Destiny’s Kiss To Drop Back In Trip For Winter Cup

Destiny’s Kiss will be dropping back to 2400 metres in the 2014 Winter Cup at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday after his strong win over 3200 metres in the Stayers Cup, but trainer Joseph Pride does not believe that the drop in trip will be a problem for the talented stayer.

Destiny's Kiss is chasing back-to-back wins in the Winter Cup at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

Destiny's Kiss is chasing back-to-back wins in the Winter Cup at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Hart

Destiny’s Kiss stepped up to 3200 metres for the first time in his racing career in the Stayers Cup at Royal Randwick on June 7 and showed that he is capable of running out a strong two miles when he caught brave front-runner Astro Avalanche in the final stages of the race to record the tenth race win of his career.

Pride told Sky Racing HQ that there is always a question mark over horses that are dropping back in trip after running over two miles, but the leading Sydney trainer believes that Destiny’s Kiss is fresh enough to win over 2400 metres after being given a freshen-up ahead of the Listed Winter Cup (2400m) this weekend.

“He is really good,” Pride said.

“It is always some concern I guess dropping back from two miles and there is not too many places to go once you run in a two mile race in a preparation.

“We are bringing him back to 2400 metres and it has been three weeks between runs and I am very happy with the horse.

“He is quiet a sharp stayer and I think that the freshen up has done him a world of good and I anticipate that he will come back in distance quiet effectively.”

Joshua Parr has ridden Destiny’s Kiss at his past two starts, but revealed earlier in the week that he was willing to give up the ride on the five-year-old in order to partner Cluster in a maiden at Kembla Grange.

Pride believes that Parr will be able to ride at both venues on Saturday and is happy to have the rising hoop back on Destiny’s Kiss in the Winter Cup.

“I just had to wait to declare,” Pride said.

“Josh wants to ride down at Kembla on Saturday, he wants to ride Cluster down there, and I think that it is going to work out alright for him.

“He has been declared on that horse and on Casual Choice in the last as well.”

Destiny’s Kiss will take on eight rivals in the Winter Cup; with Chris Waller including Permit, Hoylonny, Secessio and Mulaqen in the acceptances for the Listed event.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.