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By Neil Evans

Track Soft 5 and rail True

Lightly raced 2. Bo Katan can resume with a bang on a track likely to drop in rating with rain forecast. Hit the line impressively from well back at only his second start against metro opposition last winter, draws to get plenty of cover, and has been fitted with TWO trials. Breeding suggests the softer the better.

Dangers: The betting will be a big indicator with 1. Good Once who resumes for a third prep off a quiet trial. Shown a liking to react early in the prep, but considering the weight and a tricky draw, opened under the odds. Keep safe 4. Densetsu who can improve sharply second-up from a softer draw with a gear change; while at longer odds 8. Reckless Intention second-up off a long break is the best of the rest.

How to play it: Bo Katan to win

Out to the mile here augurs well for progressive 2. Irish Anthem fourth-up. Hit the line in a handy metro Super Maiden two runs back before being freshened, and again doing his best work late after a tough run in similar company on Australia Day when it was hard to make up ground from the back. Can park further forward this time on a much better speed map, and only needs a clear crack at them from the 400m to prove too strong late.

Dangers: Over the odds is 4. Oakfield Zena who stays at the distance deep into the prep, and gets a significant jockey change. Improving 8. Noble Tess can peak fourth-up with blinkers going on; while including both 1. All Above who draws well and 7. Lost Illusions in trifecta and first fours.

How to play it: Irish Anthem to win and quinella 2 and 4

As is nearly always the case, tempo and tactics will dominate a small field over this trip. Home tracker 5. Doroskaya is primed to make it two wins from her last three over more ground. Tracked the speed before going home best to claim her maiden at Kembla before settling further back and running home fairly at Newcastle. Blinkers back on over this journey will sharpen her up, and from a more forward position, she can go home best.

Dangers: Well-bred metro raider 3. Counter hasn't missed a place in his last four, and is a natural threat also out in distance after charging home from the back on that same day as the top selection to be beaten under a length. Be surprised if anything else wins, but keep safe 1. Zegalo, who drops back sharply from Listed company, draws the fence, and winkers come off. Include 4. Caring Lass in all exotics.

How to play it: Doroskaya to win

Behind a four week freshen-up and trial, 2. Fludway can stroke here for a second career win. Was just fair running home at Gosford last time, but significantly back on much preferred soft ground is the big key.

Dangers: Big watch on 5. Impulsivity who dug in hard to win her maiden at Kembla fresh; while 3. Shako improves and is bred to thrive in soft going. Gap to the rest.

How to play it: Fludway to win

Not much between a few of these in another smaller field. Improving filly 11. Starmae stuck on well from just behind the speed in a Super Maiden with a bit more depth second-up. Again drawn to get a lovely track right behind the speed, and is bread to relish soft going. Scratched from Warwick Farm on Wednesday to be saved for this.

Dangers: Watch the betting closely on 5. Wellerman who draws well first-up off an 18 month break for the Waterhouse-Bott stable behind two trials. Tough 2. Jack Of Aces has gone back to the trials since three solid closing efforts. Right at home on rain-affected ground, and if he gets any sort of half decent tempo up front, will be finishing hard again; while 6. Hartman improves second-up over further, having won a heavy track trial last month.

How to play it: Starmae to win

Tricky maiden sprint for the girls, but promising Russian Revolution filly 7. Russian Snitzel can burst back on the scene five weeks after failing on debut as a short-priced favourite when she did plenty wrong, and earnt the wrath of stewards. Showed natural cruising speed to break the field early in a dominant trial win, and she's bred to explode on soft ground, with significantly a string of gear changes, including blinkers going on.

Dangers: Progressive 1. Art Volant went within a whisker of breaking through in a handy maiden at Newcastle third-up. Blinkers have been added, but she still looks under the odds if the track gets any worse than Soft 5, and jumps up sharply to 60kg. Deep Field filly 4. Cross Your Heart can make a statement on debut for the John O'Shea yard, despite drawing wide. Was pushed out to win a competitive trial, breaking 33 secs for her last 600m, and she looks a real ready-to-go and racy prospect. Include both debutant Hellbent mare 2. Hell Oh Baby behind two progressive trials; and 8. Nettles resuming for a second prep off two trials; in wider exotic plays.

How to play it: Russian Snitzel to win

Plenty of chances here, starting with progressive colt 3. Navy Blood who can go back-to-back third-up. Stretched out nicely from midfield to easily run over a Class 1 field at Gosford two weeks back, and this isn't strong. Up in weight, but drawn to get plenty of cover, and be saved for one final surge from the 350m. Another one preferred here to Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Dangers: Expecting a much better effort at good odds from 2. Super who was disappointing late in deeper provincial grade 12 days ago, but did cop a checkered path, and gets some weight relief after the jockey's claim. Both 5. Sumo Star down in class and local mare 6. Oakfield Redgum first-up; can run into the minor money.

How to play it: Navy Blood to win

Improving four-year-old 4. O'Tycoon is well placed second-up off a lengthy break. Was heavily backed when running home hard from midfield at Gosford just 15 days ago, and like him staying at the distance on a track that suits those better from off the speed.

Dangers: Country-based 1. Debussy is a reliable weight carrier, and well over the mark after a strong second up win at CL3 level when weaving a path home from a mile back at Coffs. Two runners resuming, home tracker 2. Oakfield Triumph behind two trials; and 5. The Swopper who looked nice and forward claiming a recent open class trial; can both figure in the money.

How to play it: O'Tycoon to win

BEST BETS:
R1 2. BO KATAN
R6 7. RUSSIAN SNITZEL

BEST VALUE:
R4 2. FLUDWAY

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