Jimmie, STAR Racing Writer

JET SETTER's fourth-place finish behind out-of-class COMMANDING CHIEF, coming off a near three-month lay-up two Saturdays ago, catches the eye in tomorrow's 1400-metre ninth race.

The versatile Wayne DaCosta-trained gelding turned for home fourth behind COMMANDING CHIEF being chased by SWEET TRAIL and PALACE GOLD. He loomed large a furlong out in the 1200-metre event, almost getting on terms with SWEET TRAIL and PALACE GOLD, but flattened out inside the last half furlong.

Nevertheless, it was a big effort from JET SETTER who had last raced on March 10. After Dane Nelson got JET SETTER to come forward a furlong out, he didn't have to be all over him to finish three-quarter length behind third-place PALACE GOLD.

With that run under his girth, JET SETTER should use his class to stalk the pace tomorrow before going for the kill off the home turn.

He was really comfortable chasing the pace on May 2 in a quicker field and will be more relaxed at 1400 metres against slower horses.

HOMBRE could try making all but doesn't like being rushed off his legs at short distances. In addition, the former Superstakes winner is too heavy, 57.0 kilos, to maintain a gate-to-wire sprint. Any attempt to sit in the pace won't do him any good either. He'll be left behind when the speed picks up at the half mile.

Owen Sharpe's RED FLAG won convincingly at eight and a half furlongs on May 5. He has not been out of the first two in his last eight starts and reports with 50.0 kilos tomorrow, 11lb lighter than JET SETTER.

open allowance

DaCosta's JET SETTER twice beat RED FLAG in open allowance races last year. However, on both occasions, JET SETTER was three pounds lighter than RED FLAG, making it a 14-lb swing in the scale tomorrow.

With 14lb in his favour and working like a bomb, RED FLAG is JET SETTER's main threat. He easily put away LADY MACBETH at a mile in his last race on May 5.

His previous effort, a short-head loss at 1300 metres to SWEET TRAIL, eight pounds heavier than the filly on April 28, was an even bigger run.

SWEET TRAIL franked that form by finishing two and a quarter lengths ahead of fourth-place JET SETTER when second to COMMANDING CHIEF two Saturdays ago, literally pointing to RED FLAG as tomorrow's winner.

However, DaCosta is a master of using tough races to bring on his horses. Reporting off a three-month lay-up against down-in-class COMMANDING CHIEF was a tall task, which the champion trainer took advantage of.

With that run and two open allowance victories against RED FLAG already in the bag, JET SETTER will be better for the run and should defy the handicaps.