Gifted sprinter Masked Crusader will chase his second G1 win this campaign in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
Touted as an Everest wildcard in the spring, Masked Crusader has finally begun to develop into the horse he always promised to be.
With a G1 win in the bank courtesy of his William Reid Stakes victory in Melbourne, the Hawkes Racing sprinter is favoured to add another in the final major of The Championships at Randwick.
Regular rider Tommy Berry reunites with the four-year-old after missing his slashing last-start second to Nature Strip in the T J Smith Stakes through suspension and he is adamant the horse’s star is still on the rise.
“He has obviously matured a lot more and he’s slowly working it all out,” Berry said.
“He is relaxing much better in his races. He’s still a bit of an enigma at the start, he is still slow away in most of his races.
“He’s got better as his preparation has gone on and the writing has been on the wall both in the William Reid and the T J Smith. He is definitely the horse to beat in the race.”
A field of 13 will tackle the All Aged Stakes (1400m) and bookmakers have posted Masked Crusader a dominant $2.90 favourite with only the Godolphin pair of Savatiano ($7) and Doncaster Mile winner Cascadian ($9) at single-figure odds.
Market 💰: View the Odds for the All Aged Stakes
Savatiano relegated Masked Crusader to third two starts ago in the Canterbury Stakes but Berry is adamant the gelding heads to Saturday’s race a superior horse.
He has a healthy respect for the mare but regards top weight Kolding as the forgotten horse back to a dry surface.
“He’s got that weight-for-age form against the mare, Verry Elleegant, early on in his prep. I reckon he’s my biggest danger,” Berry said.
Kolding was a $10 chance with TAB fixed odds on Thursday and will be one of two runners for premier trainer Chris Waller along with Imaging.