New Zealand trainer Allan Sharrock is confident his raider Kawi can improve on a Railway Stakes sixth and take out the Kingston Town Classic 2016 in Perth on Saturday.
Former New Zealand jockey Michael Walker retains the ride on Kiwi raider Kawi in Saturday’s 2016 Kingston Town Classic in Perth. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Sharrock and connections brought the Savabeel six-year-old over for a three start assault on the Perth Summer Racing Carnival.
The horse ran fourth in his first look at Ascot Racecourse on November 5 when 3.25 lengths off last year’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m).
He then backed-up on November 19 in the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) over a mile and finished sixth behind the Lindsey Smith-trained winner Scales Of Justice.
Sharrock admitted the team always knew Kawi would be better suited to the weight-for-age conditions and extra meters in the $1 million Group 1 Peters Investments Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
“We came for both, knowing that we can probably only win one and this is the one,” he told Racing Victoria on Sunday.
“This is the race we had in mind for him for a while now and we’ve left no stone unturned in getting to the race in the best condition.”
The year’s final Group 1 race in Australia, the Kingston Town Classic runs this Saturday and features a final field of 16 hopefuls.
Among the likely favourites in Kingston Town Classic betting at Ladbrokes.com.au will be the Railway Stakes winner Scales Of Justice who is out to be the first to win both Group 1s since Sniper’s Bullet (2009).
The Not A Single Doubt four-year-old carried 53kg to victory last time out for his third straight win.
He rises to 58.5kg on the weekend but has Hong Kong’s Douglas Whyte retaining the ride.
Kawi meanwhile will be out to close the 4.25 length margin from the Railway Stakes chasing his second win from as many starts at 1800m.
Michael Walker stays on the galloper who will benefit from the weight-for-age conditions meeting his last start conqueror five kilos better than last time out.
“We wouldn’t even dream of running in a handicap at home so he was always going to find it hard in the Railway giving away so much weight,” Sharrock added.
“But he went really well and I clasped eyes on him today and I couldn’t be happier with him going to weight-for-age on the back of that run.
“He’s got the conditions to suit and he’s in great condition himself.”
Should Kawi win the Kingston Town Classic Sharrock confirmed they would likely return down under for the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival and Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival next year.
“We’ve got a couple of summer Group 1s back at home we’ll target but then we could come back to Sydney in the autumn and Brisbane in the winter,” he said.
Check out the updated Kingston Town Classic odds and offers online now at Ladbrokes.com.au!
