Following an extremely disrupted lead up, Rosehill will finally get its day in the spotlight on Saturday.
The 2021 Golden Slipper Day has been rescheduled for only the second time in 54 years.
Five Group 1's await punters with top quality horses on show throughout the day.
In the George Ryder Stakes, I am with one who will appreciate the give in the ground now considering he is getting older.
Whilst in the Galaxy, I expect the residual fitness of a Melbourne raider to be a significant factor in the testing wet conditions.
For the latest insight into how the Rosehill track is expected to play, read our preview of the Golden Slipper here.
There looks to be good speed here from Dreamforce (2) and Samdoubt (12) who both love to roll along in the lead. Expect them to cross and race as the first pair in running.
Kolding (13) should find the ideal trailing position just in behind the leaders and from there, should have plenty to offer from the top of the straight.
From the inside draw, expect Funstar (1) to settle in the moving line midfield with cover.
Funstar ($5.00) looks to be building nicely this prep and comes via the Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes, where she ran well to place 4 of 9 when finishing only 0.6 lengths off the winner.
She loves the wet (12:5-2-0) and appears likely to receive those conditions here with plenty of rain predicted.
With a Heavy track it may be an advantage to be coming wider at this stage of the day and she draws perfectly to be in a outside moving line position.
Certainly has plenty of ticks in this.
I'm with Kolding here who although has not won on a Heavy to date, may improve in this type of going now that he is getting older.
He has done everything right in the lead up events and fought very hard last start, when only just being collared late. Fitter now, he looks a great chance.
Funstar is another with plenty of quality and does have the good record on heavy tracks (4:2-1-0).
She will also be well suited if the track favours those racing in the wider lanes.
Dreamforce will roll along near the lead for most of this race and will look the winner at some point.
If he can handle the rain-affected conditions and gets it all his own way out in front, expect he can win.
Gem Song is an interesting runner and is less exposed and more lightly raced than most of these.
He won the Group 2 Newcastle Newmarket last start and deserves his chance against the "A Graders" here.
He should be peaking for this third-up and the stable/connections are known to pull off some big coups in these races. Watch betting late.
1st Kolding
2nd Funstar
3rd Dreamforce
4th Gem Song
Expect a warp speed tempo early here, with any number of runners charging forward as they break.
I'm going with Eduardo (5), Fabergino (3) and Splintex (14) as the three most likely to find the top, with plenty of others challenging.
The two back-marker profiles of Fiesta (4) and Dirty Work (12) could have this race put on for them, if the leaders cut each other and the heavy track ensures a more testing "slog".
Haut Brion Her ($5.00) must be flying in trackwork and did win two lead in trials impressively.
J Mac sticks which is always a key indicator, as he would have sat on and had the choice to ride many others in this field.
Her first up record is excellent (3:2-1-0) and you can trust that the rider and stable have planned this raid for a while now.
Fabergino will be forced to engage in the early speed battle, however he has the residual race fitness and could even sit just off the lead.
Expect Haut Brion Her to be very popular with an ultra-impressive first-up record and warranted hype of the J Mac factor. She looks primed to explode following the two solid trials.
Tallieur is emerging as a gun sprinter and deserves her chance in Group 1 grade. She carries no weight (51kg) and could be the knockout chance.
Include Wild Ruler, who won impressively first-up and draws out wide in gate 11. This could be favourable if they are scouting wide to find better going.
1st Fabergino
2nd Haut Brion Her
3rd Tallieur
4th Wild Ruler