Trainer Ron Quinton in willing to forget the unplaced run of Monton at Rosehill last Saturday and will push ahead with the eight year old towards the Group 2 $175,000 Villiers Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on December 13.
Monton will push ahead with a start in the Villiers Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Young jockey Sam Clipperton was reunited with Monton in the Listed $100,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill but the pair had no luck from the start coming out of barrier ten in the thirteen horse field.
With 60kgs on his back, Monton was never in the hunt after jumping awkwardly and getting further back in the field than expected and was unable to make up any ground in the straight to finish six and three lengths eleventh behind the Chris Waller trained I’m Imposing.
“I think you can just put the pen through his effort,” Quinton told Racing Network.
“It all just worked out badly from his wide barrier, he kept having to go further and further back and he doesn’t like racing that way.
“It was nothing against how Sam rode him, it was just circumstances.
“He has come through the run in good order so we will still press on to the Villiers.”
Monton will be lining up for his fourth Villiers Stakes in a row after winning the Festival Stakes – Villiers Stakes double at his first attempt in 2011.
Top Sydney rider Hugh Bowman was successful in the 2011 Villiers Stakes with Clipperton partnering the Catbird gelding when ninth to All Legal in 2012 and fourth to Ninth Legion last year.
The Villiers Stakes will almost be a carbon copy of the Festival Stakes with Monton coming up again against the might of the Waller stable who look like having four starters.
Festival Stakes winner I’m Imposing will be joined again by stablemates Strawberry Boy and Multilateral as well as You’ll Never if he races up to expectations at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Mike Moroney trained Rhythm To Spare will be an extra addition to the Villiers Stakes with Glyn Schofieid already booked to ride the Victorian trained galloper.
Rhythm To Spare was always well back in the field when twelfth to Hucklebuck in the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 8 and was then beaten just over a length when fourth to Zabisco in the Group 3 $150,000 mypunter.com Eclipse Stakes (1800m) at Sandown on November 15.
