NAVAL COMMANDER is expected to start favourite again tomorrow afternoon when he runs in the Abbie Grannum Memorial Cup.

However, the Percy Hussey-trained two-year-old colt failed to impress on debut when a measured second behind MARATHON MAN at 1400 metres and could fall to Tony Kirlew's debutant, ALLTHEBEST, who has looked sharp at exercise in the mornings.

Kirlew's filly seems to be a middle-distance runner, as the trainer has her doing six-furlong spins, the last being a decent 1:15.0 last Friday morning.

She has some speed on her top end, sired by BURNING MARQUE, and could get away from NAVAL COMMANDER, who looked sluggish behind MARATHON MAN, turning for home last before closing mildly into second at 1400 metres on October 29.

ALLTHEBEST, one of two newcomers in the race, has shown enough at exercise to suggest she could very well be more forward than her more experienced rivals, most of whom appear to be short runners.

HE'S REALLY OK has trained like a stayer, seven furlongs in 1:31.2 last Wednesday morning. However, he seems to be a tardy starter, slow to get his act together down the backstretch on his October 20 debut, and bolted at the start on November 1.

Track Price Plus Pick-6 players have a sound shot at striking it rich tomorrow with in-form runners hard to oppose on the nine-race card.

Champion jockey Omar Walker should notch a quick double in races two and three with QUEEN OF MY HEART and LITTLE WASP at 1100 metres. Other runners such as MISS ROSE in the fourth, MISS TIMS in the fifth, DIESEL in the seventh and SMOOTHABILITY in the eighth, should also be unsaddled in the winners' enclosure.

Better horses

QUEEN OF MY HEART won strong enough on a $390,000 tag on October 25 to beat off-colour $470,000 runners at a mile in the second.

Claimed off her victory by Robert Darby Sr, the five-year-old mare is up a notch in class but never really belonged to the level where she won and is quite comfortable against horses, who she should use her pace to dominate.

Wayne DaCosta's LITTLE WASP, an American-bred filly, is unbeaten in two starts and should use her speed to demolish her local rivals, none of whom have won two races.

Lawrence Freemantle's MISS ROSE has been training with a mile in mind, galloping out of the chute since the start of the month in her exercise spins. She was in the frame in her last two races, beaten by better horses, and should outstay NATURAL ATLANTA and company.

Super-fit MISS TIMS looks hard to beat on a $220,000 tag after staving off MARKET BRIDLE and SAMBA DANCER at 1800 metres for her third win in four starts on last. She is again the controlling speed and should go all the way against a weaker field.

DIESEL might not be at his best but can't be opposed on a $180,000 tag, unless dead lame. He may have finished last of seven on July 19 but that was on a $450,000 tag, beaten by nine lengths, and should easily put away the lowest claiming group at 1000 metres straight.

Close all bets with SMOOTHABILITY, who simply exploded at 1000 metres straight when beating OUTSTANDING and WHEEL N DEAL on October 8.