Eat less and exercise even more than usual.
That’s the plan for top jockey Glyn Schofield for this week as he aims to win Australia’s final Group One of 2011 on Saturday.
Schofield secured the Kingston Town Stakes (1800m) ride on last start WA Guineas winner King Saul last week and partners the gelding at 52kg on Saturday at Ascot.
Schofield rode at 53.5kg at Canterbury last weekend and will ride at 53kg on Wednesday before turning his attention to the Perth feature.
King Saul is the third favourite at $4.80 on TAB Sportsbet with a field of 15 to take aim in the $500,000 weight-for-age feature.
Luckygray, who controversially won the Railway Stakes on protest, is the $2.60 favourite with Group Two Lee Steere Stakes winner Ranger second elect at $4.
A study of King Saul’s race films has Sydney-based Schofield bullish about his prospects.
“Obviously from the time they asked me to ride him last week I’ve been on a bit of a diet and I’ll just up the workload a bit this week,” Schofield said.
“It makes it a lot easier with this warmer weather and I’m looking forward to going over there because he really looks a smart horse.”
The Trevor Andrews-trained King Saul flashed home to record his third win from just four starts in the Group Two WA Guineas (1600m) with Craig Williams aboard.
Williams finished second in Sunday’s Japan Cup and his six-week riding stint in Japan ruled him out of the Kingston Town Stakes.
King Saul is the only three-year-old in the field with the barrier draw to take place on Wednesday.
Last year’s winner Playing God is back to defend his crown, while Melbourne-based jockey Brad Rawiller will be chasing his third win in the event when he partners the Mark Webb-trained Avienus.
Schofield believes King Saul will have no trouble with the 1800m journey.
“What I like about him is the way he finishes strongly,” Schofield said.
“He started off over shorter distances and then won the Guineas over a mile. He finished strongly and was quite impressive.
“He’s dropping in weight, going up to 1800 metres and the way he races that looks good for him.”
Victory on King Saul would double Schofield’s Group One tally for the season after guiding top-class three-year-old Manawanui to victory in the $1 million Golden Rose at Rosehill in August.
AAP TURF
