No stopping Crucial Appeal

DOWN in class and going the minimum trip, not to mention a favoured rail draw at post-position one, and jockey Shane Ellis, who has the patience of Job, CRUCIAL APPEAL has most appeal in this afternoon's eighth race at 1000 metres.

CRUCIAL APPEAL gets a break from open- allowance pace, using his get-out-of-jail card to slip back among overnight allowance runners an ideal distance for him to use back class and dominate, even with top-weight 57.0 kilos.

Sticky going

Among the last of his generation remaining in the top ranks of sprinters at Caymanas Park, seven-year-old CRUCIAL APPEAL has been finding things sticky in the second-tier, open allowance, a group which allows two wins before graduation to, grade one.

Advancing in age, CRUCIAL APPEAL simply could not manage the burden of 57.0 kilos in the class, allowing younger rivals weight, since he won at the level, going five furlongs straight in March.

However, CRUCIAL APPEAL's get-out-of-jail card has popped up, a condition which allows horses to drop class in the top ranks, grade one and open allowance, if they haven't won a race in a particular period since making the grade.

CRUCIAL APPEAL last raced in the 1300-metre Saint Cecelia Cup against horses who could fill a grade-one race at the distance, including CHOO CHOO BLUE, ANOTHER BULLET, the winner and runner-up, who were separated by a short head at the finish, respectively.

In that race, CRUCIAL APPEAL carried 57.0 kilos and led the field into the lane on a wet track, stalked at first by CHOO CHOO BLUE, then ANOTHER BULLET, who attacked and took over about a furlong and a half out.

Never mind that CRUCIAL APPEAL weakened and finished next-to-last in the nine-horse field, that was after he was eased by Linton Steadman inside the last half-furlong. The chestnut gelding was still fourth a furlong out behind ANOTHER BULLET, CHOO CHOO BLUE and possibly DWAYNE STAR.

Gary Subratie's SIMPLY MAGIC is a quick filly, who will relish every inch of the dash, especially at 50.0 kilos. However, after beating non-winners-of-four, mid-September, she faced the harsh reality of overnight allowance and was blown away by SIEMPRE BUENO, DANCING QUEEN and company in the Ahwhofah Sprint.