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By Neil Evans

Track likely Good 4 and rail true

We start Provincial-Midway C'ship qualifying day with the maiden sprinters at set weights, and this shapes well on the map for Dissident filly 13. Shadows Of Love who resumes behind a smart trial win when she camped just off the lead & swept through underneath with plenty in hand. Wasn't far away in two competitive provincial maidens last spring, and looks to have come back even stronger.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed at the value by 1. Better Not Bitter who resumes off two improving trials for the leading provincial stable. Another one first-up and tracking over the odds is locally-trained 5. Starros who draws to get a soft run and blinkers have been added.

How to play it: Shadows Of Love to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

Promising filly 6. Sequestered can take another solid step in her first prep, and go back-to-back. Was stiff not to win at Kembla when surging home late in heavy ground before ripping home for an impressive maiden win here 18 days ago.

Dangers: Improving filly 3. Byron Bay is also right in the race third-up from a handy draw, and dropping back significantly in class from the Group 2 Light Fingers. Beat Hollywood Hero when resuming, and that horse then won a metro maiden comfortably two starts later. Include in trifectas and first fours 1. Ain't He Grand resuming with blinkers coming off; and 8. Sunchaser second-up.

How to play it: Sequestered to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Plenty of chances here in an open maiden. Keen on exciting metro-based Merchant Navy filly 12. Tot Of Rum resuming off a six month spell. Came to hand nicely in her first prep, and looks tuned up for this via two trials, winning the latest over 1000m at this track. Was scratched from Newcastle on Friday to be saved for this.

Dangers: Progressive 2. Hedge Fund was very good hitting the line here from well back under a big weight, and coming off a six week break. Extra furlong is a natural plus, but has a task likely settling well back from the wide gate again. Honest 6. Warby is drawn to be in the finish second-up and back from city company; while 11. Romeo's Choice with a key change of jockey deep into his prep is capable of running into the minor money.

How to play it: Tot Of Rum to win
Odds and Evens: Evens

Out to the much longer trip now for another open maiden, but no runner is more primed to peak than progressive three-year-old 8. Esky back on a bigger track. Has found the line strong from well back in three of four runs this prep, and being by Savabeel, the long home stretch here is ideal.

Dangers: From a low draw down in weight, and with blinkers coming off, lightly raced 11. Picko Rocks is the immediate threat, stepping up significantly in distance at his fourth start. Keep safe 6. Rapid Impact who continues to gradually progress this prep, sticking on okay to beat all bar the winner over further four weeks ago. Include lightly raced 9. Good Vintage in all exotics.

How to play it: Esky to Win
Odds and Evens: Split

Not much between a few of these, but emerging metro three-year-old 1. Bundeena is the one to beat. Tracked the speed before powering away to win by a big space first-up as a raging short-priced favourite. Draws to get a suitable trail right behind the speed again.

Dangers: The betting will tell a story with talented four-year-old 2. King Adviso who resumes for a second prep having cruised home to easily win the second of two city trials. The blinkers coming off could be a vital gear change for 4. Flying Destiny who has good early speed. Led all the way on debut before edged out in a handy CL1 here 18 days ago. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Bundeena to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Always open and competitive betting races around this grade. Settled at the value around tough-as-teak six-year-old 11. Knickpoint coming back in grade deep into the prep. Surged late to win a country CL3 two starts ago before doing his best work late in a deeper metro affair. Gets plenty of cover parking a bit closer here from the draw, and will be strong late.

Dangers: Back on drier ground is the big key for talented provincial four-year-old 3. Zenti reloading off a six week break. Was swamped when leading in heavy ground at Wyong last run, but a barrier-to-box win in this grade prior is the right pointer, especially with winkers going on. Keep safe 2. Budhwar who can improve sharply second-up, with the "Raging Bull" booked to ride. Included in exotics 1. Poseidon Ruler with a 3kg claim; and 9. Dame Cartland fourth-up.

How to play it: Knickpoint each way
Odds and Evens: Odds

Same grade of galloper, but over a tricky middle distance, with a stack of chances. Like improving metro filly 13. Pink Baroque who is primed to peak fourth-up from a soft draw. Liked how she has finished off in consecutive metro races, and the extra journey on a bigger track arrives at an ideal time.

Dangers: Big market watch on imported staying type 1. Iowa who resumes for only his second Australian prep off two progressive 1200m trials. Fitted to run this out, with blinkers coming off. Talented 2. Spaltet hasn't quite lived up to his ability so far, but showed good progression to win a similar race third-up, and has been given four weeks between runs for a slight drop back in distance. Gap to the rest headed by 6. Global Encounter fourth-up.

How to play it: Pink Baroque to win
Odds and Evens: Odds

We close the meeting with the feature battle, and the first two booking spots in the Provincial-Midway C'ship Final at Randwick on April 8. Improving provincial four-year-old 6. The Himalayas is a mile over the odds dropping in weight third-up. Has hit the line impressively from well back two runs so far, and getting on to a bigger track and longer straight is ideal.

Dangers: Naturally, clear early favourite 1. Spangler must be a threat first-up for seven weeks. Capped a smart prep by charging home to unluckily just miss in the Ballina Cup after rattling home to run a place in a BM 78 at Randwick. Kept ticking over at the trials recently, and with enough speed and pressure on up front, will be charging home late. Keep safe too lightly raced and resuming stablemate 2. Willinga Freefall who bolted in the second of two trials. Locally-trained 3. Phearson is also nice and fresh off a forward trial, and draws the inside. Tough on speeder 4. Cuban Granchico is clear best of the rest fourth-up.

How to play it: The Himalayas each way
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R1 13. SHADOWS OF LOVE
R2 6. SEQUESTERED

BEST VALUE:
R6 11. KNICKPOINT

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