Class 3 show will be a thriller

Sure, the running of the Dester Singapore Gold Cup will command all the attention on Sunday. But spare a thought for the races on the undercard.

There are some really good showdowns in store and, in particular, Race 11 - the 1,200m sprint for Class 3 Division 2 horses.

It showcases a quality field and it should produce a fighting finish.

As if to preview what could be in store, four of its contenders showed up on the training track at Kranji9 yesterday morning - each glistening in coat and light on their toes.

Taking it from the top, they were Elite Power, Nepean, Captain Jamie and Calculation.

Elite Power had Ryan Curatolo in the saddle when running the 600m in a speedy 34.8sec.

Nepean covered the trip in 37.9sec with Matthew Kellady doing the steering.

Ridden by Nooresh Juglall, Captain Jamie stopped the clocks at 36.5sec while "Harry" Kasim had a comfortable sit on Calculation who was timed at 37.4sec.

Here's how they stack up.

Last time out, Elite Power failed by under a length to catch Flak Jacket in what was a good race.

Two runs earlier, he again had to settle for the scraps when beaten by Special King in a 1,100m contest on the Polytrack. And in June, he again had to settle for a minor placing when third to Autumn Rush over the flying 1,000m.

After that losing sequence, Elite Power richly deserves a winning break. He hasn't yet shown us what he can do on grass. Come Sunday, maybe he will.

From Shane Baertschiger's yard, Nepean has been a quiet achiever.

He put together a race-to-race double earlier in the season and in June he ran second to Southern Spur in a 1,400m race.

He will come into Sunday's race on the back of a winning trial. That was on Nov 1 when he beat the talented Mokastar when clocking 60.73sec for the 1,000m.

Just a four-year-old, Captain Jamie seems to have been with us for such a long time. Maybe because he's been such a "regular" at the trials.

Anyway, he would have gone in many notebooks after that sizzler of a trial last month.

That day, when partnered by Juglall, he blitzed his rivals over the 1,000m, winning by almost eight lengths while clocking 60.26sec for the trip.

Many will remember that show and it could translate into a flood of bets.

Then, of course, there's Calculation.

Two wins from two outings - and a win in a trial to boot - there's no telling just how good he is.

But, coming from Lee Freedman's barn, expect nothing less than the best. And with Calculation, it could be a case of the best is yet to come.

The three-year-old gets into Sunday's contest having hardly spent a penny in his races so far.

He poleaxed his opponents when carrying 57kg on debut and early last month, he won as he liked - making light of his 56kg load.

The 52.5kg he carries on Sunday will seem like a feather.