Chairman to make the call

Dester Singapore Gold Cup "reject" Chairman certainly looks too classy in a Class 3 race.

Obviously, he makes a pretty safe bet in Race 3 in tomorrow's card of 10 at Kranji.

If the Lee Freedman-trained Irish-bred had secured a berth in last Sunday's Gold Cup, a Group 1 feature worth $1.35 million in prize money, I would have no hesitation putting him as the second choice behind my top pick and eventual winner Gilt Complex.

Chairman failed to qualify by finishing second in the Group 3 El Dorado Classic over the Gold Cup 2,200m trip and was handicapped as the second reserve with a postage-stamp weight. He did not get in as there were no withdrawals.

Gilt Complex was caught in the same predicament last year.

He finished third to Bahana in the El Dorado but won the Kranji Stakes C race on the same day in a faster time and heavier weight than Bahana in the Gold Cup.

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So history looks set to repeat itself with Chairman following Gilt Complex's footsteps, a "reject" moving on to capture a consolation race.

After all, he will be meeting only seven rivals in the 1,600m race tomorrow and Chairman has the form to do it.

The four-year-old, who raced in Ireland as Cole Porter for a win over 2,414m, has been super consistent at Kranji, finishing out of board only twice from 13 starts.

He scored twice - both over 2,000m - and has four seconds, three thirds and two fourths.

He was very unlucky in the El Dorado in that he was drawn the carpark. His connections must have fallen off their chairs when he drew the widest barrier of 16, a distinct disadvantage having to cover more ground than the rest.

But English jockey Alan Munro rode a perfect race. He slotted Chairman nicely into the race and looked poised for a win - and a shot at gold - when Secret Win came from last to deny him of victory by half a length.