1. Barber brings the 'A Grade' two year old form into this having run in the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper at his past two starts. He had excuses when ninth in the Golden Slipper too. He travelled back and wide, never getting into the race. Godolphin also have a terrific recent record in this race saddling up four winners from the past nine runnings, the last three being Paulele, Bivouac and Astern. If James Cummings is happy to line up again with Barber he has obviously come through his recent runs well. That's enough of a push on it's own. Hugh Bowman won on the son of Exceed And Excel in the Golden Gift back in November and he jumps back on for the first time since. Barber has shown that he can settle anywhere in the run but imagine he'll camp midfield in what looks a fast run race.

Dangers: Annabel Neasham has always had this race in mind for 5. Libertad, even prior to his impressive debut win. It was at the midweeks and run in considerably slower time than the two-year-old fillies at the same meeting, but trusting your eye, it's all in front of this colt. 9. Saltaire found the 1200m a touch too far in the Sweet Embrace last start. She is well set up off a freshen back to 1100m and she maps beautifully to stalk the speed. Has impressed in a tickover trial since. 10. Remedies has a tricky gate to overcome but she too will appreciate the drop back in trip.

How To Play It: Barber WIN

2. Glint Of Silver proved his Autumn Stakes win was no fluke by subsequently running second to Zougotcha in the Phar Lap. That's obviously terrific form for this. Both of those runs were on good tracks so monitor track conditions.

Dangers: 10. Gan Teorainn is the wild card runner. The Irish import is already Group One placed in France over the mile. Hasn't had an official trial or jumpout which only adds to the intrigue. Market confidence will be all important. 5. Matcha Latte was ordinary in the Rosehill Guineas but it was only a month ago that he was fighting out the finish in the Hobartville alongside Osipenko. 6. The Fortune Teller has to be in the conversation too and while 12. Fall For Cindy looks destined for this grade, it's just whether it's come a preparation too soon. Will eat up the mile.

How To Play It: Glint Of Silver WIN

3. High Emocean comes into this with hidden form. The six-year-old has run in two slowly run races this time back. That doesn't suit given stamina is her biggest asset. Last start she contested the Manion Cup where Sir Lucan crawled along out in front turning it into a sprint home. She only beat two runners home but was only two lengths off the winner. The inside draw played against her too, unable to build into the race. The blinkers go on third up. There is intent to be read into that. The shades went on third up last preparation and she jumped out of the ground before ending her preparation with a Bendigo Cup win and a slashing Melbourne Cup third. You won't go too far wrong following Maher and Eustace in staying races either.

Dangers: 15. Almania also comes through the Manion and was also horribly suited. The market didn't miss his run though. He clocked a sub 34s last 600m split, and two lengths faster than the next best. A turn of foot over staying journeys is dynamite. He just has to produce it as the end of 2600m now. 12. Normandy Bridge didn't have the race run to suit in the Sky High Stakes last start behind Protagonist and Zeyrek either. He shapes to relish 2600m and will love getting his toe into the ground. The wide gate could mean that he gets out to big odds. 1. Stockman gives away plenty of weight but he too will appreciate some cut in the ground. All four of his runs this time back have been on good tracks. The Kiwi 4. Asterix shouldn't be underestimated.

How To Play It: High Emocean WIN

3. Sequestered can take advantage of a lack of speed in this race. That looks significant. The daughter of Pierro shouldn't have any problem holding a spot in behind the leaders. That's where she found herself at Hawkesbury four weeks ago and she justified being sent around an even money favourite. Sequestered held off Byron Belle who thereafter ran fifth in the Vinery beaten four lengths by Prowess and finishing on the heels of Pavitra. Sequestered has been back to the trials since her last start win given she is four weeks between runs and did it nicely. James Cummings has won two of the past three runnings of this race with Collette and Honeycreeper, making a habit of finding the right horse to get into the Oaks through the back door. Short enough but she's the filly to beat.

