ASCOT PREVIEW December 5, 2009 KINGSTON TOWN CLASSIC (WFA 1800M) Perth’s premier weight-for-age race, the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m), run at Ascot, has a history that includes some of Australia’s best gallopers of the modern era. The Kingston Town, which has also raced under a variety of names, including the Western Mail Classic and Fruit ‘N’ Veg Stakes, was first run in 1976 when trainer George Hanlon campaigned the star galloper Family Of Man in Perth. Victoria Derby winners Stormy Rex (1977) and Sovereign Red (1980) and the champions Better Loosen Up (1989) and the great Kingston Town himself, in 1982, have crossed the Nullarbor to win this quality event. In recent years, trainer David Hayes has won the race with Niconero in 2006 and 2008. Hayes is back with the enigmatic Largo Lad, who will need to improve his form to win. The key to this year’s race is the locally-trained star Scenic Shot, who on his 2009 form is luxury odds on my rating of $3.50, considering he has won the Group 1 Doomben Cup (wfa 2020m) and the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (wfa 2000m) this year. On face value, Scenic Shot is a shoe in, but if he has one Achilles heel, it is the fact that he requires racing room and the worst place he could draw is against the rail – which is exactly where he has drawn on Saturday. He has barrier two, but will jump from the inside gate after the scratching of the first emergency Sentenza. Barrier one is the same gate Scenic Shot drew at his last start when a
strong finishing fourth behind Zipping in the Group 2 Sandown Classic (wfa 2400m) three weeks ago. Jockey Shane Scriven did all he could to push clear of the rail, but failed to do so and Scenic Shot was never comfortable. Trainer Dan Morton acknowledges that Scenic Shot needs room in his race, in fact, he’d rather the horse be parked three or four wide than squeezed against the fence. Local jockey Jason Brown, who has ridden Scenic Shot plenty of times, will have the tricky job of getting the horse clear of the fence, and if he can, the race is over. Sniper’s Bullet won the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m, Ascot), two weeks ago, thanks to an aggressive on-pace ride from Nash Rawiller. Damien Oliver takes the mount and I expect him to ride the gelding in similar fashion. Sniper’s Bullet hasn’t won beyond 1600m, but he finished third in this race last year. Two of the best runs in the Railway came from Grand Nirvana (4th) and Lords Ransom (5th), and they look very well placed to be right in this finish over the extra distance of the Kingston Town. Both horses hit the line hard in the Railway, although Grand Nirvana might have an edge in fitness, as Lords Ransom is trying to win second up. History shows that 13 3YOs have won the Kingston Town – the most recent was Megatic in 2007 – and this year’s race has attracted two promising colts in God Has Spoken and Thorn Dancer, but there is a doubt that their form is good enough to test the older horses. The tips: Scenic Shot to beat Sniper’s Bullet, Grand Nirvana, Lords Ransom, Tarzi and Largo Lad.
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Predicted positions on settling
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Race 6, 3.45pm (Perth time)
AND ALSO ’Tis the season for ... 3kg claims, and with the riding ranks much thinner than last month the young rider to follow towards this Christmas is Jason Maskiell. He gets the chance to take off three in five races at Caulfield tomorrow, and the best of these look to be Umanugget (Race 3) and Timetable (Race 7). Umanugget was impressive under Maskiell last time and trainer Peter Moody has gone the claim route again. The $4 appeals. Timetable is shorter at $3+, but gets in well in a race that is easier than last start when fourth, less than two lengths behind Raffaello, Itstheone (subsequent winner of the Ballarat Cup) and My Bentley (well supported and thereabouts since coming from New Zealand). Timetable, of course, is one of Lee Freedman’s batch of British imports that has won races this year. His Aussie successes have been over 2000m at The Heath and 1600m at Morphettville, so the 1800m should be just right. Freedy doesn’t hesitate to put the right claimer on in the right race, so go with him on the Maskiell call. If you prefer more experienced hands guiding your investment, Mark Zahra is tomorrow’s man. Darley’s Chameleon (Race 4) goes well first up, so she is worth something eachway at $5. And you can finish off with an eachway special, Amberino (Race 8) at $6-$7. She is trained at Caulfield and should settle nicely in the pack for Zahra before running into the money over 1400m, probably her best distance. Stephen Howell