Last Saturday’s Railway Stakes failure Peaceful State looks likely to return to Victoria and miss running in the Group 1 $1m Magic Millions Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot in Perth on December 8.
Peaceful State, above, is likely to miss the 2018 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Peaceful State was one of two Darren Weir trained runners in the Group 1 $1m Kirin Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth and was sent out as one of the main chances at $6.50 after finishing third behind Best Of Days and Le Romain in the Group 1 $1m Kennedy Mile (1600m) at Flemington on the first day of the 2018 Melbourne Cup carnival on November 3.
Weir’s number one man and travelling foreman Jarrod McLean said that Peaceful State performed well below expectation and will be sent home after finishing last of fifteen behind Galaxy Star in the first Group 1 of the 2018 Ascot Racing Carnival.
“Peaceful State, for whatever reason, every time we’ve travelled with him he just hasn’t fired, so he’ll go home,” McLean told racing.com.
“Ben (Allen, jockey) just said he raced flat. He was disappointing.”
Peaceful State had mixed form during his 2018 Spring Carnival Campaign and kicked off his preparation with a first up second in the Listed $120,000 Bendigo Bank Stakes (1200m) at The Valley on September 8 but then never figured in the finish when twelfth to Jungle Cat in the Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 22.
The four year old then dropped back in class when fifth in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 20 before his third in Kennedy Mile.
Weir also saddled up Iconoclasm in the Railway Stakes and the Toorak Toff stallion finished eighth and will stay in Perth for the Kingston Town Classic.
Railway Stakes winner Galaxy Star has been installed as the $4.40 favourite for the Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au ahead of her stablemate Arcadia Queen at $4.60 and Mackinnon Stakes winner Trap For Fools at $7 while Iconoclasm is at the double figure odds of $21.
Early betting for the 2018 Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Galaxy Star, $4.60 Arcadia Queen, $5.50 Trap For Fools, $7 Material Man, $13 Gatting, $16 Action, Holy Snow, Man Booker, $17 Scales Of Justice, $18 Lady Cosmology, Prized Icon, $21 Achernar Star, Aloisia, Great Shot, Iconoclasm, Perfect Jewel, $26 or better the rest.
