Trainer James Cummings is eager to see how his striking colt Kementari handles the quality field of three year olds in the 2018 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Kementari is currently on top of 2018 Hobartville Stakes betting markets. Photo by: Steve Hart
Kementari, who will carry the famous Godolphin royal blue colours in the Hobartville Stakes, has been installed the $2.40 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au just ahead of the Golden Rose winner Trapeze Artist, who is a firming $3.80 second pick.
Cummings was very impressed with the way Kementari returned in the Autumn with a first up win in the Group 3 $150,000 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm on February 10 and is eager to see him do it again on Saturday against a strong field of three year olds.
“He was able to take his first-up run very well and he’s held his form nicely. He’s made me eager to get him back to the races,” Cummings said.
“His first-up win spoke for itself, but it was also a tribute to the team at Crown Lodge and Osborne Park.”
“They never let him get away from them during his break which allowed him to be more forward when he began this prep.”
The Hobartville Stakes will be an important pointer heading towards the remainder of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with most of the field to clash again in the Group 1 $1m Girvan Waugh Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 10.
Glyn Schofield was aboard Kementari for his Eskimo Prince Stakes win and gets the ride again on the Lonhro colt who will have to overcome barrier nine in the eleven horse Hobartville Stakes field.
The Gerald Ryan trained three year old Trapeze Artist carried his 2017 Spring Carnival winning form over into the Autumn with a first up win against the older horses in the Group 2 $200,000 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on February 3.
Trapeze Artist proved to be the top three year old during the Spring with a sensational win in the Group 1 $1m De Bortoli Wines Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.
Tim Clark gets the ride again on Trapeze Artist after steering him to victory in the Expressway Stakes and the Snitzel colt will jump from barrier six.
Also under double figure odds at $7 is the Greg Hickman trained Pierata just ahead of Chris Waller’s undefeated colt D’Argento at $7.50.
The winner of the Hobartville Stakes will cement a spot at the top of the Randwick Guineas market order at Ladbrokes.com.au which currently has Kementari leading the charge at $4.50 just ahead of Trapeze Artist at $5, Pierata at $6.50 and D’Argento at $8.
