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Joseph Pride is the flavour of the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m), the highly underrated trainer, one of Australia's best with tried horses, quietly picking up two smart horses in Big Parade and Argentia.

Big Parade maybe less so given he won a trial by 21 lengths the other day and is favourite for the feature. At his best (and off his trial you'd have to say he's thereabouts) he'd win a typcal Missile Stakes but the price is no spoil off 16 months so we roll back a few races for the best bet of the day.

Race 6 throws up a fairly standard Bm78 but I think the market has it wrong with Wategos second pick behind King Of Naples. No doubt the latter is racing very well but he's had all the favours in his past two wins and got the job done narrowly, running to a career peak of 96 with Timeform.

Wategos is also rated 96 off his last start win but I think the form he comes through is stronger and he has things to suit here.

He was able to control the race last start and beat the handy Brudenell who has solid Winter form around Insurrection and seemingly gets control of the race here out to 6 3⁄4 f which only suits further.

Surprised there's such a gap in the market at $2.80 vs $4.20 and if anything I'd mark Wategos as a shade of favourite.

There are a few others around that $4-6 mark that I could throw up as slight edges but I'll make the last race the value play, more so because of who's favourite than who's there to beat it.

Gracilistyla has been beaten at a mean price of $5.10 at four runs this time in and it's been the same story- getting back and flashing home. He ticks a few boxes with McDonald taking the ride but I don't think he's got the speed to be in the front half from the wide draw and his ratings aren't any better than a few of these.

Space Tracker beat him home narrowly when they met first up and whilst he's been underwhelming from a market point of view and just plain bad last time at Grafton, his two ratings to start the campaign go a long way to winning this, and he'll be in the first couple.

The other at a bigger price that can improve sharply is Tajneed. She might be nothing, but she just found them way too sharp first up over 6 1⁄2 f in a strong race won by Kalino. Out to 7 1⁄2 f second if she can get back to her Group 2 placing from a soft draw she's every chance at a big price.

Happy to back the pair of them and trust Gracilistyla to do his thing again.

SYDNEY SPECIALS

Bet of the day: Race 6 #6 Wategos @ $4.20

Each-way play: Race 10 #5 Tajneed @ $17/4.2