Weights favour Muraahib in EW Barker at Kranji

Singapore – Barring the obvious Cup in just six days’ time, the EW Barker on Sunday is one of the most anticipated handicap races of the season and the 2020 edition looks a beauty, with many winning hopes at the conditions.

JUPITER GOLD heads the ratings and the weights but given the 2018 Derby winner is first-up after some 20 months away from the track, he may feel every bit of the 58kg weight over what should be a tough 1400m.

His presence, however, does compress the weights and a horse in cracking winning form in MURAAHIB looks very well placed with just 52.5kg.

The five-year-old won over the trip two starts back and followed that up with a fighting win over 1200m in Class 2. So while tested for the first time at Group level, he looks a leading chance.

The recent form of SIAM BLUE VANDA doesn’t read as well as that of MURAAHIB but given he has been knocking about in weight-for-age Group 1 company of late, he will find this easier and may even get out to value.

The chances don’t stop there, and you can make a serious case for the likes of GRAND KOONTA and ROCKET STAR, while ZAC KASA, NOWYOUSEE, FAME STAR, SAFEER and even QUARTERBACK at value, could all be considered.

Elsewhere on the card, the fight for the 2020 Jockey Premiership continues.

Ruan Maia only pegged one win back when Vlad Duric was absent last Saturday but while the Brazilian would have been bitterly disappointed not to have added a few more wins to his tally, he can keep things interesting on Sunday with some solid rides.

Obviously Duric also has a good book of rides - you would expect nothing less - and the pair could be going hammer-and-tong in Race 4 on the card with Maia on MR SHOWMAN and Duric on SPECIAL OPS the two standouts.

BEST BET

Race 3: My Big Boss

VALUE BETS

Race 7: Senor Don

Race 10: Siam Bue Vanda JACKPOT

R300

Race 8: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9

Race 9: 2, 4, 6, 11

Race 10: 1, 3, 4, 7, 10

Race 11: 4, 11, 13