Tulloch Lodge import Eliyass has maintained his perfect Australian record with an outstanding win in the Kingston Town Stakes to cement favouritism for the Group 1 Metropolitan in a fortnight.
The gelding, who has never finished further back than second in 11 starts and has now won all three appearances in Sydney, left co-trainer Adrian Bott wondering just how far he might progress.
“It’s quite incredible and we don’t quite know where the ceiling is yet,” Bott said.
“He’s got that amazing will to win, that great constitution and I guess that’s what separates those really, really good horses.
“I feel we’ve got a nice program for him, I feel he is improving every time he steps out and he’s right on track.”
Eliyass holds nominations for both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup and Bott says nothing is off the table, but the Metropolitan in two weeks at Randwick is the most likely next step.
That race will be the horse’s first test over 2400m, his three Sydney wins all coming over a middle distance.
“He is relatively well weighted in that race and it’s hard to bypass that race where he is favourite and on his home track,” Bott said.
“He’s got nominations for the Caulfield Cups, Melbourne Cups, they’re all in the frame and we’d love to get him there because he’s an exciting stayer.”
Eliyass ($4) trailed the solid tempo set by stablemate and eventual fourth placegetter Serpentine ($26) before Tim Clark sooled him to the front halfway up the straight.
The $2.80 betting agency favourite Ceolwulf set sail after him but was unable to reel him in, Eliyass scoring by a long neck with Golden Path ($5) another two lengths away third.
Clark said the winning margin was deceptive and Eliyass always had the race in hand.
“He actually played with that second horse the last 100. He was never getting past him,” Clark said.
“I made use of my draw and wanted to be in a position to dictate where I could be where I wanted to be. He ambled up, the second horse came to him, but he had him covered the whole way.”
James Mcdonald thought he was on the winner in Ceolwulf but said Eliyass was just too strong.
“I presented like the winner. Credit to the winner, he is tough as boots,” McDonald said.
Eliyass has 55kg in the Metropolitan, a kilo more than Ceolwulf and the pair sit at the top of markets for the Group 1 at $4 and $5 respectively.
