Perth trainer Adam Durrant sees the outside barrier drew an advantage for Mr Moet as he strives to win back to back Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught – Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Mr Moet will jump from the outside of the field in the Railway Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Mr Moet will jump from the outside of the sixteen horse field in his attempt to be the first horse to win successive Railways Stakes since Tudor Mark completed the double in 1967.
Durrant was hoping for a gate outside of ten before the barrier drew so Mr Moet would not get cluttered up amongst other horses so he will take sixteen as a positive.
“It’s wide, but I am not too concerned as I wanted him to be three-wide with cover anyhow,” Durrant told thewest.com.au.
“I did not want him to be held up on the inside if the field got congested, so I was hoping for an outside gate wider than 10.
“It is going to take a massive task, but I think I have the right horse to do it.”
Mr Moet is having a completely different preparation than last year when he won the Railway Stakes first up and is coming off some solid Melbourne Spring Carnival form.
The six year old had five runs in Melbourne, four of them at Group 1 level and was only beaten two and quarter lengths when sixth to Fawkner in the Group 1 $2.5m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 19.
He then ran a mighty race when one and half lengths fourth to Side Glance in the Group 1 $1m Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 2 before Durrant headed back home to Perth.
“He is the most in-form horse in the race,” Durrant said.
“There is a question on some of the interstate runners whether they are genuine Group 1 horses.
“This horse was two lengths from the Caulfield Cup winner and his work this morning was spot on. He did get a bit bigger than I liked in Victoria and it has taken a couple of gallops to get him right.”
Mr Moet has to carry 58kgs, 4.5kgs more than he carried to last year’s victory and is equal top weight with archrival Luckygray who was runner up in 2012.
The Railway Stakes market order has Mr Moet at the generous odds of $16 with last start Group 1 Emirates Stakes runner up Smokin’ Joey marked as the $4.20 favourite.
Flemington winner Longport is well in the betting at $6.50, just in front of the Peter Moody trained Plucky Belle at $8.50 and Queensland mare Fire Up Fifi at $9 while Luckygray is one of the outsiders at $26.
