The punters hit pay dirt at Ascot Racecourse in Perth on Saturday with the Chris Waller-trained favourite Moriarty saluting in the final Group 1 race of the calendar year – the Kingston Town Classic 2014.
Equal favourite Moriarty (pictured at Randwick) won the 2014 Kingston Town Classic for the punters. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Clodovil seven-year-old went out as $4.60 equal favourite on the tote with the Grant Williams-trained local three-year-old Disposition in this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) with the top two running the quinella.
Hong Kong hoop Douglas Whyte had the winning ride replacing the suspended Nash Rawiller aboard Waller’s visiting Sydney galloper Moriarty who had his WA debut a fortnight before when third in the Railway Stakes over the mile.
A step up to 1800m and experience at the track under his belt did the trick then with Moriarty holding on to narrowly beat home Disposition and his hoop William Pike, winner of this year’s Railway Stakes aboard the fellow Williams-trained Elite Belle.
Only 0.15 lengths separated the first two over the line before the Railway Stakes winner Elite Belle ($7) finished off the Kingston Town Classic trifecta 2.25 lengths off the winner just ahead of Wez Hunter’s The Goodwood winner Smokin’ Joey ($11) in fourth.
Smokin’ Joey also ran fourth in the Kingston Town classic ahead of the fifth placed Fuchsia Bandana who ran the same position on Saturday as well.
Moriarty’s victory handed Waller with his incredible 10th Group 1 win of the season.
Whyte had the winner poisoned just off the speed throughout in a well-timed ride, pulling him out on the turn to ware down the front running Disposition who came off a second to Rommel in the WA Guineas.
Having his first ride aboard Moriarty, Whyte was full of post-race praise for the galloper and his trainer Waller who is proving the master trainer in Australia.
“I think Chris Waller is just a genius, he produces his horses on race day in form, and it makes my job a lot easier,” Whyte told Perth Racing.
“I had a great run around and followed the right horse.
“The gate was a huge advantage because I was able to offset a lot of the weight.”
Moriarty jumped from the inside alley and carried 59kg under the WFA conditions that suited better than his handicap in the Railway Stakes.
See below for the full Kingston Town Classic 2014 results.
The next major of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival runs Saturday week, December 20, with the stayers returning for the $250,000 Group 2 CB Cox Stakes (2100m) for which Moriarty is still currently nominated for.
For the hottest odds on that event and all the other summer features happening around the country make sure you have an open online with Ladbrokes.com.au!
2014 Kingston Town Classic Results
Ascot Race 8 – 06/12/2014
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | MORIARTY (IRE) | Chris Waller | Douglas Whyte | – | 1 | 59kg | $4.60EF |
| 2 | 16 | DISPOSITION | Grant Williams | William Pike | 0.15L | 13 | 52kg | $4.60EF |
| 3 | 11 | ELITE BELLE | Grant Williams | Peter Hall | 2.25L | 7 | 57kg | $7 |
| 4 | 3 | SMOKIN’ JOEY | Wez Hunter | Ben Melham | 2.5L | 4 | 59kg | $11 |
| 5 | 14 | FUCHSIA BANDANA | Darren Mcauliffe | Jarrad Noske | 2.5L | 3 | 56.5kg | $16 |
| 6 | 7 | BASS STRAIT (NZ) | Neville Parnham | Chris Parnham (a) | 2.75L | 6 | 59kg | $26 |
| 7 | 15 | ROMMEL | Neville Parnham | Steven Parnham | 2.75L | 16 | 52kg | $9 |
| 8 | 8 | IHTSAHYMN | Fred Kersley | Paul Harvey | 3L | 14 | 58.5kg | $26 |
| 9 | 1 | MR MOET | Adam Durrant | Daniel Staeck | 4.25L | 2 | 59kg | $26 |
| 10 | 13 | BALMONT GIRL | Paula Wagg | Shaun O’Donnell | 5.25L | 12 | 56.5kg | $8.50 |
| 11 | 5 | CHESTER ROAD | Adam Durrant | Peter Knuckey | 5.5L | 11 | 59kg | $81 |
| 12 | 12 | POP CULTURE | Colin Webster | Troy Turner | 6.25L | 5 | 57kg | $31 |
| 13 | 9 | RESPONDENT | Grant Williams | Brad Parnham | 6.5L | 10 | 58.5kg | $21 |
| 14 | 6 | REBELSON | Darren Mcauliffe | Ben Kennedy | 7.5L | 15 | 59kg | $81 |
| 15 | 4 | OPERATIONAL | Fred Kersley | Mitchell Pateman (a) | 9.75L | 8 | 59kg | $101 |
| 16 | 10 | PHEIDON | Gai Waterhouse | Tommy Berry | 12.5L | 9 | 58.5kg | $9.50 |
| – | 19e | RED BLAST | Daniel Morton | Ms Jerry Noske (a) | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 20e | REAL LOVE | Adam Durrant | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 17e | STRIKE THE STARS (NZ) | Daniel Morton | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 18e | EXPRESS SERVICE | Darren Mcauliffe | – | – | 0 | – | – |
