3 minute read
Three-year-olds are the theme of The Quokka with Almighty Class the latest confirmed.
The line of thinking with many slot holders in the second edition of The Quokka seems fairly reasonable. With a lack of top-line, established sprinters in Perth at the moment, you're either enticing an Eastern state horse across the Nullarbor or looking for upside.
That comes in the form of the unexposed, which Almighty Class certainly is. With just three starts under his belt, he is currently the horse with the fewest runs, and that isn't likely to change before the $5 million feature.
A spruik horse on debut off a five-length trial win, Almighty Class struggled on debut as a two-year-old, finishing sixth on heavy ground before returning at three with a very smart win in the Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m), notably beating Ripcord on that day and running to 95+ on the Timeform scale.
The son of Playing God then stepped up to 1200m in the Listed Belgravia Stakes, sat outside the leader and dead-heated for second, just run down late by the far more experienced and already multiple Group winning filly Super Smink.
That said, Almighty Class still beat Ripcord home, who we know went on to win the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) next start before placing in both the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Gold Rush (1400m) against the older horses.
The market also had a good opinion of Almighty Class that day, just edged out for favouritism by the far more exposed and highly rated Super Smink. He started $3.70 and did cast a plate in run before being spelled.
He returned a rating of 102 that day, certainly below some of the other three-year-olds we've seen confirmed for The Quokka, including the highest of them all, Oscar's Fortune at 115, but Ripcord is rated 112 off his Winterbottom run and Almighty Class has beaten him home both times they've met.
Trainer Mitchell Pateman has had an eye on The Quokka ever since his last preparation, and if he'd pressed on and run in the Winterbottom, with natural progression he'd likely have been rated right up around those top few three-year-olds in Western Australia.
Perhaps his biggest issue is lack of racing. It's not going to be easy to prepare Almighty Class to take on some of the best sprinters in the country, and some of his fellow three-year-olds who have already had a taste of running against the seasoned gallopers, but Chief Racing have taken a punt on a very progressive horse who could pay dividends.
Since returning from a spell, Almighty Class has been placed in both runs, running to 99 on the R&S scale in a Bm72+ over 1000m before going down very narrowly in a stronger Bm72+ over The Quokka route on the 30th of March behind Laced Up Heels and Quokka rival Saloon Bar. He ran to 101 there which is very close to his peak. He looks set to run a new peak third-up but will need to improve sharply to be troubling the first four.
TABtouch have pushed Almighty Class out to a $41* chance and one of the longer priced runners in the field. He's drawn barrier eight with Jarrad Noske to ride.
*Odds correct on 17/4/24
About the Slot Holder: The Chief Racing Syndicate
This is the second year The Chief Racing Syndicate has elected a locally-trained runner for their slot in The Quokka. The syndicate selected Trix Of The Trade for the inaugural running of The Quokka who finished 12th.
The Chief Racing Syndicate is managed by Perth Racing Director, Peter Scott.
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