Race 1 3YO CLASS 1 PLATE (1000m):
We open Provincial-Midway Championship Qualifying day over the sprint trip on an improving surface. This shapes nicely on the map for progressive Sooboog filly 4. Hermosa Rosa at third start. Swept home for the easiest of maiden wins in a weak country field before being ridden quieter and charging home late in a country BM 58. Goes to provincial level for the first time, but can park closer from this barrier, and will relish the long run home.
Dangers: Naturally big watch on Randwick-based 2. Martial Music resuming as a gelding in easier company with gear changes, and behind a dominant trial win. Gap to the rest headed by home track filly 5. Layin' Four first-up with a 2kg claim.
How to play it: Hermosa Rosa to win and quinella 2 and 4
Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 2 COLTS, GELDINGS & ENTIRES MAIDEN PLATE (1400m):
Handy depth in this maiden at set weights. Randwick three-year-old 6. Invincible Legend can make sharp improvement second-up and draws to get to the outside. Copped interference early when resuming at the provincials, and was forced to come through inferior ground, so very forgiving. Was considered good enough to tackle deeper city company in his opening prep last spring.
Dangers: Capable metro three-year-old 4. Flexing returns for a second prep behind two trials, and significantly without the blinkers. Was scratched from Goulburn on Friday to be saved for this. Watch the betting on Frankel three-year-old 1. Daddy Frank who starts his career off two recent improving trials for a powerhouse stable. Included in exotic 2. Elle's Dream who debuted in that same race as the top selection; and 5. Incivility third-up.
How to play it: Invincible Legend to win
Odds and Evens: Evens
Race 3 FILLIES & MARES MAIDEN PLATE (1400m):
Keen here on progressive and lightly raced Sacred Falls three-year-old 9. Fall For Cindy who peaks second-up staying at the distance from a softer draw. Hit the line late behind a handy winner 15 days ago, and with that early cover, she can produce a superior closing 400m burst.
Dangers: Big watch on well bred filly 5. Beautiful Heart who resumes off a near seven month spell and two quiet trials, and on debut last winter ran a subsequent Group winner to under two lengths. Another metro three-year-old right in contention is 7. Choose Your Words third-up from a good on-speed draw, and gets nice weight relief after the claim. Another one from the city, 10. Tot Of Rum also improves second-up.
How to play it: Fall For Cindy to win
Odds and Evens: Odds
Race 4 PROVINCIAL CLASS 1 HCP (1400m):
Hard to go past progressive and talented local filly 6. Zarni who can go back-to-back at her fourth start. Sat closer to the lead here and was edged out four weeks ago before being ridden quieter and powering home to blow her rivals away and pull off a strong betting move. Still improving, stays at the trip, and draws to get ideal cover early.
Dangers: Must respect resuming 3. Cosmic Field who swept home to win a one-off debut at the provincials last spring, and tuned up for this with a dominant heavy track trial win. At bigger odds, keep safe too 2. Acceber who resumes off a smart trial win here; while 1. Herb dropping back from much tougher Midway company fourth-up; and 4. Bully For You who draws the fence deep into the prep; can both run into the minor money.
How to play it: Zarni to win
Odds and Evens: Split
Race 5 MAIDEN HCP (1200m):
Not much between a few of these. Settled on improving Pariah filly 7. Astelena who peaks second-up, and has an edge in race fitness against her main rivals. Only held her ground resuming, but much better suited on the bigger track here where she can be ridden from a little further back.
Dangers: Merchant Navy-sired 1. Binghamton caught the eye running home late first-up off a long break at Hawkesbury; while keeping safe 2. Mr Extreme who returns for only her second start behind an eight month break and two trials. Gap to the rest headed by home track mare 4. Proklisi resuming.
How to play it: Astelena to win
Odds and Evens: Split
Race 6 COLTS, GELDINGS & ENTIRES BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1200m):
Even tougher and more finely balanced here, with several chances. None are better value, though, than resuming three-year-old 3. Token Capitalist behind two progressive trials up to and past this distance. Came to hand quickly last prep comfortably winning his provincial maiden before progressing to Group company in spring where he equipped himself well. This shapes as an ideal first-up task.
Dangers: The money will naturally tell a story with Zoustar colt 2. Scientist who resumes for a second prep off two reasonably forward trials. Led all the way to beat a handy metro maiden field at second start late last winter before outclassed a long way in Listed company. Big watch on another first-up talent in ex-Victorian four-year-old 7. Thalursian who makes his NSW debut for the Hawkes stable off an impressive open class trial. Both 1. Shadow Devil dropping back from tougher metro company fourth-up; and at bigger odds 5. Bowie Of Dubai up in grade shooting for three straight wins this prep; go in trifecta and first four plays.
How to play it: Token Capitalist to win
Odds and Evens: Split
Race 7 FILLIES & MARES BENCHMARK 64 HCP (1200m):
Now the girls edition, and while again it's an open affair, looks the right ticket for city four-year-old 1. Jayanthi fourth-up. Ripped home to win a BM 72 Mares race at Warwick Farm two starts back before inexplicably flat at Canterbury, but seemed to resent being ridden too close to the speed. Better off back on a bigger circuit where she can track up to the outside and let down from the 300m.
Dangers: Keep safe 4. Lomandra at third start, back from deeper metro opposition, with the winkers coming off. Include in exotics, 2. Arale fourth-up; 5. Verzenay also fourth-up with a key jockey change; and 7. Diamond City resuming after two trials for a leading metro stable.
How to play it: Jayanthi to win
Odds and Evens: Split
Race 8 POLYTRACK PROVINCIAL-MIDWAY CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER (1400m):
We close with the feature run at set weights and Class 5 level, and no surprise it's by far the toughest and most open race of the day. Among several chances, big finishing five-year-old 4. Spangler gets his chance to qualify second-up off a seven week break, with blinkers importantly being added. Worked home well enough to be beaten only four lengths in a previous Qualifier on a shifty track, and fitter now with more speed up front, he'll be rattling home into the finish at good odds.
Dangers: Plenty of them headed by 13. Short Shorts who resumes off two progressive trials, has a smart fresh record, and well served under the conditions carrying only 55.5kg considering he's a BM 78 city winner. Must respect improving 1. Kingsheir second-up; as well as tough four-year-old 2. Contributingfactor who did his best work late third-up in a Provincial Qualifier only nine days ago; while 5. Ting Tong first-up behind two quiet trials; and 12. Cloudland at big odds who is unbeaten fresh from two runs; head the rest.
How to play it: Spangler each way
Odds and Evens: Split
BEST BETS:
R3 9. FALL FOR CINDY
R4 6. ZARNI
BEST VALUE:
R6 3. TOKEN CAPITALIST
