Trainer Grant Williams will saddle up four runners in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Magic Millions Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot in Perth but will stick with stable rider William Pike’s mount Tuscan Queen as the best chance.
Damien Oliver, above, will ride Regal Power in the 2019 Kingston Town Classic at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos
Grant Williams along with his wife and co-trainer Alana Williams also put the finishing touches on Railway Stakes winner Regal Power, the consistent Mississippi Delta and the three year old Superstorm.
“Willie being our number one rider, which ever one he rides will probably be the one that we will go for, but to be honest I can’t really split Tuscan Queen and Regal Power,” Williams told Sky Racing’s Racing HQ.
“I know it is weight for age and they will both be carrying even weights, but I think at the end of the day the weight will have a bit of a factor and I will go Tuscan Queen.”
“We generally leave it to Willie. He has the pick, he rides all of the horses. It works out really good for everybody in this race because he can ride the 50kg easy.”
The bookies at Ladbtokes.com.au agree also and have Tuscan Queen marked as the $3.60 favourite for the weight for age Kingston Town Classic ahead of Regal Power at $7.50.
The lightly raced Tuscan Queen is the winner of three of her four race starts and Williams said the three year old filly has excuses at he her only defeat when a close up second in the Listed $100,000 Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on Melbourne Cup Day.
“She had excuses that day in the Burgess Queen. She had to take the field up to the tearaway leader and she got beaten by a very nice filly on the day. There is probably not too much between her and Kay Cee.”
“She could be unbeaten quite easily.”
Regal Power goes into thee Kingston Town Classic on the back of a last to first win in the Group 1 $1m Kirin Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 23 and Williams expects him to be hard to beat again.
“He is a super star this horse. His win in the Derby last year was off the chart and he reproduced that effort last week in the Railway so what ever race he goes in he is very hard to beat.”
“He has the services of Damien which is an advantage as well.”
Pike was aboard Regal Power in the Railway Stakes but when he elected to stick with Tuscan Queen, the stable was quick to secure the services of Damien Oliver.
Chris Parnham rides Mississippi Delta and Shaun McGruddy will be aboard Superstorm.
Betting for the 2019 Kingston Town Classic at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.60 Tuscan Queen, $7.50 Regal Power, $8 Superstorm, $9 Best Of Days, $10 Pacodali, $12 Kay Cee, $15 Gatting, Mississippi Delta, Star Exhibit, Tally, $16 Gailo Chop, $21 Achernar Star, Dig Deep, $26 Jericho Missile, Platoon, $34 The Velvet King.
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