The Governor's Cup is the major prep race for the 2400-metre Jamaica Derby, scheduled for June 14.

JOSIE WALES, who has not raced since fracturing his knee when winning December's Jamaica Two-Year-Old Stakes, has picked up topweight due to the absence of Guineas winners ROYAL IMAGE and ALSAFRA, who also won the Jamaica Oaks.

Anthony Nunes' pair of MACHISMO and EVANDER are set to carry 55.0 and 53.5 kilos, respectively, while Philip Feanny's LEONIDAS will shoulder 53.5.

The impressive 2000 Guineas runner-up, COMMANDER ZERO, who finished three lengths behind ROYAL IMAGE while having the rest of the field well beaten, is down to carry 52.5.

Conditioned by champion trainer Wayne DaCosta, COMMANDER ZERO is expected to start favourite ahead of MACHISMO, LEONIDAS and Michael McIntosh's MINISTEROFJUSTICE, who was recently beaten in a driving finish, over 1820 metres, by LEONIDAS.

DaCosta yesterday acknowledged that COMMANDER ZERO would be the horse to beat but would not rule out JOSIE WALES and MACHISMO.

"COMMANDER ZERO is going two turns for the first time," he said.

"His breeding suggests he won't get 10 furlongs. None of the line has gone that long before but COMMANDER ZERO is a classy type and will just about get 10 furlongs.

"Once there is no out-and-out stayer with class in the race, he should have a good chance," DaCosta pointed out, naming JOSIE WALES, MACHISMO and LEONIDAS as horses to watch.

"The only horse in the race to have won a big race, JOSIE WALES, looks like he stays. Whether he is fit enough to do himself justice, coming off a break, is left to be seen. MACHISMO worked with ROYAL IMAGE, going close at exercise, and LEONIDAS is also working well.

"It could be a wide open race," said the champion trainer.