Trainer Gary Moore is expecting his Group 1 winner Takedown to put plenty of pressure on the more fancied runners in the 2018 Group 2 $200,000 Mostyn Copper Group Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Takedown, above, is expected to race well in the Missile Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Takedown claimed Group 1 glory when he won the $1m Crown Perth-Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot in Perth during the 2016 – 2017 Summer Carnival but hasn’t visited the winner’s stall since.
Takedown has had an ease up after finishing sixth to Osborne Bulls in the Listed $150,000 Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone on May 12 and Moore said that the six year old looked to be getting back to his best with a nose second to Missile Stakes rival She Will Reign in a recent 900m Rosehill barrier trial.
Moore is confident that Takedown will race well first up with the blinkers back on and expects him to be amongst the placegetters.
“Takedown has come back in real good shape going by his barrier trial and the way he worked on the course proper (Tuesday morning),’’ Moore tols The Daily Telegraph.
“I just think last preparation the feet issues we had with him may have held him back. And don’t forget he never really had a spell, whereas he’s had a good spell coming into this preparation.
“The boy that rode him last preparation who rode him (Tuesday morning) said he feels in great shape and is going to run a big race.
‘‘I don’t think he can beat the Godolphin horse (Kementari) but I do think Takedown is going to run admirably.
“I said to one of his owners, Antony Thompson, ‘I might be a lousy judge but I think this horse is going the best he’s been going for about a year.”
Tim Clark has taken the ride on Takedown who has drawn barrier nine in the ten horse Missile Stakes field and the gelding is listed as one of the outsider in the $41 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
The James Cummings trained Kementari has drawn nicely at barrier four with Glyn Schofield in the saddle and has been installed as the $2 favourite ahead of his Autumn Carnival rival Pierata at $4.
The Greg Hickman trained Pierata has drawn barrier eight with James McDonald booked to ride.
