The Ciaron Maher stable has been looking for the right opportunity to try Kings Valley over a trip again.
And that opportunity comes up in the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
Kings Valley was first emergency when the fields came out on Wednesday but has snuck his way into the field of 14 following the scratching of Plymouth.
The Maher stable’s National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said the way Kings Valley settles early in the race will determine his fortunes.
A winner of the Bairnsdale Cup (1600m) last month, Kings Valley was a last start ninth in the Group 3 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on April 4.
“We thought his run was good,” Turnbull said.
“We had to go back from the gate and the way the track was playing it made it difficult and tricky, but the work he put in, we were very pleased with how he went.
“The thing is this week, we’re up in trip from that 2000 (metres) to the 2400 (metres) and the question mark will be whether he relaxes.
“He can be fierce, but he’s not a slow horse. He’s got a very good turn of foot, so we’ve got to work him down a bit into the run.
“I think if he stays on, and relaxes, he’s a good chance as this is his future.”
A Sandown winner at 2100m, this will be Kings Valley second try at 2400m after he finished fifth of six at Caulfield last October.
Kings Valley was immediately spelled following that run and has come back in good form.
“I think he’s got the profile, he’s got the page, and everything else to get 2400 (metres), but it has been a matter of when,” Turnbull said.
“Arguably we could have waited and gone to another benchmark race, but it’s a Caulfield Cup qualifier, a rich race and it gives us a chance.
“We’ve drawn a good gate to smother him up and I think he can run a forward race for us.”
