Nightwatchman

Key Runners: Belmont - Wednesday 16 August

Expected weather: Showers easing 16 degrees Celsius

Expected track rating: Soft 6

Rail position: 18 metres (15m from 1,300m to 1,000m); cutaway in the straight

Race 1: 12:03 Get The TABtouch Maiden (1,300m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 TRADE SEARCH faded late to finish third in a Saturday maiden after leading 200m out. He has been behind Snowy River Men and Little Red Roman previously.

2 LITTLE RED ROMAN is an on-pace gelding which has been thereabouts in many maidens, including when a close second over 1,500m at Ascot in February.

3 COMPARATIVE has been beaten by nine or more lengths on each of his two runs in the city and none of his provincial speed ratings read much better.

4 SNOWY RIVER MEN is yet to place in seven starts and does not rate well on his performances against Comparative and Little Red Roman over similar trips.

5 OUTTATHAWAY has trialled twice ahead of his reappearance, with his most recent competitive outing resulting in a last of 14 at Ascot in December.

6 GALAXY GREY did not catch one's eye during his two barrier trials leading into his debut race in which he ran out of petrol late to finish well behind Iron Maggie.

7 NO DEMERIT finished last but one on debut at Kalgoorlie last month, which was disappointing in light of his barrier trial win and position in the betting market.

8 BURNING MAGIC gets the services of Perth's in-form jockey, Chris Parnham. A repeat of her performance two starts ago will make her difficult to beat.

9 TOUCH THE CLOUDS returns from a lengthy spell without an official barrier trial so inclined to watch her go around on only her second appearance in the city.

10 MAGIC MINT has four thirds to show for her 11 competitive outings but she is yet to post a speed rating that is comparable with a city-class maiden winner.

11 COUNTRY FOX is yet to finish higher than fifth in her 11starts, including when a well beaten 8th of 12 in a 1,400m maiden at Pinjarra five weeks ago.

12 FAIR FOOT has had one barrier trial in preparation for her first real race since finishing 11th of 16 in a Pinjarra maiden over 1,600m in February.

13 NO PLACE TO HIDE ran on well at long odds behind Oliver's Travels in her first run for Garry McPherson and looks capable of making additional improvement.

14 SASSY 'N' RED has been well beaten in each of her three competitive races, including being out of the way all the way behind Easewold three weeks ago.

15 SAUCY DANCER has been scratched.

Selections: 8-13-2-1

Race 2: 12:39 Amelia Park Lamb Handicap (1,700m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 HE'S A PARKER was disappointing in a Northam maiden two weeks ago but he rates as a chance if he can reproduce what he did at Belmont prior to that.

2 HOODLUM THUNDER makes his debut over 1,700m after three barrier trials at around the 1,000m mark. His half sibling, Sunset Superman, is Listed placed.

3 NORTH COL has a couple of Listed placed relations, Saxophonist and North Ridge. He was OK when reassuming behind Dark Prospect two weeks ago.

4 UNCLE CON hit the line strongly behind Lob City at Belmont late last month so, ie he is sufficiently close to the leader entering the straight, he will be a chance.

5 TEACHER'S PET steps up to 1,700m after being campaigned over 1,400m and less up until now. On pedigree, the extended trip may not be too her liking.

6 MEKONG DEN is backing quickly from her staying-on fifth of nine at Pinjarra over 1,303m. She is bred to improve as she steps up in trip so do not discount

7 SCARLET IMAGE is a daughter of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom which ran greenly on debut at Belmont two weeks ago. Going up in distance is a positive.

8 UPWARD OTHERS defeated Scarlet Image over 1,300m in the aforementioned Belmont race but one expects her well bred rival to turn the tables over 1,700m.

Selections: 7-1-4-5

Race 3: 1:14 Perth Racing Club Membership Handicap (1,300m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 CONTENTIONAL was not asked to do too much in the most recent of his two barrier trials. He is a full brother of Karrakatta Plate runner-up Vitalism.

2 KING GEORGE SOUND is another debutant which has had a couple of barrier trials. His Listed placed half sibling, Onpicalo, grew an extra leg in the wet.

3 PLANET FEVER does not have any siblings which have raced so one has only his five barrier trials on which to go and there was nothing special about them.

4 SUMMER'S DREAM won a moderate Ascot race on her second appearance before contesting the Gimcrack Stakes at Group Three level in March.

5 URQUELL has been ridden quietly off the speed in each of his two barrier trials. One is including him on suspicion mainly because Jarrad Noske sticks with him.

