Crucial Appeal to crush rivals in Bucknor feature

CRUCIAL APPEAL has a great draw in this afternoon's G.A. 'Sarge' Bucknor Memorial at his favourite distance, 1000 metres straight, whereas his main threats will have the track bias against them in the overnight allowance event.

Though he shares topweight 57.0 kilos with POKER STAR, CRUCIAL APPEAL is the quickest horse breaking from the auxiliary gate on the faster stands' side.

Drawn at postposition 13 in the 15-horse field, CRUCIAL APPEAL might have SMOKEY TOPAZ for company at the outset but his class should easily give him command of the stands' side.

TALENTED TONY K and MR UNIVERSE, breaking from stalls one and five, respectively, will have to battle each other for dominance in mid-track, which is bound to be heavier, especially with the forecast for rain this afternoon.

CRUCIAL APPEAL's high draw gives him a distinct advantage, away from the possible matching speed of TALENTED TONY K and MR UNIVERSE.

Even with his back class, it will be hard for seven-year-old TALENTED TONY K to get rid of MR UNIVERSE in mid-track then successfully outfinish CRUCIAL APPEAL.

Quite a speedster, MR UNIVERSE comes in at a handy 52.0 kilos on the back of a quick 1:05.2 for 1100 metres recently, carrying 56.0 kilos. However, the four-year-old is up in class, has the draw against him and faces a course specialist, CRUCIAL APPEAL, whose last run against the country's best sprinters showed that he is far from done.

Claimed by Alford Brown from Dwight Chen for $850,000 as a winner on March 10, CRUCIAL APPEAL returned April 21, racing two classes higher, and lost by less than four lengths to SIEMPRE BUENO, CHACE THE GREAT and MONEY MAGNET in the 1200-metre Lady Geeta, a grade one event.