English import Excess Knowledge is set to resume for the Spring Carnival in the Group 2 $200,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Excess Knowledge resumes for the Spring Carnival in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse called an early end to Excess Knowledge’s Autumn Carnival in the hope that he would develop into a top Spring contender and he will get his chance to show his wares in the this weekend’s weight for age contest.
Excess Knowledge scored a first up Autumn win in the in the $70,000 PFD Food Services A.J. ‘Bert’ Lillye Memorial Handicap (1300m) at Kembla Grange on March 13 followed by a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Hyland Race Colours Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill on March 28.
Waterhouse was tempted to push on to the Group 1 $3m The Star 150th Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on the first day of ‘The Championships’ with the Monsun stallion but elected to put him away with the Spring Carnival in mind.
“One of the horses I am most excited about is the imported entire Excess Knowledge,” Waterhouse wrote in her blog.
“Last time in, this boy won a race at Kembla Grange, then the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude. I could have easily pushed on with him towards the Doncaster and even the Queen Elizabeth but I felt he would benefit from a long spell heading towards the spring.”
“He has come back remarkably well.”
Waterhouse has given Excess Knowledge two Randwick barrier trials over 1200m in preparation for his return in Melbourne and the six year old won his heat on July 20 then ran second to stablemate on July 31.
Excess Knowledge is one of eleven horses nominated for the P.B. Lawrence Stakes which has a mixture of proven performers and up and comers among the entries.
Group 1 winner Smokin’ Joey is at the top of the ballot order and has already kicked off his Spring Carnival campaign with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Race-Tech Australia Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on July 25.
That followed a break after a short Queensland Winter Carnival campaign that saw Smokin’ Joey win the Listed $175,000 City Of Ipswich Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on June 13.
Also nominated in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes in the front running Tasmanian star The Cleaner, Petrology and European import Dibayani from the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig stable and Group 2 winner Mourinho.
Kerrin McEvoy has been booked to ride Excess Knowledge in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
