Trainer John O’Shea has settled on some short and long-term solutions to help curb the waywardness of promising stayer Kingdoms.
The three-year-old will sport several gear changes in the Group Three Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick in the hope they will help him race more genuinely.
Kingdoms will wear a straight bar ring bit as well as a cross over noseband with O’Shea also deciding to remove winkers in Saturday’s race.
O’Shea is banking on an appointment two days later delivering more lasting effects.
“He will be gelded on Monday morning,” O’Shea said.
Connections opted to press on to Saturday’s race after the colt drew well in barrier one.
Kingdoms contested the final two legs of the three-year-old triple crown finishing fourth to It’s A Dundeel in the Rosehill Guineas and third to the same horse in the Australian Derby.
His Derby effort was particularly good given jockey Michael Rodd made an early move to go to the front and Kingdoms raced greenly in the straight but still fought strongly.
Stablemate Sir Denzel will also tackle Saturday’s race as a springboard towards a winter carnival campaign.
He finished a solid third to Phillipi in the Tulloch Stakes at his first attempt at black type company.
“He’s a nice, progressive young horse headed towards the Queensland Derby,” O’Shea said.
The Guy Walter-trained Toydini, who was gelded prior to the start of his current campaign, is a resounding $1.55 favourite for the Frank Packer Plate following scintillating Group wins at his past two starts.
O’Shea agrees Toydini is the horse to beat.
“I’m under no illusions about Saturday. Guy’s horse could eventually end up a top class horse,” O’Shea said.
“But my two will run the trip and they are both fit and well.”
