Excess Knowledge Upstages Pornichet In Barrier Trial

Excess Knowledge upstaged high-profile stablemate Pornichet to record an impressive victory barrier trial victory at Royal Randwick this morning.

Excess Knowledge impressed onlookers with his performance in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart

Excess Knowledge impressed onlookers with his performance in a barrier trial at Royal Randwick this morning. Photo by: Steve Hart

Excess Knowledge contested the second barrier trial of the morning over 1200 metres and he was settled in third position behind Zee Zeely and Queen Of Sheba in the early stages of the barrier trial, which Pornichet was positioned in behind the leading group.

Queen Of Sheba fought off Zee Zeely at the top of the straight and looked as though she was going to win the barrier trial, but Excess Knowledge was asked for an extra effort and he made up plenty of ground late to record an impressive win.

Excess Knowledge was purchased by Round Table Racing after he finished tenth behind Leading Light in the Group 1 Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes (2937m) at Doncaster in September of 2013 and he has been a consistent performer since he made his Australian racing debut with a close second behind Eigelstein in the Hyland Race Colours Handicap (1400m) at Royal Randwick on May 24.

The Monsun entire started his autumn preparation with a narrow victory in the A J Bert Lillye Memorial Handicap (1300m) at Kembla Grange on March 13 and he scored the biggest race win of his career to date in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28, but trainer Gai Waterhouse elected not to run him in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).

Waterhouse is yet to reveal that major targets for Excess Knowledge during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but she has been thrilled with the progress of the rising six-year-old this preparation and the $1 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) could be on the agenda.

Pornichet was kept under a heavy hold throughout the barrier trial, but he was still able to hit the line strongly to finish third in a performance that suggests he is ready for a big spring preparation.

The imported galloper made a slow start to his autumn preparation, but he returned to his best form with a win in the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 28 and finished a credible fifth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 6 before he was sent to Queensland to take out the Toowoomba Cup (2150m) on May 2 and the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 9.

Waterhouse is desperate to win the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) for the first time in her training career and she believes that the Vespone entire is capable of taking out the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship.

Pornichet is currently available at 2015 Cox Plate odds of $10 and is on the third line of betting behind Able Friend ($9) and Contributer ($9).

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.