A return to the poly can precede a return to the winners circle for Johnny Guitar in today’s Group 3 Colonial Chief Stakes at Kranji.
Johnny Guitar is unbeaten on the polytrack with two of his three wins in Singapore coming on the surface.
The latest of those was four starts back over the mile where he proved far too good for his rivals, travelling strongly in close check to the speed and kicking clear when asked to win by a soft two lengths on the line.
That performance was followed by a terrific effort behind mile champ War Affair in the Kranji Mile where he finished second returning a rating that would make him the clear horse to beat today.
He was well held in the Raffles Cup and then had no luck at all last time.
Not only does he rate to win this on that recent good pair of runs but it’s worth looking back at his Polytrack Mile Championship win in March.
There he was able to beat a strong field – on paper stronger than what he faces today – and return a rating that would in all likelihood prove too good in this.
The current solid form of the stable does nothing to dampen enthusiasm.
Patrick Shaw is striking at 20% with his last 50 runners, up from 11% long term, and he combines with jockey John Powell to strike at 31%.
Powell goes back aboard today having missed the ride last time but he had ridden him well in three runs prior, the big poly win and two runs in Group 1 company.
The new blood in the race is Hughsy, a winner of three of just five career starts.
He leaps in class for this, coming off a good second in a Benchmark 67 at the course last time but he has plenty of room for improvement.
He’s easily the least exposed in the line up and even though he will have to run a much higher rating in order to pose a threat here he has fewer convictions than several of those above him who have shown their limitations.
Dujardin is another one that is fairly lightly raced and has scope for improvement coming into this.
He was a good second on the turf here last time and last time he was on the polytrack was behind top pick Johnny Guitar when he also finished second.
Johnny clearly had his measure that day but he finished the race off soundly in second and that performance must have him under notice today.
Lizzare and Goliath tracked him in, finishing third and fourth respectively there, and they are both honest performers at around this level.
Lizzare is not getting any better and Goliath has to turn his form around after a couple but he is not unlikely to do so tumbling back in grade.
He’s well placed here on his best form and he has tended to produce that from off similar breaks between runs.
He’s two from three – placed 3/3 – off similar day breaks and a good run here could be easily envisaged given that fact.
Best of luck and happy punting.
