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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 track. Monitor for bias/pattern.

3. Fairey Barracuda resumes after two solid trials without blinkers and looks to have come back improved entering her second preparation. The five-year-old mare produced a career peak figure at this track/distance on debut, and Punter’s Intelligence recorded she ran one of the fastest final 400m splits of the entire meeting in 22.26. The Kris Lees trained galloper maps to have a tactical advantage on her key danger, is proven on the rain-affected ground and has multiple winning figures for this event.

Dangers: Consistent mare 6. Latin Lyric deserves a win, but her race pattern proved costly again last start at Goulburn 13 days ago, where she had too much to do in a high rating race and finished third. Further, she settled at the rear of the field in a moderate tempo and made significant ground running one of the fastest final 200m sectionals of the entire meeting in 12.03. She maps to get back again but will undoubtedly be hitting the line hard. 7. Silica Sand is rock-hard fit and will roll forward. Add 1. Bracewell to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Fairey Barracuda WIN ($1.90 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: SPLIT.

Fairey Barracuda runs third in a trial at Gosford on May 18

3. Aperol Sprint kept trying to the line and won in a tight finish at Muswellbrook 18 days ago when starting favourite over 2300m. The five-year-old mare is the only last-start winner in the field and is a consistent type. Further, she maps to have all favours, is proven on the rain-affected ground, has strong form lines throughout her career and will run out the trip. It’s worth noting jockey Blake Spriggs has ridden her seven times for one win, three seconds and a third. Each-way.

Dangers: 1. Aquileon has been well beaten in the past two starts but in stronger grade. The five-year-old gelding is a big improver back to drier ground and has multiple winning figures. 2. Funambulist had every chance at Hawkesbury 21 days ago but is consistent and is rock-hard fit. 5. Lord Tropicana drops 6.5kg from his last run at Gunnedah 11 days ago and will be running on hard. 9. Nature Boy who is a knockout, has no weight and is the likely leader.

How to play it: Aperol Sprint E/W ($7.00 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Aperol Sprint wins at Muswellbrook on May 22

Debutant 9. Recommendation has trialled well in fast time/sectional merit heats without blinkers on. The two-year-old colt showed improvement between trials and is wound up for this event. Further, the blinkers go on for race day, rain-affected ground suits, and he maps to have all favours settling in behind an anticipated fast tempo. Each-way.

Dangers: 7. My Eloise returns after two solid trials and ran well on debut at Warwick Farm last preparation. The drying conditions suit, and she maps to get an economical run throughout transit. Debutante 6. Exo Angel will look to replicate her trial form where she settled back and hit the line hard to win a recent heat at this track. Market watch 8. Privatisation who looks to have improved her manners and will roll forward. 13. Smart Thinker brings a fitness advantage relative to his rivals.

How to play it: Recommendation WIN ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Recommendation runs second in a trial at Rosehill on May 20

7. Superargo was specked $14-$8.50 late in the trade last start at Hawkesbury 21 days ago and was honest in defeat. The three-year-old gelding chased a fast tempo and never shirked the task to the line in a fast time race. That race rated the highest overall relative to the meeting when historically comparing time, class and additional factors. The Stephen O’Halloran trained galloper will be fitter for that effort, and his sectional profile suggests he’s ready to peak third-up. In addition, he brings the best last start figure, maps to either lead or box seat, and the rise in distance is ideal.

Dangers: D-Day 13. Sneaky Island who has been a beaten favourite his past two starts but did have slight excuses at Goulburn 13 days ago in a fast time race. The three-year-old filly has figures to win and will undoubtedly be hitting the line hard. Nothing went right for 12. Righteous Feeling at this track/distance 14 days ago. Further, she raced wide throughout and then was checked/blocked at a critical stage, losing her momentum over the final furlong. The Brett Cavanough trained galloper is improving throughout her prep and is rock-hard fit. 3. Party Stop and 6. Silentdeel come out of the same race at Gunnedah 11 days ago and are both suited over further distance. Add 9. Zedly to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Superargo WIN ($3.40 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Superargo runs second at Hawkesbury on May 19

7. Alicia Roma resumes and has trialled well in fast time/sectionals. Further, in her latest heat at Hawkesbury, she found the line well under light riding, running third behind Kallos, a Group 2 winner. The three-year-old filly was an impressive winner on debut at Tamworth, winning by 5.5 lengths. Additionally, second-up, she was heavily backed $1.60-$1.45 at Muswellbrook but was nabbed on the line after racing in the inferior ground and immediately spelled. The Angela Davies trained galloper will roll forward, has dominant figures relative to her rivals and is wound up for this.

