By Ray Hickson
Jockey Rachel King isn’t taking the result for granted when she’s legged aboard Maurice’s Medad at Taree today but is hoping the multiple stakes-placed galloper can gain a confidence boost from a significant drop in grade.
King rode the Bjorn Baker-trained gelding in his only win to date – a maiden at Hawkesbury in April 2021 – and it is fair to say she did not expect 18 months later to be heading to Taree for a class 1 and maiden plate.
Maurice’s Medad (green silks) runs second to Verona in Frank Packer Plate.Credit:Getty
He recorded a listed placing in the Fernhill behind Converge and earlier this year was placed in the Albury Cup and was runner-up in the group 3 Frank Packer Plate after finishing seventh in the group 1 ATC Derby.
“He won his maiden really well,” King said. “He’s been aimed high but he’s been racing well in those races. It looked like he was going to snag one of those nice group races early days but he hasn’t quite got there.
“Hopefully he can get the job done stepping back in class. It’s still a horse race; anything can happen, but hopefully it will give him a bit of confidence. I think that’s what he needs; they need to come back to get his nose in front and get that confidence, and I’m sure he can step back up in grade.”
Maurice’s Medad has a 77 metropolitan rating so is thrown into the Hogan Plumbing Group Handicap (2000m) with 59kg.
He kicked off his campaign with a close third in benchmark 88 grade at Rosehill in September before Baker threw him into the $1 million Silver Eagle. Baker has elected to put blinkers and a tongue tie on, and King said that although he only beat one horse home behind Rondino at Newcastle last weekend he wasn’t disgraced considering it was a benchmark 88 city race.
“He didn’t stop but he just kept whacking away at that one speed,” she said. “He is quite dour. They probably sprinted a bit better than him. If he can hold that good high cruising gear he’s got, hopefully he can run them into the ground.”
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Full form and race replays available at racingnsw.com.au.
