MAKHI, who was forced off the track for close to 19 months because of lameness, will be treated with Lasix for his seventh start tomorrow and is the one to be on in the opening event over 1400 metres.
The four-year-old returned in a 1500-metre race last November 24 and showed up briefly before weakening behind winner SILVA CRASS, GENERAL MUBARAAK and third-place MOVIESTAR. Before his long absence, MAKHI had displayed lots of promise while matching strides with horses such as BRUCE WAYNE who are now running in overnight allowance company.
On April 8, 2017, he was four lengths behind Cruise Lava in a 2000-metre race, clocking 2:12.1 for the distance. Before that, on March 18 of the same year, he was fourth by nine lengths to BRUCE WAYNE, SUBBIE, and DEAL MARKER. All three are now competing against far superior horses to the ones MAKHI will face tomorrow. On his best form MAKHI should therefore blow away tomorrow's field and connections will be hoping that the raceday medication will help him run his best race in almost two years.
GENERAL MUBARAAK is the obvious favourite, on current form, in this opening event of the Sunrise-Six but he cannot be trusted, even at 53kg. He has proved to be very expensive to follow and is always finding one going better in the final stages of his races.
LAMBANA stayed on well in a 1500-metre race on January 5 and appears ready to shed the maiden tag in the second race. The four-year-old gelding finished second to POLLY FLYER after being close to the pace for much of the race. He has gone up 3kg in the weights but is very fit and will be travelling 200 metres more.
The Winston Morris-trained SUBBIE is a banker in Race Three, a 1400-metre race for $450,000 claimers. The five-year-old has contested the distance three times in his past four starts clocking under 1:28.0 each time. He is actually down a level for tomorrow's race after placing third by seven lengths to WINTER IS COMING in a $550,000 claiming race on October 31 last year. Veteran jockey Dane Nelson has the ride.
Bottom of the barrel horses will face the starter in the fourth, a 400m race for $120,000 claimers. Thirteen will run and as is customary in theses race races a lot of entries have physical problems and are very short runners. It's best to stick with horses who have done well over the distance in the past and BEAST has all the credentials.
The nine-year-old was burdened with 57.5kg against $180,000 claimers over 1000-metre straight last December 12 and was not disgraced in placing fourth by four lengths to SONG ON TRACK. He has dropped down to 50kg and will be facing lesser rivals and should not be beaten. The last time BEAST was this light in this claiming group, and over this distance, he won going away by three lengths.
MY MOM JUSS is the choice for Race Five while CAT'S RIGGER is the selection in the sixth.
1. MAKHI
2. LAMBANA
3. SUBBIE
4. BEAST
5. MY MOM JUSS
6. CAT'S RIGGER