Classy mare Malt Time (Adelaide) will have a luxury weight to carry among her female counterparts in Thursday’s Westbury Stud Royal Descent Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie.
After solid performances in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1400m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) through the spring, the Shaun and Emma Clotworthy-trained galloper lined up among the best of the country’s sprinters in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m), where she far from disgraced herself finishing less than two lengths from Babylon Berlin.
“She seems to have improved off the Concorde run, that was fresh-up against good sprinters and she’s come through it well,” Shaun Clotworthy said.
“She had a bit of work at the beach and went to Ellerslie for a gallop last Thursday, so she’s going to strip a bit fitter and we’re happy with her.”
The daughter of Adelaide is a multiple Group One performer currently rated 105, and at the set-weights and penalties conditions, she will carry just 55kg, decreased a further two kilograms by her regular rider and in-form apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll.
“She gets into the race well at set weights and penalties, and she can also utilise Ace’s two-kilo claim, which made the race even more attractive,” Clotworthy said.
The early TAB market is reflective of her weight advantage in the Boxing Day feature, with bookmakers opening Malt Time a $3.20 favourite ahead of Taranaki visitor Sumi ($5), and Group Three winner Karman Line ($6).
Now an eight-year-old mare, the end of Malt Time’s successful racing career is imminent as she scanned in-foal to Cambridge Stud’s young shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain. However, before the curtain comes down, the Clotworthy’s are eyeing another shot at an elusive Group One crown in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham next month.
“She’ll either stay at the 1400 and go to the Westbury Classic (Gr.2), or we’ll step up and go to the Thorndon Mile,” he said. “At this stage, we’re probably leaning towards the mile.”
