April 17, 2009
Star Sport

 
Follow Dane all day
Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

DANE Nelson is set to take the jockeys' title fight to leader Omar Walker tomorrow afternoon as he has no less than five live rides on the 11 racecard - MARK TO MARKET, PRIME MINISTER, IMAGE DANCER, AD INFINITUM and COLORADO BABE.

AD INFINITUM is set to carry topweight 60.5 kilos in the 1820-metre Legal Light Trophy, tackling RUM TALK, who beat him by a half-length in December's marathon 12-furlong Harry Jackson Memorial.

That afternoon, RUM TALK was in receipt of 8lb from AD INFINITUM and had to battle gamely over the final half-furlong to get the better of the Superstakes winner, reversing a three and three-quarter length loss at level weights.

Neither horse has raced since and face a super-fit rival, REGAL SELECTION, who has come on leaps and bounds, winning four consecutive races since finishing down the track behind AD INIFINITUM and third-place RUM TALK in the Superstakes.

However, AD INFINITUM and RUM TALK are on different spheres than the horses REGAL SELECTION have been beating and even though the four-year-old colt comes in light at 54.0 kilos, he should find the top two too classy for him.

AD INFINITUM might be hiked in the scale but RUM TALK has also picked up weight, moving from 115lb to 127, making for a weight difference of six pounds as opposed to eight when they had met in the Superstakes.

Pace will have a lot to say about the event with ENGLISH STORM and BLUE MAGIC expected to set the early splits with REGAL SELECTION and AD INFINITUM in tow, followed by RUM TALK.

BLUE MAGIC isn't expected to hang around for too long but should do enough damage for ENGLISH STORM to wilt under pressure from REGAL SELECTION and AD INFINITUM.

Nelson will have to time his run perfectly in the stretch run and not get overly excited but instead save his horse for the final furlong and a half when RUM TALK should come calling.

With the distance slashed and RUM TALK heavier, AD INFINITUM is tipped to get first run on the leaders and hang tough up the lane.

MARK TO MARKET returns among $450,000 claimers in the second event at 1000 metres straight. Since claimed by Patrick Chang on January 31, the five-year-old gelding has raced once, facing open allowance runners on Guineas Day, a no-hoper against the winner SUPER DAVE and Horse of the Year ALSAFRA.

A clean break should be enough for MARK TO MARKET to lead home the improved YAMASHITA'S GOLD, who should arrive too late.

PRIME MINISTER gets the ideal distance in the third, 1820 metres, to stalk and blow past SPACEMAN, who is up in class and suspect against closers.

SPACEMAN beat GABROUSHE at a mile in a decent 1:39.4 on March 25 but PRIME MINISTER's race behind AGUILA was sharp, 1:11.3 for the six-furlong split, which caused second-place SHANGHAI PASS to back up after chasing into the lane.

PRIME MINISTER was always prominent but lacked the speed of AGUILA and SHANGHAI PASS, finishing five lengths third. In an easier pace, his stretch run will be too strong to withstand.

Give IMAGE DANCER another chance in the fourth, going shorter, 1500 metres, after she weakened to HAILSTORM at 1820 metres last week. She is still the quickest in the line-up and only needs to be kept on her bridle for as long as possible, which shouldn't be hard with no real matching speed in the event.

Nelson should round off a great day with COLORADO BABE in the ninth at 1000 metres straight. She's well drawn and should go all the way.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 bettors should start all bets by using Wayne DaCosta's American debutant, CASSANOVA BOY, in the first at 1300 metres.

The grey colt has looked sharp at exercise upside LITTLE WASP and has nothing to fear in the six-horse field.

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