Dangers: The wide gate is against 2. Premise but look for her to be savaging the line, setting up a tilt at the Oaks. She shapes to relish further. The last start winner at Gosford is still trending upwards, like most staying fillies here. The upside with 4. Eau De Vie lies in getting out beyond the mile for the first time. She got control in front at Kembla Grange last start, in maiden company, and was entitled to win but she did it in style. That tactical speed could prove important without an obvious leader on paper. 9. Arts was beaten 15 lengths in the Kembla Grange Classic but loved the way she has trialled since in a deep heat. Might be the improver at odds. 6. Silvakia ran Premise to a length at Gosford. She might be looking for 2400m already.

How To Play It: Sequestered WIN

2. Testator Silens put his name in lights for this series by being beaten less than two lengths in a Group Three sprint behind Quantico at Randwick back in February. That was despite being seven weeks between runs. He qualified for the final by running a narrow second to Kimberley Secrets at Moruya. He was probably entitled to win his heat given the run he had and the way the track played that meeting but he couldn't reel in the leader. The five-year-old has been back to the trials since, to bridge the gap of four weeks between runs. Reluctant to score him down on last start given the margin back to third and on what he did not only at Randwick prior, but also in his two BM78 runs.

Dangers: 1. Akasawa has been kept fresh since winning his qualifier at Tamworth, to cope with staying at 1400m. The barrier probably dictates that he'll settle down out the back but he has got the finish to overcome that. The market looks to have the three main chances well corned, rounded out by 4. Talbragar. He was 1000m to 1400m second up in the Scone Wild Card to book his place, adding further merit to the victory and he finds James McDonald. 15. Running Bear wasn't beaten far by Akasawa at Tamworth and won at Warwick Farm thereafter. She is such a genuine mare and will park herself in the right spot from the draw. Look for 3. I've Bean Tryin' savaging the line late.

How To Play It: Testator Silens WIN

1. Cylinder has the perfect Sires' profile. That starts with coming through the Golden Slipper, which has provided 12 of the past 20 winners of this race and the last four. He was beaten fair and square there by Shinzo but there was a length and a half back to third and he was holding the rest of the field on the line. Nothing that finished behind him was a flashing light in terms of turning the tables out to 1400m. Looking at the pedigree of Cylinder, his dam won out to the mile so that holds no fears. Interestingly, James Cummings two previous Sires's winners ran second in the Golden Slipper prior (Anamoe and Microphone). The cherry on top is where James McDonald can land Cylinder in the run. Shouldn't have any excuses.

Dangers: 2. Don Corleone has always given the impression that he'd relish the mile. Hugh Bowman got a feel for him in the Golden Slipper and was able to position him midfield. We could see him even closer from barrier 2 on Saturday. Loved the strength 4. Veight showed when running right through the line at the end of 1400m last start. Amur has already franked that form line since. The barrier looks tricky but if he can find a three wide running line, the Victorian will take holding out. Needs to improve again but he's only had two starts and all indications are that he will. 8. Café Millenium is fast becoming the forgotten runner. He was outsprinted in the Todman behind Cylinder, not suited by the race shape. Would have liked to have seen more in his tickover trial since then, however.

How To Play It: Cylinder WIN

It doesn't take much imagination to dream up a scenario where 10. Giga Kick is still unbeaten. The three-year-old had no luck in the VRC Classic before having so much against him first up this preparation. He resumed in the Challenge Stakes and after knuckling at the start he picked himself up and motored to the line. The race wasn't set up for him to get as close as he did given the lack of pressure up front. He couldn't have gone much quicker than 32.33s. Comfortably the quickest fastest splits across the meeting. Of course, the only previous time he raced over the 1200m at Randwick he won the TAB Everest. A win here and there is no denying who is the new sprinting top dog in the country.

Dangers: Not convinced that 1. Nature Strip is a spent force just yet. He was disappointing first up in the Lightning Stakes, there is no denying that, but the eight-year-old has a history of bouncing back in a big way. The set up is perfect map-wise, with James McDonald following 13. Passive Aggressive across to control the tempo from outside of the lead. Mindful that 15. In Secret's two best performances have come down the Flemington straight but it's hard to deny her claims. Faces the prospect of seeing most of her rivals turning for home from the barrier. That could prove decisive in such a competitive race. Don't be too quick to discount 3. Private Eye. Drawing inside in the Newmarket looked problematic on paper for him and it turned out to be true.

