Victorious in the Queensland Derby, Maison Louis delivered his strongest showing of the spring during his second start back from a break, with trainer Tom Charlton hoping for a comparable display as the four-year-old targets Gosford.
The gelding faces Saturday’s Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) after a promising fresh appearance where he rallied strongly to claim sixth behind Hellsing at Randwick over an unideal 1500m.
That performance aligned perfectly with Charlton’s expectations for the gelding on debut this time around, after a spring where his form fluctuated.
“He couldn’t have done any more. He looks to have come back well,” Charlton said of the first-up run.
“He ran third in the Hill Stakes second-up last prep, which is a strong weight-for-age race, so if he can replicate that he will run well.
“He let himself down a bit pre-race last preparation, so we’re just trying to build a bit of confidence for him and get him back in his groove.”
With five early withdrawals, Maison Louis drew barrier 11, and although Charlton harbours doubts about the compact Gosford track suiting him perfectly, he doesn’t foresee it posing a major issue.
“He is short-coupled and hasn’t got a great, big action,” he said.
“He’s got a turn of foot for a horse over that trip, so I think he will be fine.”
Tom Charlton has no fixed plans for Maison Louis, noting that the gelding’s next moves will hinge on his Gosford result, with possibilities in Sydney or Brisbane on the table, such as The Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 13.
Maison Louis opened at $8 for the Gosford Cup on Friday, while Portland, prepared by Matt Smith, led the betting at $5.50.
Explore the Australian betting sites for the top racing odds on the Gosford Gold Cup.