Things are starting to heat up with more than a sniff of carnival time in the air.

It's probably next week I say that the carnival officially kicks off with Group 1 racing but the entrée in Sydney this week is interesting.

The card is all about the two-year-old with the Canonbury and Widden bringing plenty of angles, unraced horses, Slipper fancies and, ultimately, unknowns.

For that we pass on the better races and look to blast out in the benchmarks, heading first to Race 8 for the best of the day with Saltcoats making appeal at the prices.

He came to Australia off a 3.5 length Listed win at Pukekohe and his first run here indicated he could perhaps get to that level here, left with plenty to do from a poor ride, running the fastest last 200m of the race behind the likes of Garza Blanca, Pereille and Time To Boogie- a fairly handy Bm78.

He was just even in the run after but resumes here off two nice trials, with the profile to suggest he can make the leap this time in- and this isn't a big leap.

Infatuation  is favourite and looks well placed coming back from the Magic Millions 3yo Guineas but that was a pretty thin edition and I get the feeling she is a Bm78 type of horse, as are all of these.

Saltcoats already has the ratings around the 100 (and potentially a fair bit better) which hold him in good stead here.

For the each-way play we roll back one race to the seventh where stablemate Logan Street Lion, who has featured unsuccessfully on this column in the past, has numerous ratings that go a long way to winning this in this grade.

He's only missed the quinella once first up and that was last preparation when running to 106, which is actually a career peak. This is not the strongest Bm88 going around and he looks to get every chance for Berry.
 

SYDNEY SPECIALS

Bet of the day: Race 8 #7 Saltcoats at $6

Each-way play: Race 7 #4 Logan Street Lion at $11/3.2