Race-by-race preview and tips for Wagga on Friday

Selections based on a soft track

Race 1 CLASS 3 HCP (1000m)

We open the Showcase card with a good middle-class sprint. Very keen at the early value on tough four-year-old 1. Circularity, who has won two from four this prep and draws to get an economical trail just behind the speed with a leading metro jockey taking over.
Dangers: Lightly raced filly 5. Devine Miss is suited over the journey third up and hasn’t missed a place in five runs so far, although doesn’t want the track drying out too much. Include at longer odds improving mare 3. Zain’s Girl third up. 8. London Gal resuming goes in exotic bets.
How to play it: Circularity to win; Odds and Evens: Odds

Race 2 MAIDEN PLATE (1200m)

Tough and wide race. Home track Shamus Award three-year-old 3. Cellar Champ could jump close to $30.00 but can give a big sight on debut. Was a long way from the winner in a quiet trial but, with decent speed on here, watch for him charging home late.
Dangers: Albury three-year-old 4. Greek Tycoon is a big watch second up from a better draw. Home track two-year-old filly 14. Smokin’ Cod made a big statement on debut here rushing home from well back to finish a long neck from the winner. Reportedly trained on well and just needs to find some cover from the wide draw to be thundering home again. Watch the market too on local Kaphero mare 15. Kappy’s Angel if she gets a run after a dominant trial win a fortnight ago. Stablemate to the long-priced top selection.
How to play it: Cellar Champ each way and box trifecta 3,4,14,15; Odds and Evens: Split

Race 3 CLASS 1 HCP (1200m)

Open contest for this grade. This shapes as ideal longer journey for progressive Albury four-year-old 3. Our Last Cash, who is destined to win better races. Charged home for a dominant win in a handy maiden here two weeks ago off a seven week freshen-up and only needs to find some sort of trail from the award gate to produce another superior closing final 400m.
Dangers: Tough three-year-old 1. Verbek has to carry clear top weight but found the line in a handy provincial CL1 last start after a smart maiden success, and this is well within reach. Talented filly 7. Miss Kirribilli has to slot in from a wide barrier but impressed on debut here and has been kept up to the mark with a recent open-class trial. Include in wider exotics 8. Rosie’s Gift second up, 2. Onya Lionel, who hasn’t finished further back than second in five runs this prep, and 6. Mooshaka, who draws to get a much softer run.
How to play it: Our Last Cash to win; Odds and Evens: Odds

Race 4 BENCHMARK 58 HCP (1300m)

Another wide contest in a modest affair for this grade. It seemed to take an eternity for hard-fit Canberra three-year-old 11. Vaaroom to break his maiden, but he did it in emphatic fashion fourth up at home when taken to the front. Had spent most of his early career chasing from off the speed, but the switch has been flicked now and he looks well placed to take the next step fifth up.
Dangers: Tough five-year-old 4. Budderoo Blitz rarely runs a bad one and is over the odds drawn to stay out of trouble. Has been consistently in or around the money in generally tougher company all prep. Keep safe too underrated six-year-old 7. Kaipiki, who draws to get a soft run fourth up with a 3kg claim. Victorian 9. Son Of Bieslki hits peak fitness fifth up.
How to play it: Vaaroom to win and Budderoo Blitz each way; Odds and Evens: Split

Race 5 3YO GUINEAS BENCHMARK 74 HCP (1600m)

Plenty of chances in this main support for the three-year-olds headed by improving 9. Loose Love who can put two wins together climbing sharply in grade. Had little luck in two runs at CL1 level before sweeping home for a dominant BM 60 win at home. Will settle well back from the wide draw but can unleash a big finish down on the limit weight.
Dangers: Canberra raider 6. Manderboss rounded them up impressively from well back to win the Guineas Prelude here and swept home to beat the top selection in a CL2 three starts back. 4. Publicist comes off an eight-week break and is drawn right off the track but trialled in smart fashion recently and has a touch of class in this company. Top weight 1. Jaimari and 5. This’llbetheone third up are on the next line.
How to play it: Loose Love each way and box exacta 4,6,9; Odds and Evens: Split

Race 6 FILLIES & MARES BENCHMARK 66 HCP (1400m)

Lightly raced mare 2. Too Much Lippy can strike second up and a month between runs. Didn’t finish off on a bottomless heavy 10 resuming. Much better placed here on firmer ground with more speed on and trialled OK a week back.
Dangers: Progressive Canberra mare 3. Fourmadec is the immediate threat shooting for a third win from her last four starts deep into the prep. Won two straight at home impressively before finishing hard in Highway company and loves to settle back off the speed on these bigger tracks. Improving metro filly 6. Zelady Luck comes back in grade and is drawn to park right behind the speed. Gap to the rest.
How to play it: Too Much Lippy each way; Odds and Evems: Split

Race 7 WAGGA GOLD CUP (2000m)

Now for the feature at Listed level, and typically it’s a big field with a stack of chances. Like progressive metro six-year-old 7. Irish Sequel third up. Surged home from near the back to claim a BM 88 just 13 days ago and gets in on a luxury 54kg considering his 25 per cent win rate from 20 starts contains plenty of high benchmark metropolitan success.
Dangers: Four-year-old 9. Aleas was right behind the stablemate and top selection second up and gets nice weight relief from a better draw. Talented Kiwi-bred Victorian stallion 10. Ain’tnodeeldun is a a serious threat if he slots in from a tricky draw. Has been competitive under bigger weights in metro company and blinkers have been applied fourth up. Was a dual Listed winner last prep, both times as a heavily backed odds-on favourite. Drawn the inside and also accepted for Gosford on Saturday, 2. Numerian was no match for the winner in G3 class three weeks back but will appreciate firmer ground. Consistent seven-year-old 8. Five Kingdom hasn’t been out of a place all prep and winkers come off. 4. Brutality is a shade over the odds after closing off OK through traffic in the G3 Hawkesbury Cup.
How to play it: Irish Sequel each way; Odds and Evens: Split

Race 8 BENCHMARK 74 HCP (1200m)

7. Fangela has built a 40 per cent winning strike rate from only eight starts. Right up to this level and draws to get a nice trail just off the speed.
Dangers: 8. Distillate scored one of the best wins of his career in a BM 65 four weeks ago careering away to win by more than four lengths, but this is tougher and he jumps from the outside gate. Include 15. La Sante and 17. Important Product in exotics.

How to play it: Fangela to winOdds and Evens: Split

BEST BETS: Race 3: (3) OUR LAST CASH; Race 4: (11) VAAROOM
BEST VALUE: Race 6: (2) TOO MUCH LIPPY