Neil Evans' Tips for Port Macquarie (Monday)

Track likely Good 4 and rail true:

Race 1 BENCHMARK 66 HCP (2000m):

We start the show over the longer trip, and progressive four-year-old 2. Gulf Of Tomini is well placed to go back-to-back stepping up in grade fourth-up. Has been hitting the line all prep, and charged home to claim a BM 58 here 13 days ago carrying 2kg more.

Dangers: No question 1. Better Not Bitter is the major threat from a soft draw over a furlong further after finishing best to win a CL1 here on the same day. Be surprised if anything else wins, but keep safe consistent 3. Strobing who keeps improving, having won two of his last three; while 4. Your Temptation heads the rest rising in distance, with blinkers coming off.

How to play it: Gulf Of Tomini to win and quinella 1 and 2
Odds and Evens: Split

Race 2 MAIDEN PLATE (1200m):

Plenty of chances in this wide open sprint for the maidens. Liked the way improving five-year-old 7. The Percentage hit the line from a mile back here 13 days ago. Still trying to break through at his 18th start, but is hard-fit fifth-up, can settle closer this time from a softer draw, and looks well placed with a 2kg claim on a firming track.

Dangers: A stack of candidates. Big watch on 4. Cynic who resumes for a noted fresh yard, and off a forward open class trial. Another one on the cusp of breaking through is 11. Icon Of Style who is plenty fit deep into the prep, and chased home a dominant winner here 10 days ago. Improving Japanese-bred three-year-old 5. Daimyo is better served on the dryer track second-up, although drawn wide; while 3. Crown'm resuming at big odds; and 8. Avoid Me who will relish more ground from a soft draw; are both capable of running into the money.

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

Race 3 MAIDEN PLATE (1000m):

Back to the five furlong dash, and it shapes ideally for home track three-year-old 3. Passionate Rebel reloading off a 10 week break and tidy trial. Showed enough improvement last prep in deeper maidens, and the top country jockey hops aboard.

Dangers: Plenty of respect for lightly raced 10. Grand Horizon who draws wide, but can progress off a fast-finishing return here in what was her first outing for nine months. The market should be a strong guide with provincial two-year-old 14. Justiciar who debuts having won the second of two recent trials. Gap to the rest headed by progressive 8. Bubbles For Me who hit the line late at her third start; and 9. Falreine who is honest and draws the inside.

How to play it: Passionate Rebel to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Race 4 MAIDEN HCP (1500m):

Middle distance maidens are never easy, but there's real value with consistent and tough finishing filly 1. Madam Rock who is bursting to win fifth-up in her first full prep. Has run home into a place here in her last three, and while again she'll be forced to go well back from a wide gate, the step up in trip in a race of less depth are big factors.

Dangers: Honest filly 4. Bonnie Vale is also fit, and has placed in two of her last three around the region. Expect sharp improvement fourth-up from local 7. Crux Rebellion with the blinkers coming off fourth-up; while at even bigger odds, stablemate three-year-old 9. Dispute can also run into the minor money fourth-up from a softer draw. Must include 6. Astral Thoughts drawn out fourth-up in exotic plays.

How to play it: Madam Rock to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Race 5 CLASS 2 HCP (1500m):

Good race for this class. All aboard improving three-year-old filly 5. Mischievous Molly who can go back-to-back fourth-up behind a smart maiden win here as a hot favorite. Draws to roll forward using tactical speed, destined to win better races, and like most of the Sooboog stock prefers dry ground.

Dangers: Improving local 2. Narnia will be hard to hold out third-up and carrying 3kg less after rushing home to miss narrowly in a BM 58 here 10 days ago. Watch the betting big time on lightly raced provincial staying six-year-old 4. Winter Thorn who resumes off a nine week break and quiet trial. Keep safe 3. Bantarki who comes back from an even effort in much tougher Highway company 23 days between runs. Both 7. Nothing's Sacred fifth-up with key gear changes; and 11. Sandpiper third-up from a soft draw; can pump further value into exotic returns.

How to play it: Mischievous Molly to win
Odds and Evens: Split

Race 6 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1000m):

Very keen to back still improving home track three-year-old 2. October Revolution deep into the prep over his pet trip. Powered through weaker grades before unlucky not to salute here 10 days ago when finishing hard from midfield to miss by a long head. Drawn to settle back and stay out of trouble, with a superior jockey taking over.

Dangers: Big watch on lightly raced 1. Iobject first-up for 19 weeks from a handy draw, with an important 3kg claim. Did win comfortably on debut late last year when backed from $3.50 into $2.80. Gap to the rest headed by 3. Telegraph who won a weak CL1 here fourth-up; while 5. Cavente is a worthy exotic runner third-up with some weight relief.

How to play it: October Revolution to win
Odds and Evens: Split a special

Race 7 BENCHMARK 74 HCP (1200m):

Up in grade now for a much tougher contest, with plenty of chances. Keen at the value on progressive Coffs four-year-old 5. Jamesonheart second-up. Wasn't suited cluttered up inside resuming in similar company, but drawn to get to the outside here over a furlong further is far more his go. Already built a nice little record from six starts.

Dangers: Plenty of them headed by ultra honest home track mare 10. Darci Diva who cruised home to win a CL2 here three starts back, and was close-up in a handy CL3 earlier this month carrying 3.5kg more. Another one right in the mix on a handy speed map is provincial-based 9. Lambdoma Energy five weeks between runs after sweeping home to beat a similar field at this track when backed from $5.00 into $4.60. Improving 15. Jetpack second-up with blinkers off again if he gets a run; and ex-Victorian 12. Kosowski first-up at big odds for the new Coffs yard with blinkers back on; can both run into the minor money

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

Race 8 CLASS 1 HCP (1200m):

There was a lot to like about progressive three-year-old 2. Rommel's Wolf, charging home to win here 13 days ago off a 30 week break, and having his first outing since being transferred up from Victoria. Suited stepping up a furlong, and again is drawn to settle back off the speed with cover, and produce a telling final 400m.

Dangers: Naturally, from a soft draw and off a dominant maiden win here 13 days ago, provincial filly 3. Equivocal is a big threat. No doubting 1. Assiduity has more than enough ability second-up with blinkers coming off, but will need some early luck from the wide barrier under 60kg. Include both 7. Yehbut resuming; and stablemate 10. First Secret off a 10 week freshen-up; in trifecta and first fours.

How to play it: Rommel's Wolf to win
Odds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS:
R3 3. PASSIONATE REBEL
R6 2. OCTOBER REVOLUTION

BEST VALUE:
R5 5. MISCHIEVOUS MOLLY


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