Trainer Grant Williams is confident Royal Toronado can show off his staying ability and strengthen Perth Cup ambitions in a key lead-up race at Ascot on Wednesday.
Still basking in the afterglow of Western Empire’s Gold Rush (1400m) heroics on Saturday, Williams, who shares training duties with his partner, Alana, have their sights set on their next big-ticket item: the Perth Cup (2400m) on January 1.
The elite husband and wife training operation know a thing or two about winning Perth’s iconic staying test, having successfully held the Perth Cup trophy aloft on five occasions, the most recent in January with Casino Seventeen.
For the Williamses, Casino Seventeen still rates as their number one seed for the Perth Cup, although that star has dimmed somewhat in recent starts, but they have a ready-made challenger with the emergence of stable mate Royal Toronado who gets another chance to impress on Wednesday.
The four-year-old, a last-start winner over 1800m, alongside Hemlock Stone and Simply, gives the Williamses a potent three-pronged attack in the $125,000 Listed A.T.A Stakes (2200m) at Ascot.
“I do like Royal Toronado,” Williams said on Tabradio.
“I think he is the one on the way up.
“He’ll have to show that on Wednesday.
“Simply and Hemlock (Stone) are going good, without getting too excited.
“I think they have to do something on Wednesday.”
As they did in the Gold Rush, the Williamses have gone east, this time stropping in Adelaide to find a replacement for injured jockey, William Pike.
Victorian hoop Billy Egan got the job done perfectly on Western Empire in the Gold Rush and hoping for a similar result on Royal Toronado has been entrusted to accomplished international rider, Manoel Nunes.
The 47-year-old Brazilian-born jockey, a 27-time Group 1 winner, has been domiciled in South Australia since the shutdown of Singapore racing in October. He boasts 11 premierships in Macau and Singapore.
“He will ride Royal Toronado on Wednesday with the idea of qualifying for the Perth Cup and hopefully staying on,” Williams said."
After winning the Lee Steere first up, Casino Seventeen has not got warm when unplaced in the Railway Stakes and Northerly Stakes.
Williams (Grant) isn't jumping off him but would love to see improvement in Saturday’s Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes (2100m).
“I still think he’s a run off from showing his best, but we’ve got a couple of weeks under our belt,” Williams said.
“I reckon we’re pretty confident we can get him up, a good horse is a good horse and we just have to get him right.
“His last run was a bit disappointing and we need to get some form back into him.”
In Perth Cup future markets, Royal Toronado is $7 and Casino Seventeen $9.
Interstate visitor Socks Nation heads the market at $4.20.
Julio Santarelli