There’s not much pace in this race and I suspect that those near the lead are going to fight this one out; it’s just a matter of finding the right horse! Zac Purton has had two rides on RICH AND LUCKY for a win and a second placing and he might be able to control the speed tonight. This will be his first attempt at the city circuit under race conditions, but his trial at Happy Valley was very good indeed and I’m happy to mark him as the favourite, albeit a narrow one. ROYAL RACER (Joao Moreira) will most likely be stalking him the whole way and his last three runs have all rated highly enough for him to win this event. In fact, this pair stands out and a quinella play might also be a good option. I like the fact that VICTORY MASTERY is stepping up to a mile, as the 1200m is clearly too short for him. BIG BANG BONG is another that will appreciate getting back up to this distance on his first run in this grade. Whilst he is an ageing galloper, he competes off a mark that makes him dangerously competitive. Use my prices here, with primary consideration being to back either one of my top-two selections and to a lessor degree Victory Mastery.