4. Media Starguest has never won over a trip shorter than 1400m but he matched motors with the speedy Expat over 1250m first up last preparation. That was the start of a fruitful campaign. He won second up despite covering ground throughout, beating 11. Favra, before winning again at his sixth run of the preparation. That was at Canterbury over 1550m, where he beat Gemmahra and Mubariz. The only conceivable reason we are getting a price well into double figures is the perceived distance query. 3. Air To Air looks well-placed in BM72 company given how well she ran in group company against her own sex over the autumn. No gate speed so don’t expect her to use the draw to be closer. That get-back style is why she has won just one from 16.
How to play it: Media Starguest each way.

Race 5 — 2.50PM ROBRICK LODGE FILANTE HCP (1400m)

1. Emerald Kingdom resumed at Eagle Farm two weeks ago and was run down by even-money favourite Apache Chase. History suggests that he improves significantly first up (7:1-1-1) into his second up run (6:4-1-0) so sucha strong return sees him particularly well set up in this. Love the pairing with Tim Clark. There are a couple of rivals that are capable of punching up from inside of Emerald Kingdom, but if he can clear 2. Quackerjack, he becomes very hard to run down. Not many horses around can match the finishing speed of 4. Criaderas but, when you settle so far back in your races, you’re still going to lose more than you win once you race through the grades. He was again a sectional standout when a narrow second to Think It Over first up last preparation.
How to play it: Emerald Kingdom to win.

Race 6 — 3.25PM GEYER HCP (1600m)

8. Ruby Tuesday should have been fighting out the finish with 6. Shibli last start at Rosehill. The five-year-old was all bottled up with nowhere to go in the straight. The mile holds no fears for this Gary Portelli-trained mare, having beaten Mightybeel over 1500m back in April before putting together a string of good runs in deeper races than this. Open race and worth an each way ticket. 12. Sammy didn’t fire a shot in the Silver Eagle last start. His win in a Newcastle C1 three back was exceptional. It was lesser grade but, if he can find that form again, he’d win this. It’s just hard to trust him! Keen to see him at a mile again. Shibli is chasing three straight and maps to get every chance to do it.
How to play it: Ruby Tuesday each way.

Race 7 — 4.10PM CLUBSNSW CITY TATTERSALLS CLUB CUP (2400m)

6. Achiever only has a couple of gears and the way he is racing as a four-year-old this preparation suggests he will relish 2400m. It’s a trip he has only tackled once and he ran fourth in the G1 Queensland Derby, finishing just half a length off Explosive Jack. Gets some weight relief and love the look of this map for him. It’s been a mixed bag for 2. Cepheus in his first Australian preparation. He needs a firm deck. He proved that last start when third to Think It Over in the G2 Hill Stakes. Has trialled sweetly since and the 2400m is ideal now but it’s just how much of a start he’ll give away. Sets up to run the best race of his campaign.
How to play it: Achiever each way.

Race 8 — 4.45PM BONDI STAKES (1600m)

Set weights. Mile. It’s hard to ignore the obvious in 1. Hilal. It’s been a pretty simple formula in finding the two winners of the Bondi Stakes run to date, Kubrick and Peltzer. They were both the highest-rated runners in the field and jumped favourite. All roads lead back to Hilal. He was disappointing in his first three runs back this time, having showed so much as a two-year-old, but bounced back in the Stan Fox a fortnight ago. If he holds that form now he should win this too. He simply possessed a turn of foot that 2. Coastwatch couldn’t match. Certainly respect the fact that Coastwatch jumped $2.10 compared to Hilal’s $8, but how does Coastwatch turn the tables off that? Particularly given where they have both drawn.
How to play it: Hilal to win.

Race 9 — 5.35PM THE INVITATION (1400m)

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Don’t overlook 8. Rocha Clock. The five-year-old mare did more than enough first up over 1200m in the Nivison. It was clearly the run she needed to have her cherry ripe for this race. Second up her form reads 4:2-0-1 and her record over 1400m is 6:3-1-0. It’s been a carefully orchestrated campaign by John O’Shea to have her peaking, and her best shakes the life out of this race. 6. Entriviere was set mission impossible at Rosehill last start after 7. Vangelic stacked her rivals up in front. 10. Icebath had to check off her heels before hitting the line hardest late, with a sizzling 10.76s last 200m. Icebath was subsequently luckless in the Epsom too. Under the right set of circumstances, it wouldn’t be a stretch to mark her favourite but the wide draw and likelihood of a dry track don’t help.
How to play it: Rocha Clock each way.

Race 10 — 6.10PM SOUTHERN CROSS GROUP HCP (1200m)

9. Gravina has been an unlucky loser in both of his runs this time back. In the latest of those he savaged the line behind Big Parade, clocking some of the fastest closing splits across the entire meeting. Big Parade franked the form by subsequently impressing in the Sydney Stakes with Prime Candidate, through the same two races, giving the form a further upgrade. Gets the right set-up to atone. 2. Marway could jump out of the ground third up. Has needed a couple of runs to clean up this time back and out to 1200m with two runs under his belt, he is dangerous. Josh Parr will get his rivals off the bit and chasing a long way from home. 6. Belluci Babe possesses a sharp turn of foot and it saw her measure up in group company last start.
How to play it: Gravina to win.

Tips supplied by Racing NSW.
Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.