Halledeen in Charge

WILL IN CHARGE has been dealt a bad hand by the handicapper, which, if he even defies, on principle, would not vindicate him being allotted topweight 126lb for this afternoon's Chairman's Trophy, giving away weight to old rival BIGDADDYKOOL and two-time Diamond Mile winner SEEKING MY DREAM.

Slapped with topweight because he used 119lb to wire SHE'S A MANEATER (126lb) in the Legal Light Trophy, WILL IN CHARGE's performance, according to the handicapper, has made him the second-highest-rated horse in the country, though he has never beaten BIGDADDYKOOL without a major weight advantage, 16 and 18lb, on two occasions.

In fact, the last two times they met, BIGDADDYKOOL finished ahead of WILL IN CHARGE, at level weights, in November's Superstakes, which he followed up with an out-of-sight victory in December's Harry Jackson Memorial, allowing his rival 10lb.

Nevertheless, circumstances could result in WILL IN CHARGE defying the handicaps this afternoon. The five-year-old is superfit whereas his two main rivals, BIGDADDYKOOL and SEEKING MY DREAM, have both had issues and are not too far off in the weights, making them ripe for an upset.

BIGDADDYKOOL skipped April's Legal Light Trophy, deemed lame, a race in which he would have carried topweight. He has trained well enough on his return but clearly not as sharp as he did when prepping for the Legal Light, which, at 10 furlongs, was right up his street.

POSSIBLE TROUBLE

However, at seven and a half furlongs, definitely not his ideal distance, and not training as well as before, BIGDADDYKOOL could find himself in trouble against quicker rivals such as SEEKING MY DREAM and WILL IN CHARGE, who will both relish the trip.

SEEKING MY DREAM looked awesome when romping open allowance horses on May 5. However, he carried 119lb and had stablemate DYSFUNCTIONAL for company on the lead in very friendly splits of 24.2 and 47.1, before leaving a ridden ANOTHER BULLET for dead, going about his business to clock a fast 1:30.2.

However, there will be no friendly fire this afternoon. BIGDADDYKOOL's stablemate, SIEMPRE BUENO, carrying 110lb, is expected to carry the pace for as long as he can hold out, which could drag SEEKING MY DREAM off his bridle too early with 123lb.

SIEMPRE BUENO showed how dangerous he can be on the lead in the recent Lotto Sprint, knocking off splits of 22.1 and 45.0, unsettling the entire field before SHE'S A MANEATER used her big class to settle the issue.

WILL IN CHARGE has been working like a bomb and need not get into the early fracas. Though he unjustly has the weight against him, he is the most improved horse in the line-up. He galloped 1:12.3 for six furlongs on Sunday, the fastest exercise time at the distance since SHE'S A MANEATER posted 1:12.2 last October when prepping for the Superstakes.

Robert Halledeen has been retained aboard WILL IN CHARGE. He did a great job from in front against SHE'S A MANEATER in the Legal Light. This afternoon, it's SEEKING MY DREAM, who he should use as his marker to get first run on what should be a collapsing pace.