Trainer Steve Richards says Almindoro definitely won’t lead in what will be his autumn grand final in Friday night’s Group Two Alister Clark Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The Redoute’s Choice gelding led last start when he finished third to Alister Clark rivals Folding Gear and Elusive King in the Group Two Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield on February 26.
“I wasn’t real pleased when he led last start but he was probably a bit fresh and jumped so well that he sort of landed there,” Richards said.
“That’s not the way to ride him. He was a bit underdone and the horse on his outside (Clemente) drove him mad and when it dropped off the two horses that sat right behind him beat him but he still battled on to run third.
“We’ve had this race in mind for him all along. He had to run in the first three in the Autumn Classic and he did that otherwise we wouldn’t have pushed on.
“He definitely won’t be leading on Friday night. He’s better getting a bit of cover from the draw and being the chaser.
“He’ll certainly run the mile-and-a-quarter (2040m), I know that, and he’s had a win at the Valley and I galloped him there last Thursday morning and he went nice.
“He’s spot-on, I can’t get him any fitter this preparation.”
Richards said he would spell Almindoro after the Alister Clark and look forward to the spring with him.
“He’s still a bit of a baby, but he’s in good shape, he’s drawn a nice alley (six in a field of 14) and this is his fourth run in and it’s worked out terrific for him,” he said.
“If he’s good enough, he’s good enough.”
A win would make up for the unlucky defeat of stablemate Playwright who was beaten narrowly in the 2008 edition after being put in a pocket by Damien Oliver on the winner Sound Journey.
Steven King, who has ridden Almindoro in all but one of his eight starts, will again be aboard the three-year-old.
Oliver will be after his fourth win in the race on the Danny O’Brien-trained Meaisin.
Apart from Sound Journey, he also won on Casino Prince in 2007 and Mr. Murphy in 2001.
Meaisin ran fifth in the Autumn Classic when ridden by Glen Boss who rides the Anthony Cummings-trained Gilded Spur, a last-start 1400m winner at Sandown.
James Winks has been engaged to ride Shadowofexcellence for Team Hawkes.
But the three-quarter brother to champion Makybe Diva is also an acceptor for Friday night’s Inglis Easter Sale Hcp (1900m) at Canterbury with Corey Brown down to ride.
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