Dangers: 5. Babayka, who represents value, is still learning/immature but is an improving type. He has trialled in between runs and maps to have all favours. 4. Divine Okay resumed after having 242 days off the scene at Goulburn 30 days ago and won well after sitting wide the trip. Some query, second-up after a long break, but receives a senior metropolitan rider for the first time. Add 1. Boomsong to trifectas and first fours

How to play it: Alicia Roma WIN ($1.85 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Alicia Roma runs third at Hawkesbury on May 30

Forgiving 7. Awesome Wonder who failed on an extremely heavy track at Rosehill 19 days ago in a stronger grade. Further, the Irish import was solid in the market, starting $6.50 but just floundered in the going. Prior to that start, she was impressive on her Australian debut after being not suited when settling at the rear in a slow pace. However, the three-year-old filly overcame that building momentum and showed her ability by running the fastest final 200m sectional of the entire meeting in 12.14 and won with style. The John O’Shea galloper can bounce back onto a direr surface and looks to have a class edge.

Dangers: 1. Five Crowns raced wide without cover the trip in a strong tempo and battled on well at Newcastle 12 days ago. The four-year-old gelding is rock-hard fit and will have a much more economical run with a significant barrier change. 2. Our Bambino has been ticking over ok this preparation and has raced in stronger grade for most of his career. Additionally, the drying track suits and looks set to peak fourth up. Add 4. Titled Tycoon and 6. Jousting to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Awesome Wonder WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: ODDS.

Awesome Wonder runs ninth at Rosehill on May 21

Tricky/Open race. Leaning towards 5. The Denzel who is set to peak third-up reaching optimal fitness, the blinkers come off, and he receives a senior rider in Kerrin McEvoy. The four-year-old gelding led at a fast tempo at Newcastle 26 days ago and battled on well, finishing fourth. Further, he had a tick-over trial in between runs six days ago and is ready to run a preparation peak figure from a soft draw.

Dangers: 6. Famous Pedrille returns from a spell, and his first-up efforts have been superior to what the form guide reads. Moreover, when resuming last preparation at Randwick, he raced wide without cover. Although outpaced when the tempo quickened, he picked himself up and went through the line well full of energy, running one of the fastest final 200m splits of the entire meeting in 11.61. The three-year-old gelding has trialled well enough six days ago and is suited over 1200m. 1. New Tycoon can bounce back onto a drier track. 7. One Way Street led and was solid at this track/distance 14 days ago. He will roll forward and is rock-hard fit.

How to play it: The Denzel WIN ($7.50 TAB Fixed Odds) & Famous Pedrille WIN ($6.00 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: SPLIT.

The Denzel runs fourth in a trial at Randwick on June 3

Progressive type 2. Po Kare Kare was solid first-up at Kensington 22 days ago after blundering at the start and had too much to do. Further, she ran well, running the fastest 400m-200m split of the entire meeting in 11.43 and maintaining a strong finishing speed to the line after peaking on her run. The three-year-old filly is on an upwards ratings spiral, down in grade, will undoubtedly improve with fitness, and the step up in distance is ideal. In addition, with the anticipated genuine tempo, she should get the race run to suit and expect her to try to loop the field and have the last shot.

Dangers: 10. Bright Flight broke through for her maiden win running fast time at Bathurst 14 days ago and produced a career peak figure. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained galloper is in-form, has a positive map and brings a competitive last start rating. 3. Miss Ostend was disappointing last start at Flemington 19 days ago, but that was in a stronger grade. She can bounce back and is a key late market watch. Add 9. Peindre to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Po Kare Kare WIN ($2.80 TAB Fixed Odds). Odds & Evens: EVENS.

Po Kare Kare runs third at Kensington on May 18

Best Bet: Race 4 # 7 - Superargo

Next Best: Race 8 # 2 - Po Kare Kare

Best Value: Race 3 # 9 - Recommendation

Quaddie

Leg 1: 7,5
Leg 2: 7,1,2
Leg 3: 5,6,1,7
Leg 4: 2,10

Combinations = 48

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