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By Nick Berney

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

Leaning towards 10. Star Act, who brings a likeable profile to this assignment. The filly started a well-fancied odds-on favourite at Newcastle last start, and her effort had merit in a high-rating race. Further, she made her run through the inferior ground, clocked one of the fastest final 200m splits of the meeting and ran on into second behind It's A Wonder, who subsequently raced well in a Group 3 event. The three-year-old has a tricky draw but is ready to peak third-up, handles all conditions and brings the bets last start figure.

Dangers: 2. Je Reve always faced the breeze last start at Newcastle in a very fast pace and battled on well to finish third. He has run to a consistent figure throughout the campaign, which puts him in the finish, and a senior rider goes back on. Debutant 4. Verbil has moved well in two trials, and he ran time, winning his latest heat at Randwick. He has gate speed and expect a positive ride. 7. Khaznah is coming through a proven form reference, and the break between runs is no issue, as that's her pattern. Market watch 11. Sweet Proposal who can sprint fresh.

How to play it: Star Act WIN ($3.10 TAB Fixed Odds).

Star Act runs second at Newcastle on April 6

Expecting 2. Pocket Eights to bounce back here, returning to his home track, and happy to be forgiving of his debut run at Wyong 26 days ago. He started in the market but was given no peace throughout and always faced the breeze in a genuine tempo before weakening out of it. He will have benefited from that race experience, finds a winnable race, and Aaron Bullock rides.

Dangers: 11. Bucareli Bay looks to have come back improved this prep and has trialled well enough. He did want to get on the wrong leg in his recent heat, but he sets up well from a kind draw and can rate to win. First starter 8. Omnic has benefited from two trials, and he went to the line well in his recent heat at Warwick Farm after getting his mind on the job. Expect him to roll forward. 4. Veravino has had 708 days off the scene, and she has the form to win but is a key late market watch after having so much time off.

How to play it: Pocket Eights WIN ($2.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

Pocket Eights last start at Wyong on March 30

Keen on dual acceptor 3. Battle Of Vienna, who resumes as a gelding and is wound right up for this assignment. The Snowden galloper has had two trials leading into this, and his latest heat at Randwick was strong, with the galloper going through the line full of energy whilst racing in the inferior ground. His first-up run from last campaign was full of merit in a high-rating race, and repeating any of his three career start figures will make him hard to beat from the inside draw with the claim suiting as well.

Dangers: 5. Rathoran also resumes as a gelding, and he savaged the line in a recent heat at Hawkesbury without the blinkers on. He is still learning but has an improver's action, and the blinkers go on for race day. He'll need luck from the draw, but he has a superior closing speed relative to some of his key rivals. 4. Duke Of Bronte has to stretch out to the 1100m, but he was brave in defeat after SPing favourite in a strong time race last start at Newcastle. 7. Extremely Frilly is a consistent enough type and will be running on hard.

How to play it: Battle Of Vienna WIN ($1.85 TAB Fixed Odds).

Battle Of Vienna runs second in a trial at Randwick on April 8

8. She's Got Veuve sets up well for this event and brings the clear best last start figure. Further, she was a drifter in the betting at Kembla 16 days ago on a testing track, and she was brave in defeat going down fighting. The filly travelled well into it, sprinted some of the meeting's fastest closing splits to finish second, and beat the rest easily. She's proven at the trip, has a turn of foot and maps to have all favours.

Dangers: 3. Highborn Harry was completely unsuited to the race shape at Wyong last start and was mathematically out of the race. He had to make a long-sustained run and ran hidden closing splits. The David Payne-trained runner must step to the 2100m for the first time, but all key indicators suggest the trip should pose no issue. 1. Hiawatha is hard to assess and forget he went around last start when making his AUS debut, where he fell at the 400m mark. He is a key market watch. 4. Icebreaker is a last-start winner and will be fitter.

How to play it: She's Got Veuve WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds).

She's Got Veuve runs second at Kembla Grange on April 9

3. Party Doll was honest in defeat last start at Kembla Grange after always facing the breeze on a testing surface. She'll appreciate getting back onto drier ground and she runs to a consistent figure that puts her in the finish. In addition, she's a speedy type suited to the tight-turning track.

Dangers: 5. Jamakin Money ran time to break through for her maiden win last start at Wyong, and the form out of that event has since been proven. 1. Voigner must transfer her wet track form to a drier surface and add 4. Rockin' Millie to wider exotics.

How to play it: Party Doll WIN ($2.70 TAB Fixed Odds).

Party Doll last start at Kembla on April 9

7. Dressed In Gray has a tricky draw to overcome, but expecting her to improve sharply out to 1200m for the first time this prep and back onto a drier surface is ideal. She wasn't suited to a deteriorating surface last start but still tried hard to finish third. Prior to that effort, her run had merit when running second, and she beat the rest easily at Hawkesbury. Repeating that effort will make her hard to hold out, and she is ready to peak third-up. Each-way.

Dangers: 5. Tartana resumes off a 175-day break, and she's had the one trial leading into this assignment. First-up last prep, she raced well over an unsuitable distance running fast-closing sectionals, bringing multiple winning figures to this. Happy to forgive 4. Let's Go Johnny's first-up run where nothing went right, and his effort was much better than the form guide reads. He can bounce back here under the race conditions and has the closing speed figure to run over the top of them. Debutant 3. Phobos has improved between trials and is well-educated. He responded well when challenged in his latest heat and he maps to stalk the speed.

How to play it: Dressed In Gray E/W ($6.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Dressed In Gray runs third at Gosford on April 4

Like 2. Dunedin, who's has gone to a new level this prep, and he's on an upwards ratings spiral. He broke through for his maiden win two starts back, where he did it in style, and his last start at Wyong had hidden sectional merit. The three-year-old wasn't suited to the sit/sprint race shape but clocked one of the meeting's fastest final 200m splits, and all key indicators suggest he can only step off that. He maps to have all favours from barrier one, and the blinkers go back on.

Dangers: 4. Joint Mission is in career-best form racing on testing tracks, and she was well-backed when winning her last start at Kembla Grange. She gets in well at the weights after the claim, and if she can transfer her heavy track form to a drier surface, expect her to be in the finish. 8. He's My Warrior will appreciate getting out to 1600m with a senior rider going on. 3. Three Wise Men was run to suit last start but is now at optimal fitness.

How to play it: Dunedin WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

Dunedin last start at Wyong on April 11

12. Slinky was honest in defeat last start at this track/distance after always facing the breeze in a genuine tempo. She is in career-best form, rock-hard fit and has run to a figure consistently this preparation that'll put her in the finish. Expect her to take some catching.

Dangers: 7. Spicy Hotpot is a last-start winner who ran strong closing splits. 9. Queen Bess is undefeated at her home track and 17. Linguee is coming out of a high-rating race.

How to play it: Slinky WIN ($6.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

Lion Class last start at Newcastle on April 13

Best Bet: Race 7 # 2 – Dunedin

All the fields, form and replays for Thursday's Gosford meeting