Trainer Stephen Theodore is hoping a drop back in distance will help Don’t Get Excited get back into the winner’s circle in the Listed $120,000 Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Don't Get Excited can bounce back to the winner's circle in the Kensington Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The Cranbourne trainer said that Don’t Get Excited was out of luck when five and half lengths ninth as favourite in the Listed $120,000 Mathew Camm Christmas Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on December 26.
“Without dwelling on it, he just didn’t get a lot of luck and the race didn’t pan out as we expected,” Theodore told AAP.
Theodore is banking on a slick pace down the Flemington straight to allow Don’t Get Excited to get a chance to settle back in the field and then finish the race off strongly.
“In his last run by not getting any cover and wanting to charge up the hill, it probably taught him the wrong racing pattern and I didn’t want that to happen again,” Theodore said.
“Dropping back to 1000 metres, hopefully he’ll get run off his feet early and get some cover and then see daylight at the right time.
“If he does that he’s got a good turn of foot.”
Don’t Get Excited was sent out favourite in the Christmas Stakes following a first up win with 60kg when ridden by Jamie Mott in 0-84 Handicap at Caulfield on December 7.
The Elvstroem four year old is a winner of seven races from fifteen starts but has only won once over 1000m when scoring at Sandown in a restricted three year old race in July.
Craig Newitt takes over on Saturday and will be the third jockey to ride Don’t Get Excited this preparation, taking over from Glen Boss who rode the gelding at Caulfield last start.
Punters and Bookies alike are certain Don’t Get Excited can do better, but haven’t completed forgotten his Caulfield failure and the gelding has been posted a $6 chance behind Kaiser Sun, $3.30 favourite and Pocket Rockets, the second pick at $5.50.
Kaiser Sun from the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra stable is chasing his fourth win in succession with his last two wins down the Flemington 1000m course.
While the Tony McEvoy trained Pocket Rockets, who hasn’t raced since finishing tenth to Karacatis in the Listed $80,000 Sportingbet W H Wylie Handicap (1100m) at Morphettville last September, is undefeated from two goes down the Flemington straight over 1000m and has a good first up record.
Eight year old First Command ($7.50) is having his first start for almost twelve months but has shown his liking for Flemington by winning the last two runnings of the Kensington Stakes.
