who the early market rates as one of his main threats in this Midway. The other huge tick for this gelding is how the race looks to map. Outside of So Sneeky, there isn’t any obvious pressure. That should allow Chris Williams, who rode Lennon last start and has so much faith in the horse’s ability, to potentially park Lennon in the first couple. He gapped Exoboom at just his second ever start so the ability has always been there.

Dangers: It might have only been a Class 1 at Kembla Grange but don’t mistake the quality of 9. French Emperor’s win there. He ripped clear late and the clock backed up what he did visually. He was a work in progress last preparation, his first, and he looks to have returned with his mind on the job. Just has a sticky draw to overcome. 4. So Sneeky might have to work early to cross but there’s every chance he can pinch a breather once he gets there. 12. King Ratel has been running on at the end of the mile all preparation, suggesting he wants 2000m but he profiles as a knockout hope. 1. Pecuniary Interest was an impressive winner over the Randwick back in December.

How To Play It: Lennon WIN

3. Kallos was perhaps found out in a brutally run 1200m race at Group One level the last time we saw him at the races, that was in the Coolmore Stud Stakes fading out to finish 14th but it wasn’t a fair reflection of his talent. The market suggested he wasn’t completely out of his depth there having come off a dominant maiden win at Hawkesbury before winning the G2 Danehill just three weeks later. Kallos was in fair company at the tail end of the Coolmore too – Paulele, Sword Of State, In The Congo… the list goes on. James Cummings sent his colt to the paddock thereafter and finds a perfect race in which to launch another preparation. Maps to camp in behind speedsters Sky Command and Malkovich before getting his chance to run that duo down. Has had just the one trial back running a hard held fourth behind Lost And Running.

Dangers: 8. Sky Command was ridden for speed at Canterbury last start back to a more suitable 1100m and managed to pinch a winning break on the fast-finishing Able Willie. She comes back again in trip third up to 1000m but wouldn’t think that’d worry her, nor would the prospect of rain falling ahead of Saturday. The query is jumping up from a 72 to a 94 and having to absorb the pressure that Malkovich is likely to apply. 1. Malkovich proved last preparation that he isn’t one trick pony and can race well not just from in front. His task has been made difficult by the draw though, compounding the 62.5kg impost. 2. Wisdom Of Water is 1300m back 1000m but he is chasing a hattrick and presents a very fit horse going into this.

How To Play It: Kallos WIN.

Not sure what happened to 3. Mr Gee at the beginning of last preparation but he wasn’t racing well. It all started to click fifth up where he reeled in Margie Bee at Canterbury before four weeks later blowing his rivals away on the Kensington track over 1800m. That was with Hugh Bowman on board. Thereafter he was sent around a $4 pop in a BM78, the same grade of race he faces here, and there’s a case to suggest he probably should have won. So with clear running there he comes into this chasing four straight wins and there’s no way he’s one of the race outsiders. The four-year-old has had two trials this time back, working to the line strongly in the latest of those. Maps well and finds a very winnable race. Very tricky race to assess.

Dangers: 7. Deel With Me found the rails at Rosehill last Saturday which was a huge advantage but both of her runs this time back suggest that another win is imminent. Has no early speed so Tim Clark going on for the first time is an intriguing booking. What you see is generally what you get with 5. Yukon. Resumed with an honest third behind Bring The Ransom first up, a race with more depth than this. Well placed second up out to the mile in this company. 1. Arctic Thunder can mix her form but one of the constants is what she tends to dish up at Randwick, which isn’t exactly her best work. She’s the class runner, however, having won seven races. 4. Through Irish Eyes needed 2200m to break his maiden before winning the St Leger out to 2800m two starts later.

How To Play It: Mr Gee EACH WAY

1. Sejardan is two from two and although he hasn’t ‘smashed the clock’ in either of those wins, not many two-year-olds have this season. The Sebring colt rounded up his rivals in the Breeders’ Plate on debut, beating 8. Zambezi River, before sweeping home from last to take out the Golden Gift. You don’t see too many horses win from last over the 1100m at Rosehill, particularly on a good track. And with just two starts to their name. He has been pegged as a backmarker but he has drawn wide in both of his starts to date so wouldn’t be surprised to see him park up just off midfield on Saturday. Throw into the mix that his trainer Gary Portelli has won five two-year-old races already this season. Sejardan was too well found in early markets but is creeping out to a backable price.

Dangers: 6. Boldinho went toe-to-toe with Ebhaar on debut, coming off second best, and yes, Ebhaar has since failed but she had genuine excuses. Boldinho then ran a luckless fourth in the Inglis Nursery as the $2.30 favourite. Have little doubt he’d have won with even luck. He maps beautifully in this race for Hugh Bowman and shouldn’t have any trouble turning the tables on 2. El Padrino, 3. Calgary Stampede and 5. Athletica. 4. Sweet Ride looks your leader and will give another sight, just as she did when winning on debut. The depth of that race is a query but she won by two lengths. 14. Paris Dior has a tricky map to overcome but she has already shown in two runs that she is versatile in terms of settling position.

How To Play It: Sejardan WIN.

