Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Godolphin hopes Green Spaces “can get back in the game” in the Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) on a potentially softer Randwick track after a disappointing run in the Kingston Town Stakes put his cups campaign in limbo.
The Bjorn Baker-trained son of Street Boss was almost six lengths off all-the-way winner The Euphrates in the 2000m Kingston Stakes two weeks ago when 11th on a fast surface where on-pace runners thrived.
The third-up run has raised doubts about the four-year-old entire racing on to the Caulfield and Melbourne cups, which have been on the radar since he stormed to a three-length win in the Australian Derby in autumn.
Godolphin Australia racing and bloodstock manager Jason Walsh hopes Green Spaces can bounce back when returning to the Derby trip at Randwick on Saturday. The $14 chance, which is also nominated for the Cox Plate, drops 1.5 kilograms and has a better draw, in seven.
“I think we and [jockey] Rachel [King] were slightly disappointed with how he finished the race off,” Walsh said of the Kingston Town.
“But I did think on the day, and I still believe, that the way that race shaped, he was made to look a bit plain. Not much came from back with him, and he was obviously carrying his group 1 penalty.
“He gets out to his mile and a half trip this weekend, and I think a bit of cut in the ground will help him too if the rain does arrive. Hopefully you can get back in the game.
“We identified those [cups] races as chances when he won the Derby, so he’s got to show us that he’s in form to warrant going down there, but prior to that last start, which I don’t think was a bad run by any means, we were very, very pleased how he was going. Hopefully he can find that form again.”
While Green Spaces is on trial, star mare Tempted looks well on track to represent the global racing heavyweights in the $20 million Everest (1200m) on October 17.
The four-year-old, runner-up to the world’s best horse, Ka Ying Rising, last year in the Everest, will have her final hit-out on Saturday in the $1 million group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m). She was a $1.60 favourite to overcome a draw in 11 of 15 and repeat her impressive Concorde Stakes win.
Godolphin was considering Beiwacht as an Everest runner after his Memsie Stakes win, but his four-lengths ninth in the Manikato on Sunday likely means their hopes will ride with the Ciaron Maher-trained Tempted to take on Ka Ying Rising again.
“He was on trial Beiwacht to take in an Everest on the way to the Golden Eagle,” Walsh said on Tuesday.
“We’re yet to have discussions about what his next target will be, but his performance there probably left us with more questions than answers, and it cemented Tempted, I suspect, as our No.1 seed, without pre-empting what happens next,” he said.
“I saw her yesterday morning at Crown Lodge and she looks absolutely amazing. Ciaron and the team think she’s come forward from her first-up performance.
“She’s a mare that’s benefited from having her first and second runs spaced like we have, and hopefully she can get the job done on the weekend and shape as a likely contender for the Hong Kong horse.”
Also on Saturday, Godolphin has a two-pronged assault on the group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) with two Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) winners.
The Joe Pride-trained Attica ($7) shapes as a genuine contender with just 51.5 kilograms and a handy draw in six after placing in both runs as a four-year-old and a gelding.
“For our operation, those are obviously big decisions because the No.1 aspiration is to retire them to the stallion barn,” Walsh said of gelding the group 1 winner.
“But where the Spring Champion is placed as a stallion-making race, there’s a bit of commercial reality to that. And then our hope and expectation is that we can develop Attica into being a weight-for-age group 1 gelding for many seasons to come, like our other runner in the race, Tom Kitten.
“He won the Spring Champion as well. If he can develop into being a Tom Kitten and a Pericles and race at the top level for the next four and five seasons for us, that’s our hope.
“I know that Joe feels that he’ll really develop and furnish over the next season or two.”
Six-year-old Tom Kitten (57.5kg), a winner of more than $7.5 million, is a $41 chance after finishing 10th and 11th in two runs back in group 1 company.
“There’s obviously a big spread of weights this year, with a lot close to the minimum, and he’s at the other end, but his form, we’re confident he’s going much better than it might read on the race card,” Walsh said.
“He runs some very big races here at Randwick. He’s settled in well and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s challenging for victory.”
