It’s looking bright for Kharisma

Kharisma has still some way to go before he can join his Saturday rival - Top Knight - in the Millionaires Club.

For that matter, so too Lim's Lightning, who has backed in more than $800,000 for his connections.

But Kharisma's getting there and a win in the weekend's Kranji Stakes A race will go some way in padding up his bank balance which now stands at a "modest" $310,000.

The Saturday sprint over the 1,400m carries a purse of $100,000.

Kharisma has recently been racing with gusto and he is ready to look his two highly rated rivals in the eye - and not blink.

The four-year-old was the star on the training track yesterday morning, clocking 37.8sec for 600m on the Polytrack.

He had Wong Chin Chuen in the saddle doing the steering.

Wong must like Kharisma. After all, he gave the former champion apprentice two wins - including his latest triumph.

That was on May 22, when he beat a highly respectable Kranji Stakes A field, which included the likes of Mr Malek who went on to whip his opponents at his last start on June 5.

Back to Kharisma, he has been a good horse to have in the yard.

In 15 starts, he has not been placed further than third in just four of them.

Trainer Stephen Gray has done a really good job with this son of Mossman, who arrived in his yard in July 2019.

Like a good soldier, Kharisma worked his way through the ranks, finishing third on debut. Then second and second, again.

He opened his account in July last year when having just his fourth start.

He then scored three wins in Class 4 before defying a promotion at his first go in Class 3.

Come Saturday, Kharisma will not be cowed by Lim's Lightning and Top Knight who are both on 100 rating points.

Kharisma is 11 points lower, at 89. But his star is on the rise and, with a 4.5kg pull in weight, he will give the rest of the field plenty to think about.

Gray, who has assembled a compact team of nine for Saturday's 12-race action, has another good one in Hard Too Think.

Another rising star in the stables, Hard Too Think was also out on the training track, where he ran 600m in 40.4sec.

French jockey Marc Lerner was in the saddle.

A four-year-old like his stablemate Kharisma, Hard Too Think won his last start rather impressively.

That day, May 29, he took the lead on straightening and never gave it back.

Ridden by Lerner, who has had a good association with the horse, Hard Too Think was having his first attempt over the 2,000m trip and he passed it with flying colours.

His two other wins have been over 1,400m on turf and 1,700m on the Polytrack.

Saturday's assignment will see him take on Class 3 rivals for the first time.

But it is a winnable sort of race that Gray has picked out for his charge and he will have plenty of friends.