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By Graeme White

Not too many two-year-old gallopers can get within less than one length of boom filly Sweet Dolly, but King Gutho has.

The gelding, who proved his toughness with consecutive Saturday thirds and fourths in Brisbane at the end of his previous campaign, resumes racing at Moruya on Monday in the JJ’s At The Marina 2yo (1010m).

Sweet Dolly has been the Cinderella story in racing with four unbeaten runs and earning $450,000.

King Gutho finished third beaten only three quarters of a length behind Sweet Dolly in the $500,000 Aquis Jewel 2yo in March and backed up a week later to run fourth in a $75,000 race at Eagle Farm.

Trainer Joe Cleary is excited about the future of King Gutho who will carry the top weight of 59.5kg with jockey Nick Heywood in the saddle.

“This is his lead-up start for a two-year-old race at Eagle Farm on July 31,” Cleary explained.

“The plan is to spell him in Queensland and get him ready for the 3yo Magic Millions on the Gold Coast in January.”

King Gutho is spot on for his return to racing and has bene back in work for nine weeks since a well earned spell, according to his trainer.

With the benefit of a rest and added maturity, King Gutho is “bigger and stronger” and in just as good as shape as when he went for a break.

“He has improved off his last preparation and has a very bright future,” he said.

“I probably shouldn’t have backed him up within the week at the end of his last campaign, but he still raced well.”

Miss Ostend, a filly by Zoustar trained by Norm Gardner, will carry the same weight as King Gutho but has the advantage of the inside barrier.

The Canberra debut winner was highly competitive in four subsequent starts – the latest a fourth behind Kalashnikov in the Canberra Black Opal Stakes in March.

She was also close-up behind the placegetters in two Listed races and is yet to finish further back than fifth in five starts.

“She is a real trier and has a good chance. She has a bit of weight for a filly, but I’m happy with how she is going,” Gardner said.

“She led them up in Sydney and finished fifth then in the Black Opal prelude she drew wide and ran fourth so her form is pretty good.”

Another of the main chances, Princess Spice, has more recent race fitness on her side than her two main rivals and will race for the first time in six weeks.

The filly won consecutive races at Wagga and Goulburn against older horses before finishing seventh at Randwick on May 29.

“She had a little let-up and the owners wanted to target another two-year-old race. She hasn’t drawn that flash and still has a lot to learn,” Burleigh said.

“She needs a lot of racing and needs to learn what she is there for.

“We hope her past victories hold her in good stead. The 1000 metres suits her down to the ground at the moment because she wants to rush everything.”

There are five debutantes, while some of the other contenders showed potential at their first starts which makes it an even tougher race for the trio with the disclosed form.

“I have a healthy respect for Norm’s horse (Miss Ostend) and some of the others have also shown a bit so it won’t be easy,” he said.

The soft rated track shouldn’t present any problems for King Gutho, on what he has shown to date, nor should it for his main dangers.

King Gutho has already had seven race starts and has the most prizemoney of his rivals and Cleary is hopeful of adding to that in his next two stats before having a crack at the $2m Magic Millions on January 15.

Cleary will have five starters at Moruya with Little Krakatoa and Hard Core his other main chances.

Little Krakatoa could be having his final start for the stable with an offer put forward to sell the three-year-old.

He will start from a wide alley in the Red Rose Café Benchmark 66 (1425m).

“He is in a hard grade having won four races and he is a three-year-old taking on the older horses with decent weight (59.5kg),” Cleary said.

The impressive recent form of Cavalier Charles sees him as a frontline contender.

The gelding was scratched from Sydney on Saturday and looks well placed to win again and is another strong winning ride for Heywood.

Cavalier Charles won easily at Nowra on May 23 then was gallant when second in a Highway Class 3 at Rosehill a month later.

He hasn’t raced for three weeks and is one of a few strong chances on the program for trainer Matthew Dale who will also be represented in the same race by I’m The Business.