How To Play It: Giga Kick WIN

21. Osipenko carries just 49kg and Chris Waller has won the Doncaster six times and three of those were three-year-olds. Osipenko won the Hobartville Stakes second up and looked primed to take out the Randwick Guineas thereafter only to be scratched on race morning with an elevated temperature. That saw the son of Pierro reappear four weeks later in the G1 George Ryder which has been the best guide to this race in recent years. He travelled sweetly in the run before blowing out late, as he was entitled to, yet was still only beaten 1.3L by Anamoe. That provides him a perfect platform to tackle the Randwick mile. Don't love barrier 1 but we'll leave that in the hands of Michael Dee.

Dangers: What has 5. Fangirl done wrong this time back? Nothing is the short answer. If it wasn't for Anamoe she'd also have the Chipping Norton and George Ryder on her CV. Barriers have had no baring on the Doncaster results in the past. It typically just means a better price. The drier the better for Fangirl, so she can unleash that exceptional turn of foot. You have to got back to 1999 to find the last filly to win the Doncaster but not many get the chance. Respect that Chris Waller runs 16. Zougotcha. She too can only improve off her last start performance and sets up to run a career peak herself. The defending champion 2. Mr Brightside doesn't have to prove himself. He already has. 17. Protagonist just has to prove sharp enough back from 2000m to the mile.

How To Play it: Osipenko WIN

15. Stroke Of Luck should be coming into this a last start winner of the Tulloch Stakes and three-year-olds with that profile have a brilliant record in the Derby on the back up. It would have just been a matter of how far had he seen daylight at any point in the straight. The son of Fastnet Rock is a half brother to a South Australian Derby winner so he'll relish the trip. Stroke Of Luck also has an eerily similar preparation to that of stablemate Benaud last year, who fell just short against Hitotsu. Love that he had a run against the older horses prior to the Tulloch, against Almania, to toughen him up. The middle draw looks perfect too, allowing Tom Marquand to blend into the race when the timing is right. Can only seeing him running well at big odds.

Dangers: 9. Mark Twain is completely untapped. His run in the NZ Derby was enormous. He'll need to turn the tables on the top three home there but that trio were all ridden with momentum. He wasn't afforded that opportunity. He tends to flop out the gates, however. The market has been quick to forget what 2. Manzoice did in the Victorian Derby over the spring. He simply outstayed his rivals. He has found himself in two races that he couldn't win this time back, given how they were run. Blinkers go on for the first time. It's remarkable that 1. Sharp 'N' Smart has won six from 11 but has never won by more than a length. He has a fierce will to win. 13. Major Beel comes out of two fast run races at his past couple and stuck on gamely on both occasions. 12. Virtuous Circle has knockout claims too.

How To Play It: Stroke Of Luck EACH WAY

2. Opal Ridge made a mess of her rivals first up in the Darby Munro Stakes. She was suited by the pressure up front but she was dominant at the finish. That's a new career best for the Luke Pepper-trained filly which sends an ominous warning shot to her rivals regarding what lies ahead this campaign. The daughter of Rubick only has to hold that form to prove the horse to beat in this. That's now five wins from eight starts and she's has won from 1000m out to 1400m, on a good track and a heavy track, from outside of the leader or back at the tail. It doesn't matter. The market has found her on the back of her return but rightly so. Looks one of the better best across the Randwick meeting.

Dangers: 1. Parisal has a picket fence going this preparation progressing from maiden company to a Group winner in three starts. She looked sure to be run down at Moonee Valley last start but was brave at the finish. That looks a key form reference for this with several rivals looking to turn the tables. 5. Magic Time is two from two and like the way she has jumped out ahead of her return. Respect the placement of Grahame Begg running in this first up. Godolphin have a stack of runners engaged but thought 9. Sumatra and 16. Seven Sisters both had knockout claims to get into the money. Was particularly taken by the trial of Sumatra and she maps the better of the two. 3. Dashing Legend will be hoping for a soft track.