6 WATTO'S FURY sets a decent benchmark in a race featuring several debutants and he reappears after posting a barrier trial victory earlier this month.

7 ALLOWED was ridden strongly to defeat smart filly Very Angry Gal in the first of her two barrier trials so one is inclined not to read too much into that form line.

8 EVIE ON MY MIND was no match for Watto's Fury in a recent barrier trial so she is unlikely to turn the tables on her more experienced rival in a proper race.

9 SPECIAL ALERT is a daughter of Not A Single Doubt which ran on late to finish second in the third of her barrier trials. She will only improve over more ground.

10 THE LAST WALTZ did not stand out in any of her three barrier trials and, therefore, she is hard to fancy against the likes of Watto's Fury and Special Alert.

11 TIME ON MY SIDE is likely to race on the speed but she may have to expend quite a lot of energy to find the front after drawing her first wide gate for a while.

12 INFINITE BEAUTY could not be fancied on what she has done in her three races, the latest of which saw her finish a well beaten 10th of 12 at Belmont.

13 IZ THAT RIGHT loses the services of Jarrad Noske for the first time and, with the former jockey of Black Caviar jumping off her back, she is opposable.

Selections: 6-9-1-5

Race 4: 1:49 Toll Handicap (1,200m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 SIR SNUGALOT is an on-pace gelding which may not be as suited to 1,200m as the 1,116m over which he broke his maiden at Bunbury on New Year's Day.

2 VICTORIOUS LAD returns to 1,200m having failed to reproduce the same kind of speed ratings over 1,400m and 1,600m before going for his three-month spell.

3 EASEWOLD made a winning debut when beating Lighthouse Rock over 1,000m at Pinjarra three weeks ago but that form has not held up in the city since.

4 HODGE PODGE posted the fastest last 200m on his most recent start but that performance was his worst this preparation when one assesses overall times.

5 KNUCKLE DOWN broke his maiden at Northam in August was that race was over 1,300m and he was plain when beaten a long way on his reappearance over less.

6 OLIVER'S TRAVELS justified his favouritism when winning by a very handy margin over course and distance three weeks ago and he looks set to go on with it.

7 JUPITER RISING is a consistent gelding which may need to race over slightly more ground in slightly easier company if he is going to register his second victory.

8 SEALED WITH A KISS made a good return over 1,000m three weeks ago on what was his first start for Chris Gangemi. He is the main threat to Oliver's Travels.

9 SHIBUYA CROSSING won over 1,675m at Bunbury in January and, first up after six months off the track, she is likely to find a few of her rivals too quick.

10 MY KIND OF MUSIC returns without a barrier trial having rounded out her first campaign in the Ascot 1,000 Guineas. Six furlongs is a bit too short for her.

11 CLASSI SURVIVOR made a winning debut over 1,200m but that race took place at Kalgoorlie and she has been found wanting in her subsequent Northam runs.

12 SWIFTLY has been scratched.

13 PORTREE IN MOTION has been scratched.

14 ROYAL ARCHIE has been scratched.

15 UNIVERSAL SCENE has won one of his 31 starts and that was over 1,300m at Northam in July 2014 so he is easy to dismiss in a city contest over shorter.

16 SUMMER LADY has been scratched.

Selections: 6-8-2-7

Race 5: 2:24 Events At Ascot Handicap (1,000m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 INVINCIBLE WARRIOR ran on strongly to make it two wins from six starts, putting Bangalore to the sword. He loses the services of Jason Brown for the first time.

2 TRANSGRESSOR posted his third victory from 22 starts last time out but his record is that of a gelding which needs to find a few lengths to win in the city.

3 BANGALORE is a former Hong Kong-based gelding which has won just one of his nine starts in Western Australia and that was off the limit weight first up.

4 I AM INCREDIBLE was too bad to be true last time out, registering a bad speed rating seven days after his personal best. He could bounce back to form.

5 THE ANAESTHETIST has only missed the top three once in his eight-start career but his current speed ratings are a little short of what is required at city level.

6 ON THE TURPS has posted decent speed ratings in both of his winter starts and he has drawn a much better gate than most of the other fancied contenders.

7 DANCE MINDY DANCE has won two races over 1,000m but neither was in the city and her ratings profile is that of a mare which wants more than five furlongs.

8 KEEPER'S TALE won back-to-back Ascot races before going for a long spell but he may be better suited to 1,200m later in her campaign than 1,000m first up.

