The Mark Kavanagh-trained King Diamond will take the next step towards an Adelaide Cup start when he contests Saturday’s $150,000 Roy Higgins Quality at Flemington.
The Danewin four-year-old has shaped up well this preparation winning three of his past four starts and faces his first test beyond 2000m in the Listed 2600m event.
A Slade Bloodstock Syndicate horse, King Diamond carries equal topweight of 58.5kg at Flemington but will drop to 53.5kg in the Group Two $400,000 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville on Monday week.
“He showed a lot as a young horse then he had a couple of things go wrong with him and we nursed him back and now he’s been extremely consistent this time,” Kavanagh said.
“He’s going the right way and I’d like to see him have a crack at the Adelaide Cup.”
Stable rider Michael Rodd goes back on to King Diamond on Saturday after not being able ride the gelding who was below his weight range when he carried 53.5kg to win over 2000m at Flemington last start with Glyn Schofield in the saddle.
“They ran along at a pretty good clip and sort of put it in his lap a bit, so he got a nice cart into the race and the cut out of the ground suited,” Kavanagh said of his half-neck win over Anudjawun with Saturday’s rival Vesper third on a dead track.
King Diamond is out of the Zabeel mare Kali Smytzer who won two races including a 1600m event at Sandown.
He meets Lloyd Williams’ Zabeel four-year-old Vesper on the same weight terms on Saturday but Vesper has 0.5kg more than him in the Adelaide Cup.
Another Williams horse, Muir, as well as Art Success, Saddler’s Story, Streaky Fella, Montahlia, Sir Walter, Our Serina and Mateo are Roy Higgins Quality runners weighted on the minimum of 53kg in the Adelaide Cup.
King Diamond and Vesper share favouritism for Saturday’s race at $4.60 ahead of Saddler’s Story and Streaky Fella at $6 with Elmore next best at $9.50 with TAB Sportsbet.
The Patrick Payne-trained Capecover, who won last year’s Adelaide Cup under 57kg on a 53.5kg minimum, is topweight this year with 57.5kg.
AAP TURF
