New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock is adamant that his multiple Group 1 winner Kawi will be much better suited under the weight for age conditions of the Group 1 $1m Peters Investments-Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Michael Walker, above, rides Kawi in the Kingston Town Classic at Ascot. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
The five times Kiwi Group 1 winner finished sixth behind Scales Of Justice carrying 58.5kg under handicap conditions in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on November 19.
Local galloper Scales Of Justice only had to carry 53kg in the Railway Stakes and goes up 5.5kg to 58.5kg in the Kingston Town Classic while Kawi will only have to carry 59kg under the weight for age scale and meets the Lindsey Smith trained galloper 5kg better.
‘’He’s got the conditions to suit and he’s in great condition himself,’’ Sharrock told racing.com.
‘’We came for both, knowing that we can probably only win one, and this is the one.’’
’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.’’
“But he went really well and I clasped eyes on him today (Sunday) and I couldn’t be happier with him going to weight-for-age on the back of that run.”
‘’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.”
Kawi was in fine form before he made the long journey from New Zealand to Perth with two Group 1 wins to kick off his Spring Carnival campaign.
The six year old Savabeel gelding scored a first up win in the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings on August 27 followed by a win in the Group 1 NZ$200,000 Windsor Park Horlicks Plate (1600m) at Hastings on September 17.
Sharrock then saddled Kawi up in the Group 2 $250,000 Waroa-Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 5 to get him used to the Perth conditions and he ran a solid race with 59kg to finish fourth to last year’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection.
Melbourne based Kiwi jockey Michael Walker rode Kawi in the Railway Stakes and even though he hurt his hip in a barrier incident at Moonee Vallay last Saturday, is certain he will be fit to take the mount in the Kingston Town Classic.
In early betting for the Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au Kawi is well fancied at $6.50 with only Perfect Reflection at $4.60 and Scales Of Justice at $5.50 the only two ahead of him in the market order.
Early market order for the Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.60 Perfect Reflection, $5.50 Scales Of Justice, $6.50 Kawi, $8 Tradesman, $9 Mackintosh, $11 Good Project, $13 Vanbrugh, $15 Stratum Star, $21 Chocolate Holic, Disposition, He Or She, $26 Heart Starter, Neverland, Respondent, $31 Bass Strait, Boom Time, Pilote D’Essai, $41 or more the rest.