9 BALI KING PRAWN finished a long way behind Keeper's Tale when the Keith Mifflin-trained mare triumphed at Ascot in February so he is opposable.

10 GAINTLIKE has got the chocolates three times but never has he won away from Carnarvon and the last time that he passed the post first was June 2015.

11 GILT EDGE won a slowly run race over 1,462m at Kilmore in December 2015. She has been disappointing since making the switch to Western Australia this year.

12 THE GIRL OF VASSE led all the way to win over 1,200m at Pinjarra in August but all her speed ratings, irrespective of result, have been extremely poor.

Selections: 6-4-1-3

Race 6: 3:02 Get The TABtouch Handicap (2,100m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 BURGER TIME drops significantly in grade after contesting the Aquanita Stakes and the Belmont Classic, both at Listed level, on his two most recent starts.

2 MUSICAL ART makes the unorthodox step up from 1,300m to 2,100m but the latter is certainly more to his liking based on what he did in his last campaign.

3 STOICISM has improved with every run for Martin Allan and now steps up in trip and gets some welcome weight relief courtesy of Kate Fitzgerald's 3kg claim.

4 MIXED MESSAGES broke her maiden over 2,200m at Northam two months ago but her speed ratings are somewhat inferior to many of her rivals.

5 ON STAGE won at the fifth attempt when taking out a 2,013 Pinjarra maiden three weeks ago but she faces a tough task at the weights versus Stoicism.

6 SMALLAMOUNTOFMERIT has registered three consecutive minor placings and she is coming off what one rates as her personal best three weeks ago.

7 VONO profiles as one of those Adam Durrant-trained stayers which may mature into a good galloper under the guidance of a handler who is famous for his patience.

8 DIPLOMAT EXPRESS has won one of his 13 starts and that was over 1,600m at Northam in October. He stayed on well over 2,100m at Belmont last month.

9 THE TEMPTRESS took out a Northam 2,200m race in September but she has been unable to win in the city despite having plenty of attempts.

10 TRIPLE EXPRESS returned from three months off with a running-on second behind Take It Like A Man over 1,650m at Belmont three weeks ago.

11 BUSH TRACK has not gone close to registering his second victory in any of his eight appearances since winning a York maiden over 1,920m by a wide margin.

12 NUN TOO SAVVY has one third in a Northam maiden over 1,600m to show for her 10 starts but her head-to-head records do not make the worst reading.

13 AQUAJINSKY has been well beaten in each of her nine races since breaking her maiden over 2,200m at Northam in October 2015 so she is one to overlook.

14 EXPLOSIVE QUEEN does not have a jockey engaged for what would be her 24th start, the highlight of her career being her 2,200m Northam win in October.

15 MONTOYAS does not have a jockey engaged for what would be his 45th start and his only success occurred over 2,018m at Pinjarra in September 2015.

16 THOR'S TOUCH does not have a jockey engaged for what would be his 15th start. He was ordinary on his first appearance since joining Ian Glading's stable.

Selections: 1-7-6-2

Race 7: 3:40 Rentokil Initial Handicap (1,400m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 NIGHTWATCHMAN won over 1,400m at Belmont two starts ago but the gelding has disappointed every time that he has encountered a rain-affected surface.

2 BATTLE TORQUE made a good return from his four-month break when third behind Cash On Call three weeks ago and stepping up in trip is a positive.

3 WATIJADOO is yet to place first up but he is worthy of respect because he put up competitive numbers when winning over 1,400m at Ascot in February.

4 DUSHA ZACHISTKI has yet to win anywhere other than Pinjarra but 1,400m is her best distance and she rates as a place chance on her reappearance.

5 ZEFIRO ran an absolute stinker on a heavy Belmont track three weeks ago and nothing in the formbook suggests that he enjoys racing on wet ground.

6 ALL TOO MUCH led all the way to win over 1,650m at Belmont in September but it has been a long time since he finished off a race in strong fashion.

7 EXCUSE ME MAK was poor over 1,300m at Belmont three weeks ago when he ran out of petrol on the heavy track and ended up being beaten by 13.5 lengths.

8 SIGIL is set to compete for the first time since swapping Sharon Miller for Simon Miller. She has won two 1,400m races but her best speed ratings are over farther.

9 ACE'S WISH was second over 1,400m at Northam two weeks ago but his data points to him being better suited to 1,200m than the seven-furlong distance.

