SUPERDAY Imported Mile winner, ENGLISH STORM, showed enough class in his last two victories to take out Open Allowance runners in tomorrow's 1400-metre Gladiator trophy.

Rapidly improving since stretched out by trainer Carl Anderson, the three-year-old American-bred took on the top foreigners in the land on Superday and ran a great race to get the better of the nation's top importee, CHADMAN, who wilted under topweight 60.5 kilos and narrowly lost third, by a head, to LIKKLE BIT.

Although returning significantly heavier, 17 lb on the 49.5 kilos he carried in the Mile, ENGLISH STORM is still a good bet with 57.0 kilos, renewing rivalry with the likes of LIKKLE BIT and FIRST IN THE SAND, who placed fourth on Superday.

Despite the claims of LIKKLE BIT and FIRST IN THE SAND, ENGLISH STORM's main threat should be a local-bred, Lotto Classic winner, IT IS I, the filly who kept Triple Crown winner ALSAFRA honest on the lead in the Superstakes, setting it up for stablemate AD INFINITUM to outfinish her.

Whereas LIKKLE BIT and FIRST IN THE SAND lack speed and should again be outpaced by ENGLISH STORM, IT IS I is light enough with 49.0 kilos to make a bid on the lead.

However, ENGLISH STORM's splits in the Mile, 45.3 and 1:11.1, suggest he's versatile enough to track the local-bred filly and outfinish her up the lane.

Patient rider

Veteran Everton Miller is a patient rider but he shouldn't allow IT IS I to run loose with young Dane Nelson as both rider and horse are battlers and will still be going strong in the closing stages.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 players will have to be on the ball early tomorrow with only eight races on the midweek card.

Dwight Chen's American-bred, UNBRIDLED RUNNER, looks forward enough to get off the mark on debut in the 1200-metre first race for maiden two-year-olds. The chestnut filly has worked well for her debut, an easy 1:01.2 from the gate, last Tuesday, following bullet works of 35.0 and 36.1 on the round course.

In four wins from 50 career starts, LIGHT MY FIRE has never strung together consecutive wins.

However, bank on her to do so in the 1200-metre third race after that impressive 1:13.2 at the distance on November 1.

STAR OF THE SEA and SPACEMAN clash again in the 1400-metre fifth race after wearing themselves out on the lead and falling prey to REGAL SELECTION at 1500 metres on September 27.

SPACEMAN is still new to the class and although he rallied to get the nod on the filly STAR OF THE SEA by a short head behind REGAL SELECTION, should find her too strong with a half-furlong less to travel.

HAIL THE GENIUS looked sharp when second at 1100 metres behind PRINCESS LORNA on Superday and is ready to win his fourth race and should outstay rivals in the sixth at 2000 metres for the Glen T. Williamson Cup.

Close all bets with DIGI N' JIGGY among $220,000 claimers after his ridiculously easy victory at $180,000 claiming 1100 metres on Superday.