The two inside barriers in the feature G3 event at Kranji today should ensure a one-two finish for the first and second favourites but in what order and why?
Better Be The One has drawn two and Ato has drawn one just in case confusion sets in like an Abbott and Costello discussion about who's on first and what's on second!
The S$200K G3 Saas Fee Stakes is the tenth race on the card and will be run over 1400m, which suits Ato but is unchartered territory for Better Be The One.
The first thing you notice about the field of eleven is that Laurie Laxon does not have starter, which is very rare for the many times over champion trainer in a Group race at Kranji.
He did prepare the only winner of this event in Waikato, when it was held for the first time last year.
Laxon and Pat Shaw are slugging it out for the 2011 premiership at the moment but Steve Burridge is on deck ready to swing away.
Shaw has Ato in the feature event and Burridge has Captain Obvious and Apache Crown.
Ato is a proven turf performer with enough early speed to either lead from the ace draw today or take a sit but whether his very much in form rider Barend Vorster wants cover is another matter.
The entire has won from in behind the leaders but it was a shock to the horse as he took time to work out then power through.
He is far better with clear air ahead or sitting on the outer with room to move when he wants.
Vorster may well have asked what's in second upon learning he has drawn in the first stall.
The last start third by Ato behind Better Be The One in the G3 Garden City Trophy (1200m) will see him receive a 1kg turn around today versus his biggest threat in tempo and tactical terms let alone victory.
Ato showed he had progressed nicely since with a clear cut trial win earlier in the week and of course he has won over 1400m before and G1 placed third over a mile.
Better Be The One has never contested a race over more than 1200m but the way the Michael Freedman trained gelding won last start, he should be as strong if not stronger over 1400m under handicap conditions at the post.
He can lead, as he did last start, and pocket his main rival Ato if Captain Obvious comes over early from gate five to sit outside him.
There is also the option of letting Captain Obvious lead and then sit alongside it and then snooker Ato on the inner in behind.
I do feel with Ato being proven at the 1400m and Better Be The One not that the latter will accept a sit and rider Vlad Duric will want to see what is available when he does push the big race button.
Freedman and Duric alike will both need to find out if Better Be The One can run out a strong 1400m and you will not learn anything if involved in a speed duel.
Therefore a soft sit or a guaranteed soft sectional midrace are the only real options.
If we see Vorster load first and Duric is second then Burridge is on third and quite possibly on home plate too.
Captain Obvious did not quite run out the trip last start in the G1 Panasonic Kranji Mile (1600m), with the big grey sitting outside the pace and wilting late to finish eighth under WFA.
He has 58kg again here but gives away weight under the handicap conditions however this is a G3 today and 200m less to travel.
His 1400m record is a near flawless five from six and a third placing.
I also think he is best when let flow along in the lead, so do not be surprised if rider Benny Woodworth is serious out of gate five from the outset.
The stablemate Apache Crown from barrier three can take up a handy position and will either end up behind Ato or Better Be The One on settling unless Captain Obvious does something unobvious early.
Flying Fulton will go forward early, so we may see a decent charge initially and it makes anything 1400m suspect unlikely to want to get involved.
He is far better suited here under handicap conditions than the WFA last start and drops 2.5kg.
Arowana Dot Com also likes to burn over early and from the outside stall his rider Joao Moreira may go for one his slingshot beginnings.
The four-year-old worked over from a wide gate last start at the mile to lead and got swamped late to finish fourth.
The 1400m is much more suitable for what is the second grey galloper in the race.
With so much action happening on first and second and third, it is not inconceivable to see something come out of left field or hit a G3 grand slam.
Ghozi is your horse to sit back cold then come with a paralyzing finish.
He is half a kilo better off versus Better Be The One here, after a good fourth too it fresh up, but is surprisingly half a kilo worse off to Ato and it beat him home too in finishing third.
However he has three very good pitches to throw at his rivals today.
The gelding is a one time G3 winner already and has won over 1400m twice in Singapore and is a three time striker on the strathayr.
He also has the perfect dividend paying game second up of five starts for two wins and three placings.
Now who's on the first home today in the feature event?
Enjoy the race.
