News

Damien's good omen

1st Dec 2010

The Daily Telegraph - Ray Thomas - Wednesday, 1 December 2010

CHAMPION jockey Damien Oliver's willingness to stick with Triple Honour has given trainer Chris Waller a timely confidence boost before the Group One $500,000 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Oliver, a Hall of Fame inductee, rode Triple Honour in Perth last start when the gelding beat only one runner to the line behind Gathering in the Railway Stakes.

Despite the Sydney star's struggling effort, Oliver told Waller he wanted to retain the mount for the final major of the year.

"Damien was keen to ride Triple Honour again and that was good enough for me," Waller said.

"There were excuses for Triple Honour last start. There was no pace in the Railway. It turned into a sprint home and it didn't suit the horse.

"The return to weight-for-age and the step up in distance on Saturday are more favourable for Triple Honour."

Waller is concerned that Triple Honour has failed in all six starts when racing in the left-handed direction.

"He still hasn't shown his best when racing the opposite way but I feel there have been reasons for his defeats," Waller said.

Triple Honour, winner of seven races and nearly $2 million prizemoney, is one of the better-performed runners in the field and seems great value at $18 in early TAB fixed odds betting.

Playing God, winner of the WA Guineas and Aquanita Stakes at his past two starts, heads the market at $4.40 ahead of Railway Stakes runner-up Famous Roman at $7.50.

Playing God's older brother God Has Spoken, an $8.50 chance, is the only other runner at single-figure odds.

With Railway Stakes winner Gathering out of the Kingston Town Classic, Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm will rely on Trusting, who finished sixth to his stablemate in the Railway.Trusting has not won since he took out the weight-for-age Warwick Stakes as a three-year-old in August last year but has performed well at the highest level, most recently with second placings in the Group One George Main Stakes and Epsom Handicap during the Sydney spring.

Macau's best galloper Luen Yat Forever is a final acceptor for the big race.

The triple Group One winner in his homeland posted Group One fourths over 1600m in the Toorak Handicap and Emirates Stakes.