When the Australian Racing Hall of Fame was created in 2001, just five horses were among the inaugural inductees and only one from the past half-century – Kingston Town. The black gelding ruled Australian racetracks in the early 1980s and became the first local thoroughbred to win AUD $1 million in prizemoney. ‘The King’ was far more comfortable on Sydney tracks, where he won 22 of 25 including 21 in a row, but still managed to win the W.S. Cox Plate on an unprecedented three occasions (1980-82). Trained by Tommy Smith and ridden in most of those starts by Malcolm Johnson, Kingston Town’s last Group 1 victory came in the 1982 Western Mail Classic at Ascot in Perth.
In 2007, local officials renamed the race in honour of the superstar. Appropriately, it is run under the conditions at which Kingston Town celebrated most of his marquee victories – weight for age – over a distance of 1800 metres.
Railway form must be respected
The race itself dates back to 1976 and has been run under several different names from the Marlboro 50,000 to the Fruit ‘N’ Veg Stakes. Similarly to the G1 races that have been raced under the TABtouch Masters banner over the past fortnight at Ascot, a smattering of eastern states horses will be taking on a strong local contingent for a share of the AUD $1 million in stakes.
Of the 16 runners, 11 ran in the Railway Stakes here two weeks ago. Three of the past winners of the Kingston Town Classic have come through that opening Group 1 of the Perth carnival. Only one of the past five winners has been backing up after running the previous week.
Despite the short history of this race, its honour roll is littered with multiple winners including Playing God (2010-11), Niconero (2006, 2008), Old Comrade (2000-01), Summer Beau (1996-97) and Family Of Man (1976, 1978).
Perth mare eyes back-to-back
Last year’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection is aiming to join that list and punters expect her to be prominent once again as the $4 favourite with William Hill. She has drawn barrier two in her attempt to turn the tables on Scales Of Justice and Good Project in Australia’s final Group One race of the calendar year.
The mare finished third behind that duo in the Group 1 Railway Stakes where Scales Of Justice led all the way. He faces a tougher task from the outside draw of 16 but has still attracted plenty of money as the clear second pick ($5.50 with William Hill), which he shares with Kiwi gelding Kawi. The Ascot track continues to favour runners on the speed, so expect Scales Of Justice to be prominent again, but Hong Kong-based jockey Douglas Whyte will need to spend plenty of fuel to have the 4yo gelding prominent.
Kiwi contender the one to beat
It was somewhat of a surprise to find Perfect Reflection at the top of the market, as Kawi is the runner with the strongest prospects heading into this race. Having been lumbered with 58.5kg in the Railway, the 6yo gelding now meets most of his rivals up to 5kg better under weight-for-age conditions. He was only beaten by 4.3 lengths last time out after being held up in the straight, so the step up to 1800m looks nicely timed in his third start in Western Australia. And this is a class animal, with five Group 1 wins among his record of 28:13-6-2.
For some value, Darren Weir’s Stratum Star looks overs at $12 on William Hill. He’s had a couple of trials locally to freshen up after the Melbourne spring and looked near his best in his previous outing (second) in the G3 Sandown Stakes on November 12.
