3. Monte Ditto has never raced better. He isn’t getting any younger as a seven-year-old but he is lightly raced with just 32 starts. He was seven weeks between runs at Rosehill last start, making late headway behind Mars Mission in what looks a key form reference for this. His record at Rosehill reads 8:2-1-2. It’s a little surprising given his racing style. Monte Ditto has trialled since and looked sharp in winning his heat. Two starts ago he took the scalp of short priced favourite Fire while prior to that he ran on into second behind Shades Of Rose. 8. Rupertaar is three from three first up. She’s a rocket fresh. The soft gate enhances her prospects of making if four from four and she trialled brilliantly ahead of her return. When Rupertaar won first up last preparation, 14. Twice As Special savaged the line from last. Knockout claims.
How to play it: Monte Ditto each way.

RACE 6 – 3.20PM TAB COUNTRY CLASSIC (2000m)

7. Point Counterpoint has returned in career-best form. The 38-week spell clearly did the five-year-old no harm. He won the Moree Cup over 1400m first up before backing that up at Canterbury to win at the midweeks. He’s discovered a turn of foot! He then tackled the Little Dance three weeks ago and was charging through the line to be beaten a length by 1. Dream Runner. That run over the mile should top him off perfectly for 2000m fourth up. Then throw into the mix how well he maps. Perfectly set up. 17. Proost has hit the ground running for Paul Shailer. The mare has won three of her five starts since being transferred to Port Macquarie andshe’s looked brilliant in those three victories. She was deep-ended in the Taree Cup last start and no match in the end for Military Mission but she started hard in the market there. It was a stepping stone to get her to this race at peak fitness.
How to play it: Point Counterpoint to win.

RACE 7 – 4PM ELITE SAND AND SOIL CUP (2000m)

15. Rondino has to make the transition from benchmark racing into Listed company but stayers tend to have no trouble doing that at this level. The five-year-old is flying at the moment. He was six weeks between runs tackling 1850m at Newcastle two weeks ago and showed a brilliant turn of foot to get home over the top of Global Ausbred. Prior to that he put a gap on his rivals out to 2400m at Rosehill on a good track. There’s enough in the price to gamble that Rondino can take the next step. 5. Longvillers produced an eye-catching sixth behind Ellsberg in his first Australian run, clocking the fastest closing splits in the race. Better suited out to 2000m second up and there are no Epsom winners here. James McDonald is tasked with overcoming the wide gate. 14. Steely has won well out to 1800m in the past so doubt 2000m pulls him up, particularly from the soft draw.
How to play it: Rondino to win.

RACE 8 – 4.40PM FURPHY FESTIVAL STAKES (1500m)

7. Coal Crusher has to stretch his brilliance to 1500m for the first time but if he’s ever going to get it, it’ll be at Rosehill. The extra kicker is the control he maps to get up front. The five-year-old bounced back to his best at Newcastle last start, blitzing his rivals from in front. That’s the key to him. Let him run. His high cruising speed is his best asset and know he is hard fit deep into a campaign, there’s no need to hold him up. Glyn Schofield has a terrific affinity with the Joe Pride-trained gelding. The pair have combined eight times for six wins. 8. Charleise was never a hope in the Hot Danish. She sizzled home in some of the fastest closing splits of the meeting for fifth. First up was a complete forget on a bottomless track. 1. Sunshine Rising was a genuine G1 horse in Hong Kong.
How to play it: Coal Crusher to win.

RACE 9 – 5.20PM DRINKWISE STARLIGHT STAKES (1100m)

12. Zethus beat Clemenceau fair and square at Moonee Valley first up this preparation and the race that Clemenceau won thereafter at Randwick is a key form reference for this. Zethus has run twice since then, hence why we are getting a price. Second up he travelled three deep the trip at Caulfield and boxed on well when third to Gravina, who ran third in The Hunter. Then never looked comfortable down the Flemington straight. 8. Dragonstone clocked sizzling closing splits in defeat in the Warra last Saturday. He has backed up once in the past and produced the best win of his career. 10. Fox Fighter gets conditions to suit. He too possesses an electric turn of foot, particularly on top of the ground. Back to 1100m doesn’t hurt and he flies at Rosehill (6:2-1-2).
How to play it: Zethus each way.

RACE 10 – 5.55PM ELITE QUARRY PRODUCTS HCP (1400m)

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The market has been quick to forget about 8. Bend The Knee. Probably too quick to be fair. The four-year-old resumed as a gelding at Rosehill three weeks ago and was forced back to last in a race that turned into a sprint home over 1200m. The first four runners home settled first, second, fourth and fifth in the run. He was only beaten 1.6 lengths by Vilana in the South Pacific Classic as a three-year-old. 13. Banju gets a 8.5kg weight swing on 2. Cavalier Charles. He’ll need to turn around a 2.5L margin from three weeks ago but he was only first up and maps better here than Cavalier Charles. 10. Tonneofgrit gets a perfect set-up third up over 1400m from a soft draw. He worked home well behind 15. Short Shorts last start and gets blinkers first time.
How to play it: Bend The Knee each way.

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

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