After their failed title defense in last weekend’s Railway Stakes Mr Moet is ready to bounce back and fight it out stride for stride with Luckygray, hopefully with more success, in Saturday week’s Kingston Town Classic 2013.
Mr Moet is ready to improve on their Railway seventh in Satuday week's Kingston Town Classic 2013. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Their Lark Hill-based trainer Adam Durrant is thrilled with how the Mosayter six-year-old came through their seventh, beaten only three lengths, in the $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).
That was a race they won first-up last Perth Summer Racing Carnival ahead of Luckygray before going on to run second to that same galloper in the $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) back at Ascot Racecourse a fortnight later.
While the now Trevor Andrews-trained Luckygray held the firm advantage in the Railway this year, the Bradbury’s Luck grey having also won the 2011 Railway on protest, Durrant is hoping Mr Moet can turn the tables next run.
In this year’s Kingston Town Classic Luckygray will be out to become the third dual winner of the race in the past decade following the victories of Niconero (2006 and 2008) and Playing God (2010-11).
Other horses to win the Kingston Town Classic on multiple occasions since its inauguration in 1976 include Old Comrade (2000-01), Summer Beau (1996-97) and Family Of Man (1976 & 1978).
They’re the current $3 favourite in futures Kingston Town Classic betting to do so as well following their stellar Railway win carrying a big 58kg topweight – runner-up Platinum Rocker had just 53kg.
While Mr Moet, also with 58kg, was well beaten there, Durrant believes they are capable of much better when stepped back up in distance.
Before the Railway the gelding had run exclusively over 1800m or further, including their close fourth to Side Glance in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Derby Day, in their past four runs and they obviously found the drop back to a mile too sharp.
“He basically only dashed up 400 metres in the Railway but to me it looked like the old horse that we know can run through the line,” Durrant said on TAB Radio this week.
“He wasn’t doing that in Melbourne and wasn’t fully wound up.”
Over 1800m again they should be able to give Luckygray a better run for their money and they are the third favourite in the Kingston Town Classic futures markets.
“He and Luckgray will be fighting out the Kingston Town Stakes,” Durrant predicted.
Second pick meanwhile is WA Guineas winner Ihtsahymn who will likely develop into a $400,000 Group 2 WATC Derby (2400m) contender in April next year.
Make sure you’re ready for the year’s final Group 1 betting opportunity down under on the Kingston Town Classic by g up with Ladbrokes.com.au today where you’ll find all the summer’s hottest horse racing markets.
