A daring ride by Simon Price on Distillation to win the Group 3 $115,000 James Boag’s Premium Lord Reims Stakes (2600m) at Morphettville today has put the six year old right in the mix for the Adelaide Cup in ten days time.
Distillation is on track for the Adelaide Cup after winning the Lord Reims Stakes. Photo by Jenny Barnes.
Distillation was stepping up from restricted class but Price wasn’t afraid to take off from the 1600m and circle the field to take up the running and was never headed from that point.
Runner up Base ($8) made a long run to get alongside of Distillation ($10) close to the line but failed by a head with Waltzing To Win ($9) another two lengths away in third spot.
Favourite Proper Madam ($3.60) made a short dash in the straight before winding up in fourth position while last year’s Adelaide Cup winner Rialya ($4.20) struggled under the 58.5kgs to end up seventh, four and a quarter lengths from the winner.
The first three placegetters are likely to clash again in the Adelaide Cup on Monday week while Rialya will appreciate the drop to 55.5kgs for the two mile test.
Western Australian trainer Justin Warwick will decide after Sunday if Adelaide Cup topweight Black Tycoon will make the trip to Morphettville after being allocated 59kgs, 3.5kgs more than he carried to win the Group 2 $500,000 Golden River Developments Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on January 1.
Black Tycoon will have to carry 60.5kgs in the Listed $100,000 Prince Of Wales Hotel-AHA Cup (2019m) at Bunbury on Sunday and Warwick will decide after the race if the eight year old will take his place in the Adelaide Cup.
“Sunday’s race will be a bit too short for him to show his full potential, but I still think he is a very good winning chance,” Warwick said.
“He has to carry the weight and he has to give some pretty good horses weight which does make it harder.”
