Singapore sensation Joao Moreira has been called up to ride Peth filly Fuddle Dee Duddle in the Group 1 $500,000 GR Engineering Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot in two weeks.
Trainer Lindsey Smith has decided to step Fuddle Dee Duddle up to weight for age company after the filly performed well against for own age at her last two starts.
Fuddle Dee Duddle came from near last in the Group 3 $200,000 Skyy Vodka Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 17 to win before the filly produced another first class effort when fourth to Academus in the Group 2 $350,000 Sky Racing-W.A. Guineas (1600m) at Ascot last Saturday.
Regular rider Paul Harvey will be unable to make the 50kg which the three year old filly will carry in the Kingston Town Classic under the weight for age conditions which led to Smith securing the services of lightweight Brazilian born jockey Moreira.
Moreira is a runaway leader in the Singapore jockey’s premiership with two hundred winners on the board since January this year, a staggering one hundred and twenty-nine win lead over nearest rival Stephen Baster on seventy-one.
The top international jockey is a regular rider for Fuddle Dee Duddle’s part owner Kim Loxton in Singapore and the stable had no trouble securing his services for the Kingston Town Classic.
Moreira is no stranger to riding in Australia with several trips to Sydney to ride for Patinack Farm as well as winning on Naku Penda in one of the legs of the International Kailis Jockey Challenge at Ascot in November 2010.
Managing part owner Eddie Rigg has a high opinion of his filly and will be targeting the Oaks in Adelaide and Brisbane during the Carnivals next year before sending her to stud.
“I think this can be Fuddle Dee Duddle’s best year,” Rigg said.
“She is really racing at her top and she pulled up with a low heart rate following her run.
“She is a small filly … I’d say there is a good chance she will be retired at stud this time next year.”
Rigg resisted the temptation of paying an $11,000 late entry fee for Bippo No Bungus and is content to have one runner in the Kingston Town Classic with the Guineas runner-up to head towards the Listed $80,000 Aquanita Stakes (1800m) at Ascot on December 8.
“Under the set weight and penalty clauses, she comes into the race well,” Rigg said.
“The thing I like about her is she keeps improving with each run.”
Rigg would like to see Bippo No Bungus join Fuddle Dee Duddle on the road next year in his quest for an eastern state Oaks triumph.
“I think you may see both fillies run in the Oaks in Adelaide or Brisbane next year.”
The Group 1 $400,000 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) is run at Morphettville on April 27 while the Group 1 $400,000 Treasury Casino Queensland Oaks (2400m) is run at Eagle Farm on June 1 next year.
