Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

CHAMPION trainer Wayne DaCosta has bettors in a tizzy as to which of his horses, COMMANDER ZERO or FLUFFY, to play in tomorrow's 1100-metre St Catherine Cup.

American-bred FLUFFY returns down in class off a four-month lay-up extremely light, 49.0 kilos, due to female apprentice Georgina Sergeon's two-kilo claim.

The four-year-old filly has looked good at exercise, clocking a bullet 58.3 from the gate on Christmas Day.

Since setting the track alight that morning, FLUFFY has been clocking good times this past week, 1:00.1 and 1:01.1, for flat five-furlong gallops on the round course.

At the weight, she appears to be a cinch, getting all of 12lb from stablemate COMMANDER ZERO, who will carry 54.5 kilos.

However, FLUFFY will have to be at her best to beat COMMANDER ZERO, who clocked 1:06.1 for 1100 metres when beating overnight allowance horses on January 8.

Reporting down in class off a five-month lay-up, COMMANDER ZERO beat MACHISMO and stablemate NEW KINGSTON by three lengths after coasting to the lead approaching the home turn.

With COMMANDER ZERO's January 8 victory under his belt, asking FLUFFY to return off a five-month lay-up and outsprint her stablemate could be a bit too much - even with the handicaps in her favour.

FLUFFY has speed but she runs best at middle distances. Although her first two victories were in sprints, the opposition was questionable - beating PLATINUM VALLEY to get off the mark and MY BREDREN afterwards.

Her next race was against top-quality sprinters and she was no match for DOUBLETHEHONEY and RON RON at 1100 metres. However, she was at her best when racking four consecutive victories, from 1300 up to 1820 metres, in which she used her pace to run slower rivals into the ground.

If COMMANDER ZERO reproduces the 1:06.1 he clocked on January 8, FLUFFY will be in trouble, especially having not run since last September when finishing down the track behind THE GUV and RON RON at a mile.

DaCosta has given little away by choice of rider, recalling Doushane Gordon to partner COMMANDER ZERO at 54.5 kilos and using lightweight stable rider Sergeon aboard FLUFFY.

However, COMMANDER ZERO gets the nod at 1100 metres. FLUFFY has not run in a sprint race since March of last year and will find her stablemate elusive up the lane.

Round off those Track Price Plus Pick-6 bets with MEDICAL REPORT, BUSY and GLOBAL WARMING in the first three races, as well as RUN CHARM RUN in the fifth and FLY TO THE MOON in the eighth.