The next generation of thoroughbred are being groomed by Ron Quinton but a couple of aging players will be in action at Rosehill on Saturday.
The one time champion jockey, turned group 1 winning trainer and apprentice mentor, will start Monton and Master Harry.
Monton is looking to win the Festival Stakes for a second time having won the feature two years ago while a re-worked Master Harry resumes in the Starlight Stakes.
“I haven’t had that many runners of late but did trial seven the other day and four will go around on Monday,” the Randwick based trainer said on Friday.
“Those that are racing are running well. They don’t win out of turn.
“I’m working 16 horses at the moment, got a few nice little horses there, gee they take time to get going, you’ve got to be patient and wait.”
Quinton has never been one to hurry the thoroughbred. The seven time premiership winning jockey cannot fault the stable stalwarts.
“Monton looks fantastic, the old buggar is super,” Quinton said.
“He is up in the rating, nowhere to hide. It is a competitive race but he is in good fettle, I’d be disappointed if he didn’t put up a good showing.”
Quinton’s well groomed and dedicated apprentice Sam Clipperton will have to navigate Monton from an outside barrier.
“He has drawn awkward and he’ll have to go forward,” Quinton said.
“Mid-field, maybe a little more forward, but he won the race two years ago and went on to win the Villiers.
“If he is wide, so be it, the day he won the Villiers he went round the outside fence.
“He looks a million dollars, he is a happy horse, let’s hope he can put his best foot forward.”
Master Harry may not be fully wound up but Quinton assures “he has come back really well” and “he has come back stronger”.
“He is a six-year-old stallion starting to realise he is a boy,” Quinton said.
“He trialled well the other day and he is now starting to settle really well in his work at home.
“When I first got him he always wanted to take off, get going on the training track.
“Young Sam has done a marvellous job on him at the track. Got him settling much better, a lot of credit goes to him.”
Clipperton is down to claiming 1.5kg in the city area but the allowance will not be available on Monton and Master Harry. It is not a concern to Quinton.
“He is finding it a bit tough at 1.5kg but the race fields haven’t been that big,” Quinton said.
“Look at that bloody jockeys table, there are some good jockeys there.”
Quinton goes to the latest jockeys premiership table and rattles off the names, Reith, Berry, Schofield, Rawiller, Bowman, Cassidy and so it goes. He points out Kathy O’Hara is No 15.
“When those top jockeys take the race rides there is not much left for the juniors,” Quinton said.
“It is a pretty formidable bunch, I don’t reckon we’ve seen a stronger group for a long time.
“Sam is working hard, putting in, I keep telling him to keep knocking on the door and he’ll be right.”
By Craig Young
