French import Eliyass digs deep to claim Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick

Imported gelding Eliyass will be striving to join two other Tulloch Lodge stayers with a unique double after a smart win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick.

Eliyass maintained his perfect record in Australia with a win in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick. Picture: Getty Images

Eliyass will follow the tried and true Tulloch Lodge pathway to the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan after another impressive win at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Former French stayer Eliyass, trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, remains unbeaten in Australia after his tough effort tin the Group 3 $250,000 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).

“It has always been the Metropolitan all the way through so it is most likely we will see Eliyass here again in two weeks’ time,” Bott said

“He is relatively well weighted (55kg) in that race and it’s hard to bypass that race where he is favourite and on his home track.

“He’s got nominations for the Caulfield Cup, Melbourne Cup, they’re all in the frame and we’d love to get him there because he’s an exciting stayer.

“We have tried to leave a bit in the ‘tank’ for him going forward so I’d like to think there is more upside.”

Eliyass is eligible for a Metropolitan penalty after his third win since joining the Waterhouse-Bott stable, all in stakes races, including the Listed Lord Mayors Cup and Group 3 Premiers Cup.

Only two horses have won the Kingston Town Stakes-The Metropolitan double this century and both were from Tulloch Lodge – Herculian Prince (2010) and Just Fine (2023).

Talented Eliyass ($4) held off the late surge of Ceolwulf ($2.80 favourite) to win by a long neck with Golden Path ($5) two lengths away third.

Ceolwulf came after Eliyass with a determined late rush but the rider of the winner, Tim Clark, hinted the winning margin might be deceptively small.

“I thought his trial was excellent, we came here full of confidence and I pretty much just rode him like the best horse,” Clark said.

“I made use of my draw and wanted to be in a position to dictate where I could be where I wanted to be.

“He ambled up, the second horse came to him and challenged late but he was never letting it pass.

“He is just going about his work, getting better and better all the time. He’s got the Metrop in a couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to that.”

TAB Fixed Odds price assessors adjusted betting for The Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick on October 5 with Eliyass favourite at $4 and Ceolwulf the only other runner under double figure odds at $5.

Yasss!

A great finish to the G3 Kingston Town Stakes, with Eliyass adding another win to his impressive record! Bring on the Metrop!@clarkyhk | @GaiWaterhouse1pic.twitter.com/NGW067HC04

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 21, 2024

Eliyass improved his record to nine wins (and two second placings) from 11 starts and Bott was full of admiration for the gelding’s desperate desire and determination.

“It’s quite incredible and we don’t quite know where the ceiling is yet,” Bott said.

“Funnily enough, some mornings he can be beaten in his trackwork gallops and you second guess coming to the races, but you have to trust those horses on ‘game’ day.

“He has a great constitution, an amazing will-to-win and I guess that’s what separates those really, really good horses.

“He had to dig deep (today) as he was challenged solidly. It was a good staying test and he was exposed for quite a while there so for him to fight hard just shows those true staying qualities he has got.

“I have a lot of confidence in this horse and no doubt there is more upside to him and progression given he has had a month between runs.”

James McDonald gave Ceolwulf every possible chance. He was able to get the Joe Pride stayer across from a wide barrier and slot in one off the fence with cover for most of the race.

Ceolwulf was travelling like the winner coming up the rise and had Eliyass in his sights.

“He ran well and presented like the winner,” McDonald said. “But credit to Eliyass, he is as tough as boots.”

Zardozi, Godolphin’s VRC Oaks winner from last season, blew alarmingly in betting on track from $4 to $12. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy had the mare in a position to strike from the turn and although she tried hard, could finish only fifth, beaten about four lengths.

MCHALE SAILS INTO EPSOM CALCULATIONS WITH FIRST-UP WIN

McHale thrust himself into Epsom Handicap contention when he got the nod in a thrilling photo finish at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained galloper McHale ($26), which opened at $101 with bookies, held off the fast-finishing Gringotts ($4.60) to capture the Group 3 $250,000 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m).

Jockey Rachel King produced a perfect steer as she was able to save ground along the fence before McHale toughed it out late to win.

“It was a great ride from Rachel, saved every inch of ground and got there where it counted,” Waller said.

“I was surprised to see his odds ($101 early in the week) but when you see those odds, you sort of say, ‘Oh gee, maybe I’ve got it wrong,’ but yeah, he’s a handy horse.

“He’s always never far away and decent races in a couple of group races.”

It continued a recent domination of the Bill Ritchie for Waller, who has now won the race seven times in the past 12 years.

A total thriller in the G3 Bill Ritchie Handicap, with the outsider Mchale victorious by the narrowest of margins for @RachelK11 and @cwallerracing! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/7jlz2ZWOVt

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 21, 2024

McHale was slashed from $101 into $15 for the Epsom Handicap after the win with Waller confirming his intentions to target the race.

Waller has won the Epsom Handicap five times already and three of those winners claimed the Bill Ritchie in the lead up.

Rediener completed the feature race double last year with Kolding (2019) and Boban (2013) also using the race as a springboard.

He’s Your Man (2014) and Winx (2015) are Waller’s other Epsom winners.

Jockey Rachel King expects McHale will have plenty of improvement left in him heading towards the Group 1 but was rapt with his first-up display.

“He was first-up, so he probably just had enough right on the post, but he had really exploded, so I was hoping I got the nose down,” King said.

“But whatever happened, I knew it was a super run going forward.”

With clearer running in the straight, Gringotts would likely have turned the stables on McHale but jockey Tommy Berry thought the gelding went super in defeat.

“Two horses who I thought would take me into the race didn’t,” Berry said.

“Lucky to breathe in and take a gap. He was good late.”

The Gary Nickson-trained Felix Majestic was brave hanging on for third while star jockey James McDonald thought race favourite Tom Kitten wasn’t suited by a muddling run race with the Godolphin galloper back in fifth.

Originally published as French import Eliyass digs deep to claim Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick