The connections of leading Western Australian galloper Mr Moet’s poor luck with barrier draws has continued; with the Group 1 winning drawing the outside gate at the 2013 Kingston Town Classic barrier draw that was conducted last night.
Mr Moet will jump from the outside barrier in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Mr Moet will jump from barrier 11 in the Group 1 race over 1800 metres at Ascot on Saturday and it will be the second straight race in which the Mosayter gelding has been forced to start at the outside of the field.
The six-year-old was considered one of the leading chances for the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) but had his chances diminished by his outside barrier and he could finish no better than seventh after being forced wide coming around the final turn.
Mr Moet remains on the second line of Kingston Town Classic betting markets at odds of $4.20 but will need plenty of luck to record his second win at Group 1 level as no horse has won from barrier 11 in the past 30 years.
2013 Kingston Town Classic favourite Luckygray navigated a wide draw to win the Railway Stakes just under a fortnight ago but will likely receive an ideal run into the race this weekend after drawing barrier seven – a gate that has produced four winners in the past 30 years.
Luckygray is chasing his second straight victory in the Kingston Town Classic and his fourth overall victory at Group 1 level; with trainer Trevor Andrews confident that the Bradbury’s Luck gelding is in even better condition than he was before running in the Railway Stakes.
Barrier ten has been the most successful barrier in Kingston Town Classic history, producing five winners in the past 30 years, and this year will house Playing God who won the 2011 edition of the race from barrier five.
Playing God has been in good form this campaign, winning the Group 3 Northerly Stakes (1400m) before finishing sixth in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) and fifth in the Railway Stakes, but will still need to improve to join Megatic (2007), True Steel (2003), Old Nick (1998), Vo Rogue (1988) and Bounty Hawk (1983) as horses that have won the Kingston Town Classic from barrier ten.
The 2013 Kingston Town Classic barrier draw results are rounded out by: Black Tycoon (barrier one), Ihtsahymn (barrier two), God Has Spoken (barrier three), Rohan (barrier four), Ranger (barrier five), Elite Belle (barrier six), Moonlight Bay (barrier eight) and Talent Show (barrier nine).
