The handicapper has given classy local gelding Border Time
60.5 kilograms for Saturday's $40,000 OP Consultants Classic Mile at Victoria Park.
Trained by Morphettville based Mark Kavanagh the gelding is
chasing his third straight stakes races success in the 1600 metre listed event.
Kavanagh has his eyes on Melbourne following Saturday's
race after his last start impressive win in the listed CS Hayes Memorial Cup (1450m) at
Cheltenham a fortnight ago.
"He deserves his chance in a suitable race in Victoria
now," the in form trainer said.
"There's a nice stakes race at Caulfield which I have
chosen for him which would be a couple of weeks after the Classic Mile," Kavanagh
added.
Border Time hit top form two starts back when the son of
Switch in Time scored a one and a quarter length win in the Group Three Tokyo City Cup
(1463m) at Cheltenham.
In both of his wins in the Tokyo City Cup and the CS Hayes
Memorial Cup the in form Adelaide jockey Paul Gatt has been in the saddle and with no
claims available for apprentices he is expected to partner the gelding again on Saturday.
Gatt came close to a memorable Group One win when he
steered the Nikki Burke trained Straight Ace to a close third to Sudurka in the Oakleigh
Plate at Caulfield last Saturday.
One of the more interesting runners in Saturday's Classic
Mile is the former Adelaide Cup winner The Hind. The Lindsay Park trained star worked to
the line impressively in the Tokyo City Cup and he has been given plenty of time to get
over that run.
Real Time, a recent stakes winner by Desert Sun, is racing
in the best form of his life and is certainly capable to be right in the finish.
The dual South Australian Horse of the Month winner Umaline
turned in a sparkling first up effort in the Swettenham Stud Stakes at Cheltenham on the
same program that Border Time won the Hayes Cup. Trained by John Hall, the Group One
placed and dual Group Two winning mare is in her last season before being retired to stud.
The Classic Mile is one of three listed races on the card
at Victoria Park in Adelaide on Saturday.
Eighteen entries were received for the listed $40,000
Malaysia Airlines Stakes including Real Time, Star Joe, Mint of Gold, Regal Kiss, Rally,
Noble Win, Flurry's Gem and Aviate, who could be the knockout horse at the weights and
odds which are likely to be offered on race day.
Meanwhile, a small but select field of two-year-olds are
set to clash in the remaining listed event, the Garvan Balcrest Stakes (1000m). Entries
include handy types Dark Horizon, Flawed Logic, Tia Jane and Gold Anthem. Tony McEvoy has
nominated two unplaced youngsters - the Revoque filly Amoroso and the Military Plume filly
More Than Fair.
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