Monton came within a short head of causing an upset in last year’s Chipping Norton Stakes and will be an outsider again this time around.
Ron Quinton’s stable stalwart was beaten by Shoot Out in the Group One 12 months ago and will be taking on a class field again at Warwick Farm on Saturday headed by It’s A Dundeel.
After dropping in the ratings in the past year, Monton has worked his way back up with his recent winning form, leaving his trainer with few options.
“We found those three open handicaps over 1600 metres and he won two of them, then he went to the Benchmark 95 with a big weight and won that so he’s raced his way out of those races again,” Quinton said.
“His rating is back up to 106 so there is really nowhere else to go.
“There’s no doubt It’s A Dundeel is a class act but if Monton can go there and run a terrific race we’ll be happy.
“He has been a great old warrior for the stable and he’s earned almost $800,000.”
The seven-year-old has had only a few weeks off since last August and his late summer form is testament to his constitution.
“With these older horses, sometimes when you send them for a spell it takes too long to get them back,” Quinton said.
“He seems to be the same now as he has been all through.
“We race him every fortnight and don’t do a lot with him in between.
“He is entered in the Doncaster again but we’ll just take things run by run, step by step.”
Premier Sydney apprentice Sam Clipperton, who is indentured to Quinton, takes the ride again.
There were 12 entries for the weight-for-age Chipping Norton (1600m) headed by five-time Group One winner It’s A Dundeel with a rating of 117 and dual Group One winner Boban on 114.
The Chris Waller-trained Boban will be reunited with Glyn Schofield on Saturday after two unplaced runs under Nash Rawiller.
Schofield won five races on Boban in the spring including the Epsom Handicap and Emirates Stakes and Waller said the Chipping Norton would be a defining race for the four-year-old.
