1. Morning Sun was first up after a 34-week break with the lack of late market support suggesting he’d need the run. He was too good regardless. He sat outside of the leader and won eased down on the line. The six-year-old, with just 11 starts to his name, showed good talent in his first Australian preparation, placing in three runs. His form around Age Of Sail reads well now. The strength of his return suggests that he can go on with it. We’ll get a line on the Piraeus form line earlier in the meeting when it comes to the chances of 10. Harlow Mist. Like the way she fought to win a Midway last start. There is more depth here and she was given a 10/10 ride from Nash Rawiller, but she can improve again off that out to 1800m and fourth up. Nash sticks. The upside with 3. Bullets High is getting out to 1800m now. A lack of speed has been an excuse at his past two start. He shouldn’t have that here looking at the map.
How To Play It: Morning Sun WIN

Race 6 - 3:30PM TAB COUNTRY CLASSIC (2000 METRES)

This looks a real target race for 15. Dances With Hooves. Scone-based trainer Cam Crockett has his mare tackling this fifth up out to 2000m. All four runs back have been in slowly run races. There are a few key pointers to an improved run on Saturday, with one of them being the promise of a truly run race given the capacity field. Another is the likelihood of a rain-affected track. It doesn’t need to be soaked. Just the edge off. As it was at Scone when she won a Highway last campaign before spelling. It was an emphatic win. 6. Belvedere Boys should have been in the finish at Doomben last start. He hunted for a run up the inside but ran out of room late. Doesn’t do himself any favours with slow getaways, but he does look well-placed here off his best form. Won a Highway his only previous Rosehill run. Loves wet ground. The only niggle is the 2000m for the first time.
How To Play It: Dances With Hooves WIN

Race 7 - 4:05PM TOYOTA FORKLIFTS STARLIGHT STAKES (1100 METRES)

10. Pereille was set an impossible task first up in the Choisir behind Dragonstone. He was forced to settle out the back in a slowly run race. He ran as well as he could given the set-up, beaten a length. The winner has since franked that form in the Warra at Kembla Grange. This week Pereille drops to 53.5kg, draws barrier 2 instead of barrier 11 and should get a rain-affected surface. Back in May he put four lengths on his rivals on a heavy track at the Sunshine Coast. 4. Our Kobison has won six of his 12 starts. His record, and upward spiral, prompted trainer Angela Davies to run him in the Show County second up last campaign. He ran second to Joliestar, beaten three lengths. Races well fresh and has residual fitness. 1. Front Page has a class edge on these. The gamble is that fresh has been best with the eight-year-old in his past campaigns. He also won’t want too much rain.
How To Play It: Pereille WIN

Race 8 - 4:45PM JAMES SQUIRE FESTIVAL STAKES (1500 METRES)

2. Mighty Ulysses has had six starts in Australia. By far the best two performances have been on soft tracks. That could be key to him bouncing back on Saturday with rain forecast ahead of Saturday. The Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained import won over 1400m first up, chasing down Buffalo River. That was on a soft track at Caulfield. Impressive win. He wasn’t able to replicate that on a good track at Flemington two weeks ago despite jumping a $10 chance in the Lithgow Stakes behind Another Wil, Jimmystar and Steparty. 4. Chrysaor is another runner that should appreciate getting back onto a wet track. The four-year-old was a big winner over 1400m first up at Flemington. It was rated Heavy 8 that meeting. Since then he has raced in the Epsom, Golden Eagle and The Hunter. He was better last start, making some late ground behind Briasa. The first three in the run were the first three home.
How To Play It: Mighty Ulysses WIN

Race 9 - 5:20PM ATC CUP (2000 METRES)

14. Townsend was a brilliant all-the-way winner at Newcastle second up. He found the front comfortably before cranking up the pressure in the middle stages. He pinched a four length break turning for home and was never going to be caught from there. The four-year-old resumed after a 54-week break this time back and only had one run as a three-year-old. He had missed a lot of racing but is making up for lost time. As a two-year-old the son of Dundeel ran third in a Fernhill behind Tom Kitten and again placed behind Militarize in the G1 Champagne Stakes. He’ll go straight to the front again. Gets a weight drop up in grade and handles all conditions. 13. Hopeful could be a sharp improver. He was beaten 30 lengths by Townsend first up but pulled up with cardiac arrythmia. Then add into the picture the prospect of rain. He is a wet tracker. That makes him dangerous at big odds. 2. Naval College was disappointed for a run just as he was making his move in the Beauford last start. He probably should have won.
How To Play It: Townsend WIN

Race 10 - 5:55PM KIA ORA PRAGUE HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

15. Eye Of The Fire sprinted quickly to win at Canterbury first up. It was a rails-hugging ride from Jason Collett which proved the winning move but he breezed past the odds on favourite Kerguelen. The four-year-old sprinter had a busy seven run first preparation, showing glimpses of brilliance but he was learning on the job. In his first five starts he was ridden for speed yet had the tendency of overdoing it. He has been ridden with cover in his latest three and the penny is dropping. The prospect of a soft track won’t bother him. 5. Confess Our Dreams stalked the speed and ran out a dominant winner over the Rosehill 1100m three weeks ago. That was in mares company, and she was given the run of the race. It’s a different set-up here from a trickier draw and with apprentice Zac Wadick given the ride, to offset the 60kg. 13. Amazing Eagle won the Brian Crowley first up off a 30-week break and did it from in front. Has trialled well since to bridge the five weeks between runs.
How To Play It: Eye Of The Fire WIN

BEST BETS
Race 9: (14) Townsend. Race 5: (1) Morning Sun
BEST VALUE
Race 6: (15) Dances With Hooves

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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au