MORNINGTON Cup winner, Kings Will Dream, has come back in terrific fashion with a fast-finishing fourth in the Group Two P. B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday 18 August.
The dominant five-length winner of the Mornington Cup in March this year, has already secured his place in the Group One Caulfield Cup (2400m), and continues to firm as the early favourite for the $5 million contest following his barnstorming finish on Saturday.
The Darren Weir-trained galloper sat at the rear of the field in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes before rattling off the fastest closing sectionals of the race, running his last 400m in 22.83 seconds and his last 200m in 11.72 seconds.
Prior to the meeting, Weir said he wasn’t sure how he would go with winners on the day but was using the day as a starting point for the spring.
“I’m not sure how I’ll go in terms of winners, but it’s more of a kick-off day for my runners for races down the track,” he said. “I’m looking for encouraging signs for the future.”
While it was the imported galloper’s first defeat in six Australian starts, Weir said his run was exactly what he wanted to see.
“He ran home well. I thought he was good, and that’s what I was hoping for,” he said.
Kings Will Dream’s jockey John Allen was just as impressed with the performance.
“He probably couldn’t have gone much better and if I had something to give me a cart into the race he probably goes close (to winning) but given that, he probably just knocked up the last 100m.”
Having already secured his spot in the Caulfield Cup by gaining exemption from the ballot for his Mornington Cup victory, Kings Will Dream will stick to weight-for-age races in the build up to the Group One, to try and avoid gaining weight penalties.
It’s estimated that Kings Will Dream will be handicapped at just 51kg for the Caulfield Cup, and will follow a path that includes the Memsie Stakes (1400m), Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), and the Underwood (1800m) or the Turnbull Stakes (2000m), before heading fifth-up into the Caulfield Cup.
First published in the Mornington News – 28 August 2018
