Race-by-race preview and tips for Saturday meeting at Wyong

Race 1 - 12.35pm: HERITAGE REAL ESTATE (1200 METRES)

3. Namaste won a recent Warwick Farm trial in good style. He first trialled in September, where it all came too soon, boxing away to be beaten five lengths by North England. The Savabeel colt, trained by Bjorn Baker, obviously took benefit from a break. There was a lot to like about how he executed in his recent trial win, too. He was the fastest out of the barriers, took up the running and found late. That trial looks the obvious reference for this with Barbarossa working home late into sixth. The early betting marks those as two of the main dangers to Namaste. The other piece to that trial puzzle is that Coolmore colt Wodeton ran second and he has already been backed in the Golden Slipper despite being unsighted at the races. Godolphin colt 1. Barbarossa is a half-brother to group 1-placed sprinter Encryption, being out of gun mare Guelph. He cruised to the line under a hold in his first Hawkesbury trial before being asked to do more at Warwick Farm. He closed off well, under some riding. Maps to get his chance. Godolphin’s Lonhro filly 6. Charlecote Mill has been held together in two trials. She looks to be better than her trial finishing positions suggest.

How to play it: Namaste wo win.

Trafalgar Square looks the best bet in a wide open Midway.Credit: Getty Images

Race 2 - 1.10pm: CENTRAL COAST MAYOR’S MIDWAY HANDICAP (1600m)

14. Trafalgar Square has to jump from 1200m to the mile, but her pedigree suggests that she’ll handle the trip being a daughter of Churchill. Not sure where else to turn to in this Midway. It’s a lottery. At least Trafalgar Square does have some upside being a three-year-old filly. She also comes through one of the best Midways we’ve seen run recently with Zoubaby, Emmadella and High Blue Sea all running well subsequently. Thought she had her chance given she settled in behind the speed in a slowly run race, but she looked one paced to the line, holding her ground. It’s worth a shot out to 1600m now. She carries 52.5kg for Zac Lloyd, maps well and was running around in group races against her own age in September. Seems to respond well to being kept fresh, too. Have got slight trust issues with 8. Edmond, but he does look to have returned well. Should have finished closer at Warwick Farm first up before he was only beaten half a length by the unbeaten Magic Stalker at Kembla Grange last start. Should get the right run. The same can’t be said for 3. Magnatear where he has drawn. It looks problematic. Appears to only be a matter of time before he wins a Midway.

How to play it: Trafalgar Square to win.

Race 3 - 1.45pm: TAB HIGHWAY HANDICAP (1100m)

9. Ritzsun was beaten by the barrier at Wyong first up. He settled out the back and rattled home to be beaten half a length by Welcome Gypsy, a handy benchmark-level mare. Ritzsun was hard in the market as the second favourite. That was on the back of two dominant wins at Scone to kick off his career. He’ll handle whatever going Wyong will throw up and still has more to come with just three career starts next to his name. Jockey Christian Reith has been aboard the three-year-old gelding all the way through and heads to Wyong for the one ride. Danny Williams has never hidden his opinion of 3. Kreon. The four-year-old grey found himself in a Kosciuszko at just his sixth career start, yet it all came too soon. He was wide the trip throughout from a wide gate, which didn’t help. Trialled well behind stablemate Highway Strip who threw away a Highway win first up. 1. Duke Of Bronte has pulled up with heat stress after failing at his past two starts.

How to play it: Ritzsun to win.

Race 4 - 2.20pm: DOMELAND BENCHMARK 100 HANDICAP (1350m)

8. Grand Impact looks well-placed up from Melbourne for Mick Price and Mick Kent jnr. The lightly raced five-year-old fought out the finish in a BM84 at Pakenham last start having settled in behind the speed. Before that he was dragged back to last at Moonee Valley from a wide draw, finding the line late. His tactical speed looks a huge asset here given the make up of the field. There isn’t another noted leader. 5. Elettrica has led at times throughout her career but ran well with a change of tactics to be ridden more conservatively last start. That doesn’t leave any other candidates. Grand Impact drops to 52kg up in grade. He raced in a Coolmore as a three-year-old before a lengthy spell. He is racing his way back to form and finds a perfect set-up now fourth up. A wet track won’t bother him either. 6. Excelladus is into his third preparation for Joe Pride. He has won third up in both of his previous campaigns. He is on the seven-day backup and should get his toe into the ground.

How to play it: Grand Impact to win.

Race 5 - 2.55pm: WYONG EQUINE CLINIC F&M BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1100m)

3. Dollar Magic doesn’t win out of turn, but she’s rarely out of the finish. The six-year-old has won four of her 23 starts with a further 14 minor placings. She comes off a last start fourth in the Canterbury Sprint, a Listed race over 1200m beaten a couple of lengths by Iowna Merc and Pereille. Here she is back to a BM78 against the fillies and mares. It’s the first time this campaign that she races against her own sex. Like the drop back to 1100m from 1200m, she draws to get the right run and the prospect of a soft track suits her perfectly. Two starts ago she went toe-to-toe with the flying Fire Star on a wet track at Rosehill. 1. Le Melody has won four from six first up. She’s an excellent fresh mare. She didn’t win first-up last campaign, her first for Brett Cavanough, but she did run second to Our Kobison in a BM88 with Sebonack in third and Boston Rocks in fourth. No official trial to judge her off.

