A short but talented field of 6 lines up on Saturday’s feature in Tasmania, in the Grade II Davarto and Coker Paradise Stakes, a 9 furlong test for fillies and mares 3 years old and older on the turf. The Tasmania grass course is expected to be firm. The contestants, by post position:

PP 1 – Lindt(AUS) (Testa Rossa(AUS) x Danehill x Stagedoor Johnny) Whether this lightly raced star was named after the chocolate company or not, she’s certainly one sweet filly (sorry, couldn’t resist). This rocky79 charge (18.9% win, 43.8% ITM) is fast (her last 5 races have been triple digit speed figs), she wins a lot (8 wins and 2 places in 10 lifetime starts), and she’s won in Graded company. The only question here is the distance. She’s done her best work up to and including a mile, but she’s never gone the 9 furlongs she’s trying in this test. Her breeding suggests she might not have a problem with the 9 panels, but until she’s proven she likes it, 9/5 might not be the best value play. But still one to beat.

PP 2 – Wishing Well G(IRE) (Sadler’s Wells x Lure x Sharpen Up(GB)) This zz (10.1%, 34.4%) trained 3 yr old filly might well have been wishing for a somewhat softer turf than she’s going to have on Saturday, as her lifetime-best speed figure (and only career triple digit race) was on a turf course rated as good. She’s got the class to compete with these, but with this short field, may simply not be fast enough. She’ll stalk, but will have to run her best race to finish in the top 3 today. Do-able, but may be a tough task.

PP 3 – Joe’s Destination (Dubai Destination x Manila x Rainbow Quest) A tough-as-nails 5 year old mare who’s seemingly always in the mix (13 of 15 lifetime ITM finishes) will have no trouble with the distance, but, like Wishing Well G, might just not be fast enough. This girl, bred and trained by ginzo3 (8.2%, 30.2%) in fact, seems in fact, to be not quite as classy as the PP2 filly (this will be her first Graded stake, and 3^rd stakes race of any kind), and hasn’t broken the triple digit barrier in her last 8 (although she’s come awful close), and yet is a shorter choice at 5/1. She’s got lots of talent, but I can’t see this girl getting in the top 3.

PP 4 – Tintoretta(IRE) (Galileo(IRE) x Green Desert x Shirley Heights(GB)) A 7/1 morning line shot, this 5 year old mare from prolific simster Given’s stormborn stable (22.8%, 49.6%) has her work cut out for her. She’s the most experienced lady in the field, with 8 more starts than her next busiest competitor, but she’s coming off of probably the worst performance of her career. If you throw out that last one, she’s shown she’s capable of running with these on her best day, but she also tends to run better in overnight stakes, as opposed to Graded ones. Definitely capable, but for my money, she’ll need to show me her last time was an aberration.

PP 5 – Gone Wylde (Gone West x Northern Dancer x Seattle Slew) She’s royally bred, in fine form, and at fair-value odds at 4/1 morning line. That said, this sarava02 (15.6%, 47.7%) charge has some class questions, as her previous forays into the Graded world have been less than world-beating. She also has a nice stalking style. All things considered, value and potential makes this one a good saver bet.

PP 6 – Tommy (Danzig x Nijinsky II x Nureyev) The second choice in the betting at 2/1. this gal is Jeckyl and Heidi. Her current form is all over the board, with a close-up 4^th sandwiched between a well-beaten 6^th and 7^th. This 5 year old from the artistway barn (12.5%, 31.0%) is also capable of running really fast, as she did 4 races back, a 111 speed figure effort that netted her a 2^nd at this exact distance. She can run on the lead or stalk, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of early speed here, so that may be an advantage for her too. Depending on which mare shows up, this one has a huge shot.