Excess Knowledge No Doncaster Mile Certainty After Prelude Win

Excess Knowledge earnt himself a guaranteed place in the 2015 Doncaster Mile field by winning the Group 3 Doncaster Mile Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon, but trainer Gai Waterhouse revealed that the imported galloper is no certainty to back-up in the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick next weekend.

Excess Knowledge scored a narrow win over Malice in the 2015 Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart

Excess Knowledge scored a narrow win over Malice in the 2015 Doncaster Prelude at Rosehill Gardens this afternoon. Photo by: Steve Hart

Excess Knowledge jumped from the gates will in the Doncaster Prelude and jockey Kerrin McEvoy elected to settle the Monsun entire right on the speed, while well-backed favourite Leebaz took up the running in the early stages.

Leebaz received a fairly easy time of it in front, but he failed to fire when asked for an extra effort by jockey Tommy Berry and Excess Knowledge and Godolphin galloper Malice were left to fight out the finish, with Excess Knowledge proving too strong in the final 50 metres.

Excess Knowledge delivered McEvoy an early double on The BMW day and the talented hoop revealed after the race that he has always had a big opinion of the imported stayer.

“He is a nice horse and I have always liked him ever since he landed in the country,” McEvoy said.

“I have only been able to ride him once before today in a race and I was looking forward to riding him today.

“He was a great winner last time to come from back in the field, so I gave him a great chance today and it is nice to get a winner for Gai.”

Excess Knowledge receives ballot-exempt entry into the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and he will carry just 50 kilograms if connections elect to run him next weekend, but Waterhouse indicated that she does not believe the five-year-old is well suited in the $3.5 million race and she said that he could instead run in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Plate (2000m) at Royal Randwick on April 18.

“He is not particularly well-weighted, I can assure you that he is not,” Waterhouse said.

“He may go to the Japan Racing Association, but I just want to let the dust settle and enjoy this moment.

“He is a beautiful son of Monsun and he is a drop-dead gorgeous looking horse.

“Today over the longer trip he still only won the race in the last 100 metres and it took him until then to really go and that is because he is bred to be a two-mile horse.”

Excess Knowledge was originally purchased by Round Table Racing as a potential Melbourne Cup contender and managing owner Bruce Slade confirmed after the Doncaster Prelude win that Excess Knowledge will likely follow a Melbourne Cup path during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

About The Author

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.