Ultra-genuine mare 11. Tantalum can finally break through fourth-up at her 20th start. She has run into the finish in her last couple around the Riverina when hard in the market and will be afforded a charmed run from this draw back off the speed with plenty of cover. Furthermore, a more seasoned rider is hopping aboard.
Dangers: Keep safe 2. Bounty By Knight, who is tracking to peak third-up over more ground. Respect too for locally trained 12. Sweet Treats, rising in distance third-up. 1. Bledisloe has been very disappointing in his last couple, but a sharp drop back to this trip is significant.
How to play it: Tantalum to win.
Race 5 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1300m)
Liked the way progressive three-year-old 2. Vegas Dream found the line in heavy ground when resuming at Albury in his first run since late December. His only career win so far has come second-up, and on preferred soft going here he is primed to not only win, but conquer better races deeper into the campaign.
Dangers: Over the odds is improving home tracker 9. Griffinstown Girl, who can peak third-up from a soft trailing draw with a 2kg claim. 3. Brohm Lake resumes in a thinner country line-up.
How to play it: Vegas Dream to win.
Race 6 CLASS 2 HCP (1000m)
Talented home track mare 5. Miss Thatcher finds a very winnable race first-up with a 3kg claim in play. She has tactical and sectional speed and her best form is clearly early in the prep.
Dangers: Speedy 2. Joey D’or is well-placed fourth-up coming back from a Saturday grade C1 over the Scone carnival in a race that had solid formlines and superior depth. Stablemate filly 7. Line Of Law improves sharply second-up. There’s a gap to the rest headed by resuming 10. Artiebett.
How to play it: Miss Thatcher to win.
Race 7 CLASS 1 HCP (1200m)
Lightly raced and promising local filly 2. Aunty Ginny can pay back punters here second-up and five weeks between runs. Looked home for all money when resuming as a heavily backed favourite here before rolling back to the fence late and was swamped in the final strides. Given time since, she is reportedly working well and is primed to return to winning ways in suitable soft going.
Dangers: Emerging home tracker 4. Joyner looks the clear threat from a soft draw and 10 days after a smart second-start maiden win. It would be a shock if the winner comes from outside that pair, but keep safe 5. White Tights, deep into the prep, and last-start heavy track maiden winner 10. Sydney Gal, who adds value into trifectas and first fours.
How to play it: Aunty Ginny to win.
Race 8 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1500m)
The widest and toughest race of the day is saved for last over a middle distance. Ex-South Australian mare 1. Field The Moment has had one useful run for the new Goulburn stable since switching states and will relish the extra trip here. She was competitive into a place in handy city races back in SA and looks reasonably placed at the weights after the jockey’s claim in this company.
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Dangers: The market will tell a big story with progressive three-year-old staying type 5. Majorian resuming for an in-form metro stable and fitted with a pair of searching trials. Keep safe 10. Steely Girl, who is hard fit and deep into the prep. Both 2. Packer and 3. Rangatira edge out a little further in distance and 6. Rush Attack draws wide third-up, but his only career win so far came at the same stage of his initial prep.
How to play it: Field The Moment to win.
BEST BETS: R5 (2) Vegas Dream, R7 (2) Aunty Ginny.
BEST VALUE: R6 (5) Miss Thatcher.
Supplied by Racing NSW
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au