They may have finished towards the tail end of their Randwick trial on Friday morning but local trainer John O’Shea is still confident his progressive stallion Kingdoms can step up to the major Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival staying races this season.
O’Shea is keeping all options open for the nicely-bred High Chaparral four-year-old who was gelded over their recent spell.
“He’s a different horse at home now,” racenet.com.au reported O’Shea saying of the new gelding.
“He used to walk around yelling, making plenty of noise and couldn’t keep his mind on the job.
“We’ve all got a friend like that.”
Kingdoms is set to be nominated for all the big features including the $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19, entries for which close next Tuesday, and perhaps even the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5.
Lightly raced with just seven starts to date, there is a long way to go until it is spring cups for Kingdoms however who will need to work on getting their rating up over the start of their campaign.
“He’s always shown good staying potential and it’ll be my focus to ensure he has the opportunity to display those qualities,” O’Shea said.
Fourth to current Caulfield Cup favourite It’s A Dundeel in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) back in March, Kingdoms’ best run was also behind the crack Kiwi.
Two weeks after the Guineas they went up to the mile and a half for the first time.
There they were far from disgraced when third in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) where the Murray Baker-trained It’s A Dundeel completed the Sydney Autumn 3YO Triple Crown.
Their last run was on Sydney Cup Day.
The then three-year-old posted another third there this time to Usanity when stepping down in class and distance for the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) on April 27.
Kingdoms had their first official trial for the 2013-14 season at their home course this morning stepping out in the second over 1000m.
It was definitely too short and sharp for the stayer and Kingdoms ran eighth, with James McDonald aboard, to the Gai Waterhouse-trained No Looking Back.
The same trial also saw Waterhouse’s Fast Clip and Ashokan run two-three behind their flying stablemate as well as triple Group 1 winner Hay List cross fifth.
Hay List’s inability to prove their fitness has seen their Gosford-based trainer John McNair delay their new season return having originally set them for Saturday week’s $125,000 Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m).
