I Am Paid For, a five-star banker

by Jimmie, Star Racing Writer

A BANKER in a tough race, that's all Pick-9 bettors dream of, especially with the jackpot expected to reach $20 million tomorrow afternoon, starting at the second event.

A Super-6 carryover of $1.2m is even more reason to nail a tough race and spread bets elsewhere on the programme, such as the 1000-metre straight sixth race for $180,000 claimers.

Lawrence Freemantle's I AM PAID FOR is tomorrow's STAR Sports banker for the 1400-metre seventh race at 1820 metres.

Outclassed among Overnight Allowance runners on June 7, I AM PAID FOR reports down in class and working reasonably well to put away $390,000 claimers at his favourite distance.

Throw I AM PAID FOR's last run out the window and note his third-place finish to STRONG DELIVERY and UNLEADED at 1820 metres on May 31 and a fifth-place run behind CHADMAN, UNLEADED and DR SOCRATES on May 3.

Freemantle watched the staying six-year-old gelding gallop a half-mile out of the chute in 50.0 last Friday morning and should be reasonably satisfied with that blowout ahead of tomorrow's run down in class.

Richie Mitchell has been supremely confident aboard his mounts of late and I AM PAID FOR's running style, from off the pace, should suit him well.

A suspect favourite on the card is GOOD HOPE in the one-mile third event in which Richard Azan's GABROUSHE could upset.

The gelding was spotted making a sweeping move leaving the three-furlong pole on last when finishing fourth behind H****RE, PRIDE'N'GLORY and RAHMAN at 1820 metres on June 21.

GABROUSHE stayed third to well inside the final furlong before PRIDE'N'GLORY came with his one-paced run. Now going a mile, GABROUSHE should track the speedy PLEASURE FLIGHT, who could run GOOD HOPE into the ground.

GOOD HOPE is bound to start favourite but it should be noted that GABROUSHE ran in a blinkers when HOLY PRINCESS beat them both on June 4.

In his previous race, GABROUSHE ran without blinkers and had HOLY PRINCESS behind at 2000 metres.

Elsewhere on the programme, PRINCESS SHEILA gets the nod for the Overnight Allowance event at 1100 metres after catching the eye last week, closing best of the rest for second behind course specialist NASATOL at 1000 metres straight.

Quietly fancied at odds of 3-1, PRINCESS SHEILA raced prominently in mid-track from the start but lacked the speed of RIO INFINITO and NASATOL but came forward willingly inside the final half-furlong to outfinish the American-bred debutant SISTER CAT for second.

Reverting to the round course, PRINCESS SHEILA will be more comfortable although renewing rivalry with RIO INFINITO, SISTER CAT and another speedster, THE BEST MAN.

She has been bumped up in the weights, from 50 to 55.0 kilos, a rather unjustifiable movement, considering SISTER CAT has only picked up a half-kilo after finishing a half-length behind PRINCESS SHEILA.

However, PRINCESS SHEILA's previous effort, a big third-place run behind ACCOMPONG and PRINCE TERRON at a mile, suggests she should be too strong inside the final half-furlong tomorrow, especially with the speedsters expected to run themselves into the ground.