Co-trainer Tom Dabernig has revealed that talented stayer Almoonqith is set to return to the races in the 2016 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield on February 27.
Almoonqith finished his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with a strong staying win in the Sandown Cup. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Almoonqith was sent to the spelling paddock after he recorded an impressive win in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) at Sandown on November 14, but he is already back in work and closing in on a racing return.
Dabernig told Racing Ahead that the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) has been earmarked as the autumn starting point for Almoonqith and he could press on to the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 12 before heading to Sydney for the Group 1 The BMW (2400m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 26 and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 9.
“It will probably be the Peter Young,” Dabernig said.
“He is in good order.
“He is still here at the farm, but he is in the early stages of galloping.
“He ran in the Melbourne Cup and the Sandown Cup, so he won’t take much to get his fitness back.”
Almoonqith was transferred to the care of the Lindsay Park team after he finished sixth behind Brown Panther in the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup (3200m) at Meydan on March 28 and he made his Australian racing debut in the Sweeney Estate Agents Handicap (1500m) at Moonee Valley on August 22.
The Dynaformer entire performed fairly without a great deal of luck in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 19 and the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 3 before he stamped himself as a genuine Melbourne Cup contender with an outstanding staying performance in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21.
There was support for Almoonqith in the lead-up to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3, but he was one of the horse that got too far back and was never able to get into the race before he finished his spring campaign with another win in the Sandown Cup.
Almoonqith is currently available at 2016 Sydney Cup odds of $13 with Ladbrokes and he is on the fifth line of betting behind Australian Oaks winner Gust Of Wind ($10), imported stayer Our Ivanhowe ($10), Turnbull Stakes winner Preferment ($11) and last year’s runner-up Who Shot Thebarman ($11).