7. Joviality lost her way for two preparations, beating home just six runners in four starts. Admittedly, two of those were in Group races, the Light Fingers and G1 Surround Stakes but what can we put her subsequent two failures In BM72 grade down to? The heavy tracks are hard to blame given she was such an emphatic winner on a heavy track to break her maiden. Anyways, she’s back on track now having ran Rule Of Law to a narrow margin at Rosehill first up over 1100m, with three lengths back to third. That was four weeks ago with Rule Of Law subsequently winning again, beating The Bopper last Saturday, and running fast time in doing so. James McDonald sticks with the four-year-old and she creeps out in trip to 1300m. It’s a pretty simple scenario for Joviality. If she holds her form now she’s found it again, she’ll just about win.

Dangers: 2. Incredulous Dream raced wide throughout in the Magic Millions mares race last start, finishing midfield, just in front of 3. Van Giz. There are no mares of Snapdancer’s quality here and she maps to get the run of the race. 11. Lady Banff was nailed by Lady Of Luxury at the Gold Coast four weeks ago, the best run she has produced all preparation. She looks the likely leader. 5. Saigon and 10. Steel Diamond are similar in that they always run well but have a habit of finding a couple better. Saigon raced a touch flat last start over 1500m hence the four weeks between runs while Steel Diamond kept finding the line over 1100m, having tackled 1200m first up. The 1300m now third up looks ideal.

How To Play It: Joviality WIN.

4. Paulele produced a devastating sprint first up at Randwick last preparation in the Listed Rosebud, which was one of the standout three-year-old performances of the spring, giving subsequent Golden Rose winner In The Congo 6kg. The talented three-year-old held that form through the carnival, running second in the San Domenico, chasing home Home Affairs in the Heritage before winning like an odds on favourite should in the Roman Consul. That saw him jump a well-backed $5.50 pop in the G1 Coolmore down the straight but he failed to fire with Damien Oliver reporting that he never felt comfortable. Forgive him that. Trialled well this time back and draws well. Deep races but he’s one of the few genuine sprinters here.

Dangers: 2. Converge was being talked about as the main threat to Anamoe over the spring but was struck down with a virus, hence his eighth in the Run To The Rose before being tipped straight out. He, again, has trialled exceptionally well leading into his resumption. It’s just whether he finds the 1200m a touch sharp. 11. Ranch Hand knocked off Ingratiating first up last campaign before holding his own in the G1 Coolmore and G1 VRC Classic. Draws to get his chance, albeit being set on a Guineas path. Former Kiwi 5. Mana Nui looks a talent, and a handy addition to the Waller yard, while the likes of 1. Captivant, 3. Hilal and 10. Giannis will all be working home.

How To Play It: Paulele WIN

13. Silent Impact is early in a Derby preparation but he still is a very sharp horse over sprint trips. We saw that in his first campaign before he resumed at Randwick a fortnight ago, winning over 1100m. He was no match early for the likes of Capital Reign and found himself closer to last than first in the run but he speared to the line under Tim Clark to clock a 33.46s last 600m split, the third quickest across the entire meeting. The son of Maurice takes on the older horses second up but it sets up well for the three-year-old out to 1200m and from a draw that’ll give Clark options. If he can’t hold the front again, he’s equally effective when taking a trail. Was scratched from the Eskimo Prince in favour of this. Hard to beat.

Dangers: Fellow three-year-old 10. Maotai just couldn’t muster enough early speed when tackling races like the Rosebud and San Domenico. Convinced that had he found the front in any of those features over the spring he’d have just about won. The blinkers go on first up. 11. Amiche kept finding the line behind Mr Mosaic last start in BM88 company. Belluci Babe, Dream Circle and The Bopper have all subsequently run well thereafter without winning. 5. Rustic Steel has won seven of his four starts and even his fourth last campaign was a beauty chasing King Of Sparta in track record time. Maps perfectly. Matthew Dunn’s pair 6. Broken Arrows and 7. Soami are capable sprinters if they get the breaks.

How To Play It: Silent Impact WIN.

8. Through The Cracks should be able to use the middle draw to settle closer, given the make up of this field. He savaged the line at Canterbury first up after a year on the sidelines before Special Reward beat him in the Carrington. Swap the runs and swap the results, however. Through The Cracks was set a huge task from last having to circle the field, sustaining a long sprint. That told the last 200m with nothing to take him into the race. He tackled the Randwick mile at the backend of last preparation when thundering into fourth in the G2 Villiers hitting the line with Criaderas. With Frosty Rocks rolling out in front, Through The Cracks will get his chance. He can be a frustrating horse to follow but he’s worth another chance in this.

Dangers: At least you know you’ll get a sight with 4. Frosty Rocks. He has run well over the Randwick mile in the past too and a tough fourth at the Gold Coast last start will have him hard fit for this now third up. 9. No Compromise didn’t go around a horse first up over 1400m but there was a lot to like about his late work. The query being him flattening off second up. There was very little between No Compromise and 12. Lackeen when they clashed back in June last year. Lackeen drops to 53.5kg and fits into this race nicely give the turn of foot he has shown this time back. Wary of 6. Mightybeel first up while 11. Kiss The Bride is the best knockout. Wouldn’t be surprised to see 3. Laure Me In improve sharply second up either. Then there’s 2. Purple Sector.

How To Play It: Through The Cracks WIN.

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