Leading Sydney hoop Glyn Schofield is preparing for a tough week as he wastes down to a light enough weight to partner WA Guineas winner King Saul in the 2011 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot this Saturday.
Glyn Schofield is booked to ride 2011 Kingston Town Classic lightweight King Saul at Ascot on Saturday
The final Group 1 race in Australia for the year, the $500,000 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) attracted a final field of 15 gallopers when acceptances were taken by Perth Racing on Monday.
It will be the second time in as many starts local Ascot trainer Trevor Andrews has invested in the services of an interstate jockey to ride his smart Flying Pegasus three-year-old.
Last start on November 19 the very promising King Saul raced away to their third career win from four starts taking out the Group 2 WA Guineas over the Ascot mile with Craig Williams aboard.
Now it is up to Glyn Schofield to get down to 52kg for Saturday’s assignment, King Saul the lightweight of the Kingston Town Classic field for 2011, which is a full one kilogram less than Schofield’s usual minimum riding weight.
“I’ve got to lose a bit of weight,” Schofield admitted this week.
“I have to take off a bit of weight to ride at 53kg.
“They have given me forewarning so to take off the extra kilo shouldn’t be a problem.
“I will take off a bit of weight earlier than later.”
Meeting their rivals a minimum five kilos better in the weights, King Saul comes right into contention for their first elite level as they also drop back four kilos from the 56kg they have carried for their three runs this prep.
Schofield, who heads to Perth on Friday, is confident King Saul has the ability to be competitive in the Kingston Town having watched replays of the youngster’s four career runs.
“He does seem like a good horse, I’ve had a look at the videos and tapes, he does look a handy horse,” Schofield said.
“He is pretty explosive when he lets down.
“He’s got a pretty good turn of foot and stepping up in distance to the Kingston Town doesn’t look like it will be a problem at all to him.”
Kingston Town Classic betting at Luxbet, which is due to be revised shortly, has been led by Railway Stakes winner on protest Luckygray who is set to carry 58.5kg with regular rider Shaun O’Donnell.
That is a 5.5kg weight rise from the 53kg they had on their back for the Railway Stakes last start, and the most weight Gino Poletti’s Bradbury’s Luck four-year-old has carried to date.
Defending Kingston Town Classic winner Playing God is also allocated 58.5kg this year along with the favourite, 6.5kg more than their 52kg lightweight 12 months ago.
If successful on Saturday, King Saul will be the second horse in as many years to take out the WA Guineas – Kingston Town Classic double after Playing God did so last year.
The only difference is that the Neville Parnham-trained Playing God won the Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m) in between the two Group race features.
Due to a rescheduling of the Festival of Perth Racing calendar this year King Saul did not have the Aquanita Stakes as an option, the $80,000 feature to run this coming Saturday on Kingston Town Day.
Playing God was the 14th three-year-old male to win the Kingston Town Classic in the races’ 34-year history joining the likes of Old Comrade (2000) and Megatic (2007).
The Kingston Town Classic barrier draw is due to be taken shortly, so stay tuned to Races.com.au to see where your favourites will start.
In the meantime, get ready for the weekend’s racing action by opening your new account with Luxbet.
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