King Pedro has put himself in contention for the upcoming spring staying races with a remarkable performance to win the Listed Grafton Cup, overcoming a tactical slow pace.
Trainer Tom Charlton, observing from his Sydney office, confessed to feeling uneasy about the track conditions favouring backmarkers before the race. His concerns intensified when Tahlia Fenlon, aboard the leader Kaluakoi, significantly eased the tempo during the contest.
“I’ve been watching the races all day and I was a bit concerned because nothing was making ground. The track is a good three, they missed all the rain, and it looked a tricky set-up for him,” Charlton stated. “Early on in the race, I was very concerned. They didn’t have the splits up, but it looked like they were going thirteen-and-a-half (seconds to the furlong). It wasn’t pretty and it probably didn’t test the horse’s best assets, but credit to the horse, he picked himself up and overcame it.”
Charlton commended jockey Kerrin McEvoy for his composure under pressure, noting the hoop remained unfazed even as the race unfolded unfavourably.
Instead, McEvoy trusted the last-start Stayers Cup winner, guiding King Pedro ($2.30 fav) with a powerful surge down the middle of the track to overtake Etna Rosso ($18) and Kaluakoi ($11). King Pedro paid $2.30 as the favourite according to leading betting apps Australia.
This marked the first Grafton Cup (2350m) victory for the jockey, a three-time Melbourne Cup winner, who expressed his delight in securing the win for the connections.
“When I got him into the clear, he had a lot of ground to make up, but full credit to the horse. He powered and he was really hitting the line hard,” McEvoy told Sky Racing. “It’s nice to pull it off. He’s a horse that is hopefully going to go to nicer staying races in the spring.”
Charlton shared this optimism, confirming that King Pedro would have a brief rest before resuming training for a carnival campaign.
The Group 1 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick in October is among the potential targets, and following Thursday’s impressive victory, Charlton expressed confidence in their future plans.
“For sure. He’ll have a little freshen up on the way home and we’ll have a think about what races we aim for, but a race like the Metropolitan wouldn’t be a silly idea,” he concluded. You can find the best racing odds at Australian betting sites.