Courtesy The West Australian website:

Leading bookmaker Brett Lenton has South-West sprint stars Mr Callahan and Kensyl Bay fancied to fight out the finish of today's $50,000 Chaff City Classic (1300m) at Pinjarra.

Lenton said their ability matched any other rival and their inside barriers had given them the advantage on the Pinjarra track which this season has favoured on-pace runners.

Mr Callahan, to be ridden by Paul Harvey, has barrier three on the outside of Kensyl Bay.

Kensyl Bay, ridden by Glen Smith for Boyanup trainer Tom Widdeson, finished a last-start eighth behind Mr Callahan in the $40,000 Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on February 22 and meets him on 1.5kg better terms in today's race.

Harvey trainer Michael Campbell has Mr Callahan primed for a second successive win in the Classic to keep alive his chances of taking out the $50,000 Clark Rubber bonus which is offered to a horse that can win the Cyril Flower, Chaff City and $60,000 Bunbury Stakes on March 18.

Campbell said he would love to win the treble before flying out to Ireland to check on shuttle sire Danetime in Dublin. Danetime, who stood his first season at Campbell's Bellbridge Stud, is the leading first season sire in Europe with 19 individual winners of 32 races.

Lenton said the way the barrier draw fell made it a race for Mr Callahan and Kensyl Bay because both liked to be up on the pace.

He did not like the chances of talented sprinters Tribula, Storm Shot and Dexian.

"Tribula looks like she will have to race outside the leader and that's not in her favour," Lenton said. "Storm Shot's wide draw means he will be back in the field and Dexian was disappointing when he resumed behind Mr Callahan.

"Fireband could be the danger. He beat Mr Callahan two starts ago with a well-timed run and it could happen again. He's a dangerous horse caged up behind the leaders."

Jockey Daniel Staeck said he expected Dexian to improve sharply on his first-up failure.

"First-up is not his go but he has an extremely good second-up record," Staeck said.

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