Stardom beckons still for Tosen
MELBOURNE’S leading jockey Damian Lane is confident Tosen Stardom can reproduce his Toorak Handicap form and cause a minor upset in today’s $2 million Emirates Stakes.
The Darren Weir-trained horse finished eighth as $4.80 favourite in last Saturday’s Kennedy Mile, but Lane says there were extenuating circumstances for the poor performance and he believes the horse can hit back again today.
“He gave five and six kilos away to most of those runners and he got a long way back off a moderate tempo when they weren’t making a lot of ground down the middle of the track,” Lane said.
“There were a couple of excuses for him. His Toorak run was outstanding and hopefully if he can get back to that sort of form, then he is going to be a good chance [in the Emirates].”
Lane said his Queen Elizabeth Stakes ride Kiwia has a tough task in turning the tables on Qewy tomorrow after the international outstayed him to win the Bendigo Cup in a slugging fight to the finish, but hasn’t thrown the towel in.
“I think it will be hard,” Lane said.
“Qewy was tough, and I think if the race went another lap, we would never have got past him. He really kept pulling out something every time I got close to him.
“You never know on the day, [Kiwia] is an up-and-coming horse. He is improving all the time and he is drawn well, so he should have his chance.”
James Cummings is using the Emirates Stakes as the perfect lead-in to a trip to Perth for versatile galloper It’s Somewhat, with the Kingston Town Classic (1800m) next month on the agenda.
“We can see him being really competitive here and then he will shape up nicely for Perth in December,” Cummings said.
“Sheikh Mohammed has a horse in this race who looks like being one of the ones to beat, Folkswood ... [but] It’s Somewhat is there to run well.
“He is in great shape, we think he has improved a fraction from Moonee Valley [when third in the Crystal Mile], and he is going to put himself right there. It is his first occasion racing at Flemington, which I think is going to suit him.”