A couple of the reserves currently distort the market so take an early price if you can.

 

I'll take on St Cianans Fire who has won its last 2 races and is in a sequence of 1-3-1-1 with a starting mark of 52 and off 57 today.

 

I understand the drop back in trip for Mad Black Eights who is 1-2-2 here over this trip but the mark is creeping up and I'm happy to take it on off a mark of 69. Newgirlintown has a place chance at best but I can't work out the best trip for this one and I'm not sure connections know either. At big Odds Chilean was once a French Group winner rated 108 and now runs off a mark of 63, it's shown a few glimmers on turf but not yet on AW but isn't one you can totally discount.

 

I narrowed the 17 (including the 3 reserves in case they run) down to a shortlist of 3.

 

I most like KODIAC PRINCE whose turf win mark of 70 makes this AW mark of 61 look very appealing. There have been signs it getting its act together on the AW and off a declining mark looks ready to step up and I think has a cracking each way chance here. HALCYON SPIRIT ran a better race last time and that has caught my attention, it's changed Stables and they immediately go for this trip and I think IF they get the fractions right and kick on turning in it could take a lot of catching. Finally a small investment on SINGSONG LADY who is VERY quirky but a Course winner at a mile off 63, looks ready made for the step up to this trip and for whom a wide draw may be ideal as it's had a tendency before to shy away from the rail and even took fright at an advertising hoarding close the the finish line in one race. A bit of splendid isolation out wide may just unlock something.