Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

TRAINER Gary Subratie's recent claim, six-year-old CHARMING LUTHER, has looked back-to-form at exercise and could spring a surprise in tomorrow afternoon's one-mile CTL Imported Stakes for overseas-breds.

Claimed from Neive Graham for $470,000 on August 23, CHARMING LUTHER, a lightly trained gelding, was noted galloping out of the seven-furlong chute in a bullet workout last week Wednesday, clocking 1:31.0, the last six in 1:16.0.

Down to carry 49.0 kilos with lightweight front-riding jockey Javour Simpson, CHARMING LUTHER has every chance of slipping the 11-horse field under a smart ride.

Subratie ranks among trainers who are able to turn around horses off claims and CHARMING LUTHER producing a bullet work at exercise, suggests the American is coming to run with his lightweight rider in a race with heavyweight favourites.

GOOD CITIZEN and PURE SILK are expected to take the bulk of the betting but both are suspect with 60.5 and 58.5 kilos, respectively.

GOOD CITIZEN has run up to a mile, finishing second to RUM TALK on July 12, but has carried no more than 49.0 kilos in his last three races, albeit against better company.

However, 60.5 kilos, in what is expected to be an honest pace, from start to finish, should be the undoing of the three-year-old filly.

Big effort

The other top weight in the Grade Two handicap event, PURE SILK, has already won at 1400 metres, wearing down WHEEL 'N' DEAL in a stretch duel. Her last run, second to speedy AHWHOFAH at 1300 metres on September 3, was a big effort in a super-fast race clocked in 1:17.1.

However, similar to GOOD CITIZEN, she's not used to carrying big weights and must be suspect, as she will be asked to chase the pace.

CHARMING LUTHER, on paper, looks hard to back, up two classes and without a win in more than a year and a half. However, all the signs point to a gamble, a sparingly trained horse sparkling at exercise under a new trainer and a decent lightweight rider called in to complete the job.

Richie Todd's PRIME MINISTER gets the ideal distance to stalk and beat rivals in the Kenneth Mattis 2000-metre trophy race for Overnight Allowance runners.

A bit leg-weary on September 6, after going down by a neck to LIKKLE BIT at 1500 metres two weeks earlier, the four-year-old gelding was beaten a length and quarter by MITAKA at 1700 metres.

Cooled out and looking better at exercise in a six-furlong spin Sunday morning, PRIME MINISTER clocked an easy 1:19.4 and should be able to track any pace set by rivals before producing his storming stretch run.

If there's a horse to watch, it must be the vastly improved AGUILA who, although up in class, won impressively at 1820 metres on September 3, by all of nine lengths in a decent 1:57.0, and returns with only 48.0 kilos.

Track Plus Pick-6 players should go with CHOSEN ONE in the second, HI TECH in the fourth, SIR KHAN in the fifth, WESTERN GENIUS in the seventh, DOLLA WIN in the ninth and TESSANNE in the 11th.

CHOSEN ONE won in fine style on August 13 on the round course and should repeat at 1000 metres straight against up in class runners.

HI TECH should be closing too fast for MISS CREE and company at 1200 metres and SIR KHAN's blowout among overnight allowance horses on September 6, still second at the top of the lane behind MITAKA, makes him tough to beat on a $410,000 tag in the fifth at a mile.

The two-year-old debutant WESTERN GENIUS should get off the mark at 1000 metres round after clocking 1:01.4 for the distance at exercise and DOLLA WIN's fighting second to FIRST LADY makes him hard to oppose in the ninth at 1100 metres.

Close all bets with five-star banker TESSANNE on a $180,000 tag in the nightpan at 1000 metres straight.