Kingofwallstreet stamps his Victoria Derby claims with determined win in Caulfield Classic
Trainer Matt Cumani will head to the Victoria Derby confident he can go one better in the race following the win of Kingofwallstreet in the Caulfield Classic.
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Matt Cumani rates Caulfield Classic winner Kingofwallstreet a better horse than his 2020 Victoria Derby runner-up Hit The Shot as the Ballarat trainer looks expectantly to the Flemington classic in a fortnight.
Kingofwallstreet ($6) knocked off his maiden status at start No.3 in a driving run to the post to win the $200,000 Group 2 race.
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The three-year-old colt held out China Sea ($6.50) by a nose, with the well-backed Keeneland ($2) a long head away in third place.
Cumani wasn’t certain his horse had put his nose in front on the line, but was relieved to see the photo finish go his way.
Tight finish in the Caulfield Classic! 😱
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) October 19, 2024
It's Kingofwallstreet on the outside who gets it! @CumaniRacingpic.twitter.com/q2QMwdqwb2
“I just thought the angle was a bit tricky but he’s a tough little horse and it’s great to see him do well,” Cumani said.
He is confident the son of Dundeel will “relish” the step up to 2500m at Flemington.
“It was a good test (at Caulfield) to see that he can break well and put himself in a decent spot,” Cumani said.
“I think he’ll relish the (Derby) trip (2500m) and over that distance he will be a bit more versatile.
“It was good to see him on some soft ground. I don’t think we’ll get that on Derby Day, but we could, and at least now we know he’s versatile.”
Hit The Shot ran second behind Denis Pagan’s Johnny Get Angry in the Derby four years ago, but Cumani believes Kingofwallstreet has even more scope.
“They’re quite similar horses on type, they’re not big, they’re very athletic, and got great temperaments.
“It’s difficult to know which one is better. I’d like to think this one because I don’t think Hit The Shot’s Derby was a particularly strong one.
“So hopefully, if this is a stronger derby, this is a better horse.”
Jockey Michael Dee said: “It was a good effort because I think the second horse actually was in front of us and credit to this horse, he really stuck his head out and he tried hard, so onwards to the Derby, I’m guessing.”
“I felt like there was a little bit left in the tank and it was a ding-dong to the line, but I felt like he was doing his best work that last 50m.”
Kingofwallstreet, who was passed fit after a pre-race vet examination on minor left knee abrasions, firmed in Victoria Derby calculations from $26 into $11, while Keeneland eased from $7 out to $10.
Red Aces was scratched at the barrier on vet’s advice, but could yet tackle the Geelong Classic (2200m) on Wednesday or the Vase (2400m) at The Valley next Saturday.
Kingofwallstreet was a $120,000 yearling purchase from Adelaide Magic Millions last year.
Originally published as Kingofwallstreet stamps his Victoria Derby claims with determined win in Caulfield Classic
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