Leading Perth trainer Adam Durrant has no worries about the fitness of Mr Moet as he attempts to win the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught-Railway Stakes (1600m) first up for a second time at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
The Cleaner remains at the top of the market order for the Railway Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Durrant prepared Mr Moet to win the 2012 Railway Stakes at his first run for almost six months and he will send the seven year old to the barriers for the first time in eleven months this weekend.
Mr Moet hasn’t raced since finishing sixth in the Group 2 $250,000 LD Total – C.B. Cox Stakes (2100m) at Ascot during last year’s Festival Of Perth Racing Carnival but Durrant has fitted him with a third and a second in two 1450m barrier trials at his home track at Lark Hill and has put the blinkers back on as well as a tongue tie.
“His fitness is no problem at all,” Durrant told TAB Radio.
“With The Cleaner and a few others the pace should be genuine. He is rock-hard fit.
“Our system works very well without having to go to the races.
“I think the timing is perfect for him and he just needs luck at the right time to run into the first three.”
Paul Harvey will be having his first ride on Mr Moet in the Railway Stakes.
Mr Moet was racing at the peak of his career during the 2012 Perth Carnival and after winning the Railway Stakes ran second to local rival Luckygray in the Group 1 $500,000 TAB Touch.Mobi – Kingston Town Classic (1800m).
He then came out and won the C.B. Cox Plate before running second in the Group 2 $500,000 Perth Cup (2400m).
Durrant adopted a different approach last year and took Mr Moet to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival but returned home to Perth without a placing from five starts which included a sixth in the Group 1 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield and a fourth in the Group 1 $1m Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
Mr Moet then failed to find his best form during the 2013 Perth Carnival and was also unplaced in the Railway Stakes, Kingston Town Classic and C.B. Cox Stakes.
Durrant has also adopted the same training methods with Chester Road who is lining up in the Railway Stakes for the first time since running second to Mr Moet in the 2012 C.B. Cox Stakes.
The leading trainer will also saddle up eight year old Ranger who will be racing with the blinkers back on after being unplaced from three runs this campaign.
The Cleaner has maintained his spot at the top of the market order for the Railway Stakes and is the $4.80 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of the Grant Williams trained pair Respondent at $6 and Elite Belle at $7.50.
Mr Moet is on the next line of betting at $13 alongside of Smokin’ Joey and Alma’s Fury while Chester Road is marked at $31 and Ranger is a $34 chance.
