Kissonallforcheeks set for Stocks Stakes

Kissonallforcheeks will be out to improve on her already impressive eastern states record when she lines up at Moonee Valley.

The mare, now in the hands of Nick Ryan at Flemington, is down to run in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) on Friday night – weather depending.

Ryan said the mare would take her place on Friday night providing there is not a heavy downpour.

He said the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on October 1 and the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 15 were back-up options.

Kissonallforcheeks came across from Perth in the autumn to claim the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Stakes (1400m) at Flemington for Dan Morton before venturing to Sydney to run in the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Randwick.

After finishing last on a wet track, Kissonallforcheeks returned to Melbourne to finish fourth behind Ayrton in the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield.

Kissonallforcheeks has been prepared this campaign by Ryan who produced the mare for a first-up third at Caulfield ahead of winning the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 10.

“We’re thrilled with how she came through the Let’s Elope, she’s really trained on and has come on in the coat,” Ryan said.

“She’s had a couple of looks at The Valley, her second on Monday morning where she was really good.”

Yet to win at 1600m, Ryan is confident she will handle the trip and connections have the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes as the mare’s goal this campaign.

“We’ve got great confidence through Mort’s (Morton) as well that she’ll eat up the mile, so there’s no issues there at all,” Ryan said.

“I think she’s improved with each run. She only had the one jump-out leading into her first-up run.

“She came on from that and she bounced through the Let’s Elope really well and you can see that by looking at her that her coat has really let go.”

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