Ballarat Cup winner Mujadale is an unlikely starter at Morphettville on Saturday and be saved for the Listed $120,000 Handicap (2600m) at Werribee on December 14.
Mujadale is likely to be scratched from Morphettville and saved for the Werribee Handicap. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Trainer Paul Jones accepted with Mujadale in the $40,000 Sportingbet Handicap (2500m) at Morphettville but is unlikely to back up the seven year old after winning the Listed $200,000 Sportsbet.com.au Ballarat Cup (2200m) at Ballarat last Saturday.
“He’s jumping out of his skin and he’s pulled up probably as well as he’s ever pulled up,” Jones told Racing.com.
“He ran in the race last year when it was the Werribee Cup, they’ve changed the name of it for some unknown reason.”
“He has been a bit of a tricky horse, but we have just taken him along slowly and he has improved all the time.”
“He is probably a bit more mature physically now as well as mentally and he just handles race day better.
“He can hopefully keep ticking over and win a couple more this time in.”
Mujadale has been racing on the Victorian Country Cups circuit and has found his winning form as the distances increased.
The Mujahid gelding was always well back in the field when thirteenth over 1600m in the Listed $150,000 Darley Seymour Cup at Seymour on October 19 then only beat one runner home when seventh in the $50,000 Horhsam Cup over 1800m at Horsham on October 31.
Fitness and the step up in distance again combined to see Mujadale take out the $52,000 2000m Ararat Cup at Ararat on November 9 before winning the Ballarat Cup.
After Werribee Jones will head back to town and earmarked the Listed $150,000 Bagot Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on January 1 as well as the Listed $350,000 Mornington Cup (2400m) at Mornington in March.
“The Bagot’s one we’ve sort of pencilled in and we’re possibly thinking long-term about the Mornington Cup (2400m),” Jones said.
“We’ll just see how he goes after Werribee whether we go to the Bagot or we go to Mornington or maybe even both.
“We’ll just have to take each run as they come and see how the horse goes.”
If Jones does decide to send Mujadale around at Morphettville on Saturday he will have to jump from barrier eight in the nine horse field with 61.5kgs with Ballarat Cup winning jockey Kevin Forrester to ride again.
