Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

COMMANDING CHIEF is down two classes for tomorrow's overnight allowance event at a mile, six months after creditable performances in grade one alongside the country's best horses.

Governor General's Stakes runner-up to MARK MY WORD and fourth behind the champion stayer in the Superstakes, followed by a fair seventh behind Horse of the Year SAINT CECELIA in the Gold Cup, COMMANDING CHIEF is back at overnight allowance, a level he had slammed by six lengths a year ago.

The chestnut gelding has looked sharp at exercise and is nicely drawn, widest in the 12-horse field. Shane Ellis is aboard COMMANDING CHIEF, his fourth rider in his last four starts, replacing Paul Francis who was recalled for December's Gold Cup.

However, no matter who is aboard COMMANDING CHIEF tomorrow, he doesn't belong in overnight allowance and should make short work of rivals at an ideal trip.

Note how he worked two Saturdays ago, a mile in 1:42.0, before his handlers backed off the throttle last week with a 1:31.2 blowout for seven furlongs.

That was deliberate as COMMANDING CHIEF's connections believe key losses, albeit against the best horses in the country, were a result of him going too hard at exercise.

Set to carry 56.0 kilos, COMMANDING CHIEF sits a kilo below REASONABLE PRESS who lost a nail-biter to TYPEWRITER in the King's Plate on April 20.

United States-bred REASONABLE PRESS boasts a victory over COMMANDING CHIEF, last August, a race in which the gelding did not fire.

Seasonal debut

Though REASONABLE PRESS has two runs under his girth this year and COMMANDING CHIEF is making his seasonal debut, the local-bred gelding has looked good enough at exercise to use his mid-race pace to cripple the American down the backstretch.

Form players should rebound from the battering they received on Wednesday. MEROVINGIAN QUEEN looks hard to beat in the opening event at 1100 metres and 1000 Guineas runner-up PERFECT DAY should take care of rivals in the second at 1400 metres.

PRINCIPE gets the nod in the third at 1000 metres straight and stablemate AWSOME SENSATION won't miss in the seventh, closing a jockey-trainer double for Dane Nelson and Anthony Nunes.