Melbourne sprinter Lord Of The Sky might be well weighted in Saturday’s Group 1 $500,000 Darley Goodwood (1200m) but trainer Robbie Laing feels that the speedster might not be suited by the Morphettville track.
Lord Of The Sky is well weighted in The Goodwood at Morphettville. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
The speedy Lord Of The Sky is always seen in the first couple as he displayed at his two most recent runs when fourth, after leading, to Brazen Beau in the Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington then he sat behind the leader Rain Affair when a nose second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 6.
“It’s a funny track Morphettville, they race there nearly every Saturday and you’d like to think when you’ve got a horse that’s quick the inside section of the track would be good but the last few years they’ve been getting out ten or twelve horses off the fence,” Laing told racing.com.
“I don’t know whether speed horses are suited in the Goodwood but I can’t change him around, he’ll be up there in the first two or three and hopefully he can get into some good going in the straight.”
Under the Goodwood set weights and penalties conditions, Lord Of The Sky with 56kg is weighted on his win in the Group 3 $135,000 Polytrack Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in July last year even though he was beaten a nose at Group 1 level under weight-for-age conditions last start.
While Group 1 winners Hucklebuck, Smokin’ Joey and Lucky Hussler have to carry 58.5kg.
“Because he’s only a Group 3 winner he gets 56kg where as the Group 1 winners get 58.5kg so he gets in well at the weights considering it was weight-for-age when he was only nosed out by Chautauqua,” Laing said.
Laing said that Lord Of The Sky has recovered well from his narrow second in the T J Smith Stakes on a rain affected track and rounded off his Goodwood preparation with an barrier trial third over 800m at Cranbourne on May 11 with race jockey Damien Oliver in the saddle.
“Ollie was mad keen to give him an easy trial because prior to the Oakleigh Plate he won a trial here by eight-lengths and probably left nothing in reserve for the race,” Laing said.
“He had a very easy trial and the time (46.97 seconds) was still very good on a heavy track so I’m pretty happy with him.”
In early betting for The Goodwood at Ladbrokes.com.au, Lord Of The Sky is listed as a $11 chance behind Hucklebuck at $4.60, Lucky Hussler at $5.50, Black Heart Bart at $6, and Under The Louvre at $9.