How to play it: Dollar Magic to win.

Race 6 - 3.30pm: CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY NEWS 3&4YO BENCHMARK 72 HANDICAP (1300m)

2. Invader Zim was excellent first up in a sprint home behind Disneck. The winner backed up at Randwick last Saturday to win again. Invader Zim can only build off that return. The prospect of a soft track on Saturday is a bonus for the son of Invader. Second up last preparation Invader Zim beat Kerguelen and Yorkshire. That was on a wet track over 1300m. Chris Waller has entrusted claiming apprentice Ben Osmond, offsetting the 60kg. The pair should get a perfect trailing run from barrier 1. 3. Headley Grange picked up where he left off last preparation. He is also still improving. Some knock on staying at 1300m given he has won out to the mile. Should settle midfield from the gate. Have also scored him up with a wet track likely. 10. Imposant had the task of chasing home Tuileries at Randwick first up. She ran as well as she could in defeat. Would prefer this to be 1400m but that return sets up her summer campaign.

How to play it: Invader Zim to win.

Race 7 - 4.05pm: DE BORTOLI WINES BENCHMARK 88 HANDICAP (2100m)

4. Zaphod has won four from seven to this early point in his career. He faces his toughest test so far on Saturday in a BM88, but he looks to get the right conditions to measure up. He resumed this time back with an eye-catching second over 1800m at Rosehill before winning at Eagle Farm. Zaphod draws to get the right run, loves wet tracks off what we’ve seen and he has more upside than any other stayer here. The step out to 2100m looks perfect now third up. 1. Hopeful can improve sharply, particularly if the track is genuinely wet. The wetter the better for this eight-year-old. Nothing has gone right for him in two runs back. He pulled up with cardiac arrhythmia after dropping out at Newcastle first up before having no luck in the straight at Rosehill. Has been freshened since then six weeks between runs. The last time he raced with the same preparation he ran second to Eliyass and probably should have won.

How to play it: Zaphod to win.

Race 8 - 4.40pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP $500,000 THE LAKES (1600m)

1. Robusto worked early to offset a wide barrier at Eagle Farm last start. He was picked off by Transatlantic late but lost little in defeat. That was coming back from the mile to 1400m. That just adds further merit to the performance. Given the run of form he is enjoying at the moment, he is the horse to beat at Wyong for the flying Bjorn Baker yard. Prior to last start in Queensland the five-year-old won the Ingham at Randwick, building off a second in the Festival Stakes behind Private Eye. Has shown he can settle just about anywhere with the middle gate, giving Adam Hyeronimus options. Only has to hold his form to be in the finish again. 12. Redbreast is likely to run along in front. 9. Spangler was caught in an impossible position in the Ingham. He was $61, so Saturday’s price looks a touch short, but he put himself back on the radar with a great first-up run over 1300m. 13. Highlights looks to be trending the right way. Mile suits now.

How to play it: Robusto to win.

Race 9 - 5.20pm: NBN NEWS BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1200m)

2. Flying Destiny pulled up three out of five lame after failing last start, so had a genuine excuse. Forget that. Off his first-up run when second to Eye Of The Fire and the way he ended last campaign, he is a big player here. Drawn to get first crack at finding the front, but with no shortage of speed, the barrier gives Ben Osmond options. 4. Sir Ravanelli comes off a dominant win over 1000m at Muswellbrook. That was back to 1000m. Any rain around is a bonus for him. 5. Sandpaper has his first run for Bjorn Baker, formerly with Godolphin. Has trialled well. The map looks tricky. 11. Unstopabull chased down Point And Shoot to win last start and looks well placed out to 1200m now. Some risk that 12. Anavinci flattens off second up.

How to play it: Flying Destiny to win.

Race 10 - 6pm: ROYAL HOTEL WYONG BENCHMARK 78 HANDICAP (1350m)

4. Yorkshire should justify being sent around an odds-on favourite to round out the Wyong card. He’s a progressive four-year-old only into his second racing campaign with just five starts to his name. He has won three of those. He resumed at Randwick with a narrow second to Accredited, which has since won a BM88 by four lengths as a $1.50 favourite. Yorkshire had a few things against him three weeks ago, too, other than giving away a fitness advantage. Connections unsuccessfully lodged a protest after Accredited crossed Yorkshire, forcing Yorkshire to fire up in the run. That was also his first run on a good track. All of his previous form was on wet tracks, which he is likely to face again on Saturday. His race to lose. 9. Romeo’s Choice boxed on well when fourth behind Yorkshire last time out. He was brilliant winning at Canterbury the start prior on a wet track. 11. Noble Conqueror at least brings a different form line. He returned a winner at double-figure odds. 14. Starman goes into exotics, while 15. Liberty State was forced to go too fast in the early stages two weeks ago.

How to play it: Yorkshire to win.

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