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By Nick Berney

Tips and race by race preview by Nick Berney for Friday’s Gosford meeting. Selections based on a soft to good track. Monitor for bias/pattern.

5. On Bail had factors against last start in stronger grade at Sandown Lakeside over 2100m and ran on ok. The four-year-old has been ticking over well this prep, and his sectional profile suggests he is ready to improve reaching optimal fitness. Further, fifth-up last preparation, he produced his career peak figure, and a repeat of that effort will put him in the finish. The Peter & Paul Snowden galloper receives blinkers for the first time, can roll forward and rate to win. Each-way.

Dangers: 6. Pharoah’s Reign had all favours winning at Newcastle last start but did it in style. Additionally, she ran time, and the decisive margins confirmed the quality. The mare will have to transfer that form from a heavy track to good ground but maps to control the pace and is in career-best form. Forget 1. Dragon Dream’s last start after having no luck and 8. Rathvilly Miss is rock-hard fit. Add 2. El Lago to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: On Bail E/W ($9.50 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: SPLIT.

On Bail three starts ago at Hawkesbury on July 17

1. Sir Crackle, who resumes, won his recent heat at Kembla Grange in fast time relative to the morning. The four-year-old has always promised to have the ability but has had significant factors against him for most of his career. He has strong form lines, a string of winning ratings, and the drying track is ideal, where he produced his career peak figure in his first prep. In addition, expect an aggressive ride from the soft draw, and he will take some catching.

Dangers: 9. Gaylebeck raced wide on debut at Newcastle and tried hard in defeat to beat the rest easily in a fast-time race. She will be fitter for that and is a definite chance. 10. Diamond Blush has been solid at the metropolitan level and has trialled well enough. Add 4. I Stole It to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Sir Crackle WIN ($2.30 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Sir Crackle win a trial at Kembla Grange on August 10

11. Seiryu sat outside the leader first-up at Canterbury in a slow tempo and looked like the winner, but fitness gave out over the concluding stages. The Team Hawkes trained galloper will be fitter for that effort and maps to have all favours.

Dangers: Debutantes 7. Eagle Nest and 9. Inconsequential have both trialled well enough and are key late market watches. Add 12. Sleigh Queen to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Seiryu WIN ($2.00 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Seiryu runs fourth at Canterbury on August 17

8. Golden Passport had every chance running third last start at Kembla but tried hard in a fast-time race won by smart city-class galloper Arnold. Further, that race rated the highest overall relative to the meeting when historically comparing time, class and additional factors with two subsequent winners to confirm the form. The three-year-old recorded some of the fastest closing sectionals of the day, with his final 400m split in 23.65, and he put a gap on fourth. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained runner is coming out of time/sectional merit races, is ready to peak third-up, brings a strong ratings profile and maps to control the pace. Expect him to be hard to beat.

Dangers: Import 2. Father’s Day entered his second Australian prep as a gelding and was solid first-up at Hawkesbury in a proven form reference. Moreover, first and second out of that race have since won at their next start. The five-year-old brings a competitive last start figure, and likely improvement can see him figure in the finish. 10. State Of America had too much to do on debut at Canterbury after settling at the rear of the field in a moderate tempo and posted the fastest last 200m sectional of the entire meeting in 12.76. He maps to settle worse than midfield again; however, expect him to savage the line. Add 5. Cairdeas who has been honest this prep to all exotics.

How to play it: Golden Passport WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: EVENS.

Golden Passport runs third at Kembla on August 4

3. Eye Pea Oh has trialled well and won her recent heat at Rosehill in dominant fashion. The four-year-old looks to have come back improved, has multiple winning ratings from last prep and maps to have all favours with James McDonald riding for the first time.

Dangers: We haven’t seen 1. Madam Charm at the races for 428 days, as she resumes for her new trainer Nathan Doyle. After two solid trials, the five-year-old is wound up for this, and she will roll forward from the wide gate. Add 6. Hayami and 9. Courageous Queen to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Eye Pea Oh WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Rapidity last start at Kembla Grange on August 13

1. Kipsbay went out a dominant winner producing a career peak figure before spelling last prep and ran fast time relative to the day after adjusting for age, class and additional factors. Further, that race has since produced five subsequent winners. The four-year-old gelding resumes for his new trainer Nathan Doyle and won a recent heat in slick time compared to other trials in the morning. He has a strong ratings profile for this event and will roll forward. Expect a bold showing.

Dangers: 9. Another Cognac won well at Newcastle 20 days ago, breaking through for his maiden. The lightly raced colt raced wide, sprinted away from his rivals, and posted one of the fastest final 200m splits of the entire meeting in 12.28. He will be fitter for that effort, and the rise in distance is ideal. 2. Laurelin brings a respectful starting price profile from the metropolitan level and is well-placed here. Expect her to be hitting the line hard. Add 4. Supremo to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Kipsbay WIN ($2.50 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Kipsbay wins a trial at Wyong on August 10

11. Garmish who resumes, has trialled well enough and was a solid winner first-up last prep at Wyong running time. The four-year-old has a strong starting price profile, has multiple winning ratings and maps to have all favours with Tim Clark riding. It’s worth noting that the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou training partnership is renowned for having their runners fit and ready to run well when resuming.

Dangers: 5. Dimaggio is an interesting runner and has trialled well for his new trainer Kim Waugh. 7. Divine Okay was 33 days between runs last start and can improve here. Add 16. Absolute Trust and 2. Famous Pedrille to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Garmish WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Garmish runs second in a trial at Randwick on August 12

4. Maccomo, who represents value, had the bias against him and battled on well last start in a Midway Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill. The six-year-olds ratings profile suggests he is ready to improve, and fourth-up last preparation, he produced his career peak figure. In addition, the drying track is ideal and expect an aggressive ride from the wide draw stepping out to 1600m.

Dangers: 8. Microna has been up for a while but is a consistent type and has been racing well. He made an early move last start at Newcastle and sustained a long-wide run to finish second and beat the rest easily. The gelding maps well, brings the best last start figure and will undoubtedly be fighting out the finish. 3. Zadig led at a fast pace first-up at Randwick in a TAB Highway (1800m), and fitness gave out over the final furlong. He will be fitter for that and is another on-pace runner who will give a sight. 5. Bak Da Man can sprint fresh and may have the last shot.

How to play it: Maccomo WIN ($10 TAB Fixed Odds) & Microna WIN ($5.00 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: EVENS.

Maccomo runs fifth at Rosehill on August 13

Best Bet Race 4 # 8 – Golden Passport

Next Best Race 2 # 1 – Sir Crackle

Best Value Race 8 # 4 – Maccomo & # 8 - Microna

All the fields, form and replays for Friday’s Gosford meeting