Group performer Wimbledon looks set for a first-up victory at Kranji tonight.
Wimbledon resumes in race seven on the card, the open benchmark 97 over 1200m.
That was Wimbledon’s third placing at Group 3 level and was enough to earn him a crack at the elite company in the Group 1 Lion City Cup (1200m) where he was far from disgraced when a 4.7 length sixth to Zac Spirit.
He finished his campaign with a 0.6L third in open grade behind Raise No Doubt and his Timeform adjusted ratings from those outings would be good enough to deliver him victory tonight.A resuming win is one box Wimbledon has yet to tick but he has raced well first up before, placing in two of three attempts and he should be fit enough to fire after winning a recent barrier trial.
A winner of five of 23 career runs, his best form comes at tonight’s distance, having won at three of his 14 1200-metre attempts but running top three in 79 per cent of his runs.Wimbledon also races well on the turf track, winning three of 12 and placing at 75 per cent of his outings.
Corey Brown goes back on tonight and he knows the gelding well, winning three of his five rides on the son of Snitzel.Talented sprinter The General could be ready for a return to form with a drop in grade tonight.
The return to benchmark company looks the key to The General as he had won his previous two starts, scoring over 1100m in a class three before a benchmark 67 victory over 1200m.
This is a tougher assignment than those but he gets 6kg off Wimbledon along with a fitness edge and is a four-time winner at this distance.Rafaello is taking a step up in class but he is putting together a handy record and his recent Timeform ratings suggest he is a horse with some upside.
Rafaello has won two of his last three runs, both coming at this distance when toughing out good victories in a Kranji Stakes and a benchmark 83.His unplaced run in between came at 1400m but this is much more his go, with all five of his career victories coming at 1200m from just nine attempts at the journey.
Jockey Nooresh Juglall sticks with him, having been aboard in all five of his win from 10 rides.Italian Job could be the big improver at his third run this time in.
He was trapped wide and looked in need of the run when he was beaten eight lengths when resuming then kept working to the line for fourth at his latest appearance in a similarly-graded race over 1000m.Italian Job has raced well fresh and over the shorter sprint journeys in past campaigns but with maturity he may be better suited at 1200m, having already won twice at the trip, and is a third-up winner so expect he will be hitting his peak tonight.