10 SING FOUR US DAN has rewarded his connections with victories at Geraldton and Northam but his ratings are not those of the winner of a 1,400m city race.

11 BOXONLUCY is seeking back-to-back wins and she will jump from an inside gate as she tries to follow up her course-and-distance victory two weeks ago.

12 MAXIMUS MAK has not won since saluting the judge over 1,600m at Ascot five months ago and his record is that of a galloper which wants more than 1,400m.

Selections: 11-2-3-4

Race 8: 4:20 Western Racepix Handicap (1,400m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 MATER REMEDY has been scratched.

2 RAGNAR'S SAGA rattled home in the fastest last 600m split of the Belmont meeting two weeks ago. He loses the services of suspended William Pike.

3 BLITZEM SOMEDAY has run on strongly in each of his two 1,000m Belmont starts, promoting Gavin Foster to nominate him for a contest over 1,400m.

4 BRADFORD BADBOY has had only one barrier trial in preparation to make his first competitive appearance since April 2016. Clearly he has had some issues.

5 DARK PROSPECT charged home to make a winning debut over 1,400m two weeks ago and the runner-up, Quest To Venus, franked the form on Saturday.

6 EMPYREUS has beaten a total of just two gallopers in his last three races and none of his three career victories has been over less than 1,600m.

7 BIG RED COSTA was beaten more than 20 lengths over 1,650m at Belmont two weeks ago and it is not as though he had not won on a wet track prior to that.

8 AMALFI LASS made an acceptable return from five months off when fourth behind Boxonlucy two weeks ago. Her 1,400m numbers are up to this grade.

9 PENTASTAR broke his maiden over 1,200m at Pinjarra three months ago but never has he placed higher than seventh when racing on a city track.

10 CALIBRA is set for her first competitive appearance since joining Alan Mathews from Mick Price. Both of her wins have been on heavy tracks over shorter trips.

11 HIDDEN GRACE won on debut over 1,100m at Northam in May 2015 but she has failed in each of her 21 subsequent races, including three at Belmont.

12 SPONDULA is a seven-year-old gelding which has won two races, both at Pinjarra over more than 2,000m and neither occurred in the last 12 months.

Selections: 5-2-8-3

Race 9: 5:00 It Just Has To Be…Vert De Grece Handicap (1,200m) – Bet with TABtouch

1 SILVER PLATED is an 11-year-old gelding which has raced only 15 times in his career and has to lump 61kg on his first start since this time last year.

2 NEW TIME is another veteran gelding, albeit one having his 92nd start. He likes to go forward but he has a drawn gate and pairs up with an apprentice jockey.

3 LORD HATRAS has joined Brian Kersley at the grand old age of nine. He has been through a number of stables since he last finished in the prizemoney.

4 SCOTTISH TRADER is hard to fancy on her most recent start but Fiona Bell takes some weight off her back and stepping up in trip to 1,000m will only help.

5 MASSACHUSETTS would have been one's top selection if she had drawn a better barrier. Even so, she has posted decent speed ratings from wide gates recently.

6 HASHTAG is probably not open to much improvement as a seven-year-old mare and, therefore, she rates little more than a place chance over 1,200m.

7 IMPERIAL VENUS was not as bad as his result last time out suggests because the race rated OK but he does seem to mix his form - one good, one not so good.

8 ZEINITE has won four races up and including 1,108m but one doubts that 1,200m is the trip at which she is likely to produce her best performance.

9 THREESUN has won first up over 1,200m but that race took place at Bunbury in January 2016 and it did not rate close to what is required to prevail in the city.

10 MISS LAWRANCE gets the help of a senior jockey, Shaun McGruddy, and she should get the run of the race from the inside gate with the cutaway in operation.

11 BEVEL won over 1,500m at Ascot in April but nothing in his record suggests that 1,200m is his optimum trip as Bob McPherson tries something different.

12 CLASSY CAT has won three times over 1,200m but none of those races, the most recent of which occurred in May 2016, rated particularly well.

13 INCOHERENT ran better than his huge odds first up two weeks ago but he is 11 years old and his last victory took place over 1,000m at Port Hedland.

14 SOBRIQUET is first up after eight months off and he struggled to make much of an impression in several Geraldton races during his most recent preparation.

15 THE DANSKTER has been scratched.

16 GILT EDGE won a slowly run race over 1,462m at Kilmore in December 2015. She has been disappointing since making the switch to Western Australia this year.

Selections: 10-5-7-6