Hallowed Crown is set to return to racing in the 2015 Hobartville Stakes at Royal Randwick this weekend and co-trainer James Cummings has revealed that the Group 1 winner is a bigger horse ahead of the start of his autumn campaign.
Hallowed Crown is one of a number of Group 1 winners that have been included in the 2015 Hobartville Stakes field. Photo by: Steve Hart
Hallowed Crown was given a lengthy stint in the spelling paddock after he finished fourth in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 4 last, but has had a lengthy build-up and impressed in a barrier trial and two exhibition gallops.
Cummings told Sky Racing Radio that he has Hallowed Crown as fit as he can have him at the start of his campaign, but still expects him to take plenty of benefit out of his run in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).
“We are very happy with the way that he has progressed,” Cummings said.
“He has had a couple of good hit-outs in exhibition gallops in the last four weeks and they bookended a nice trial at Randwick where he finished third behind Shooting To Win, who already had a barrier trial under his belt before that,” Cummings said.
“He has progressed nicely, he is as fit as we can get him first-up and I think that will be fairly important in the Hobartville.”
Hallowed Crown has shown plenty of ability since he made his racing debut in March last year and he won the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m) as a two-year-old as well as the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) as a three-year-old, but Cummings has always been of the opinion that the son of Street Sense would be even better as an older horse.
Cummings said that Hallowed Crown has put on about ten kilograms in condition during his break from racing, but still believes the three-year-old has some growing to do in order to keep up with striking colts like his Hobartville Stakes rival Shooting To Win.
“Although he has raced and run at Group level in both the autumn as a two-year-old and the spring as a three-year-old, he was always a little bit behind his peer group I thought,” Cummings said.
“He has always been an effeminate colt, he is extremely good looking and that is a lot to do with the bloodlines being by Street Sense.
“He is now starting to bulk up and his racing weight for example will be over 10 kilos heavier than what it was last preparation.
“Having said that at the beach this morning and his competitor Shooting To Win, he still has some developing to do.
“He is a good doer, he doesn’t leave an oat and he has just thrived during the week.
“I couldn’t be happier with him going into the first-up and I have no doubt that he will take good benefit in terms of race fitness ahead of the Randwick Guineas two weeks later.”
Hallowed Crown is currently available at 2015 Hobartville Stakes odds of $5.50 with Ladbrokes Australia, while Shooting To Win ($4.60) has opened as a narrow favourite.
