Jimmie, STAR Racing Writer

SUPERIOR QUALITY appears to have settled down nicely this summer as a three-year-old after a spring break, returning from a four-month lay-up last month to beat COME DANCE WITH ME by a length and a half at 1000 metres round.

Venturing up in class to overnight allowance two and a half weeks ago, SUPERIOR QUALITY ran smack into a transformed SCOOP JORDYNE, finishing seven lengths behind the gelding's terrific 57.2 for 1000 metres straight.

The form of that race played out nicely in last Saturday's overnight allowance. UNCLE TAF and PRINCE ANDREW, sixth and second-past-the-post, respectively, behind SCOOP JORDYNE, returned to complete the exacta at 1400 metres, separated by only a length.

It is now SUPERIOR QUALITY's turn to frank the form, having placed third in that fast-run 1000 metres straight race behind SCOOP JORDYNE. He was a length and a half off second-place PRINCE ANDREW and three-quarter ahead of UNCLE TAF.

Against COME DANCE WITH ME, SUPERIOR QUALITY never got a breather, yet won with authority when challenged by the speedy filly in the stretch run. Breaking from post-position two, Walker put SUPERIOR QUALITY in front early, and the colt responded readily in the stretch run when COME DANCE WITH ME came calling.

Drawn widest in tomorrow's seven-horse field at 1200 metres, SUPERIOR QUALITY has one speed horse to contend with, Patrick Lynch's TOOTING KAT. However, the five-year-old mare had actually led SCOOP JORDYNE onto the main track, but weakened out of contention to finish seventh, a length behind SUPERIOR QUALITY.

She has been fitted with a figure eight by Lynch, and will try stealing a march down the backstretch. However, she has never won a race on the round course, and has a bad habit of racing wide and blowing the turn, which Lynch hopes the figure eight will correct.

Omar Walker need only track the pace with SUPERIOR QUALITY for the first three furlongs - no need to get in a speed duel - before asking the young and improving colt, who has won at six and a half furlongs, to reel in the mare.