Latest News

By Graeme White

Washington Towers can help write his own entry ticket into the $1.3 million The Kosciuszko by winning first-up at Moruya on Monday.

The five-year-old will be having his first start since posting consecutive victories at Canberra and Wagga in March.

Washington Towers (Blaike McDougall) returns following a Canberra win. Image by Bradley Photographers

Canberra trainer Todd Smart believes Washington Towers is going better than ever and a win would bring him to the attention of slot holders still to decide on their candidate.

Several horses have already been secured for The Kosciuszko and Smart is the first to admit a win would enhance his horse’s chances.

The ownership group have also been proactive offering a slot holder who chooses Washington Towers $10,000 up front.

That in itself is enticing, but what is more important is Washington Towers being able to win the Janelle Galea Racing Benchmark 66 (1010m).

“All the hard work has been done and it up to the horse now to show if he is good enough,” Smart said.

“I feel he is going better than he was at the end of his last campaign and that is the feedback I’m also receiving from his regular trackwork jockey Damon Budler who will ride him on Monday.”

Ideally, Smart would have preferred to start Washington Towers at a recent washed-out meeting at Queanbeyan before the draw for Kosciuszko tickets took place.

“It hasn’t worked out how I had it planned missing a start before the draw, but he is right to go on Monday and I think he will run a big race,” he said.

“He has raced well first-up in the past and I feel he is going better than ever.

“We would love to see him gain a start in The Kosciuszko, but we are at that stage where it is now up to the horse.”

Washington Towers has only raced 10 times for four wins and a second – his only two finishes outside of the top five occurring in races in Sydney and Melbourne.

The gelding was also only beaten two lengths when fourth behind Leo and Water Dove in a Randwick Highway in February before winning his next two starts.

He was sent for a spell shortly afterwards and after spending five weeks in pre-training rejoined the Smart stable with The Kosciusko in mind.

Washington Towers will carry 61.5kg after Budler’s claim and will be afforded every opportunity from barrier three.

One of the main threats is Alfstar which has been placed at three of his past four starts and has race fitness on his side.

Last start Wagga winner Newtown Is Coming is another of the main chances and is one of the best performed horses in the race with earnings of $166,000.

His trainers Emma and Lucy Longmire will also have the promising Mittata contesting the Twinstar Racing Class 2 (1425m).

The Longmire’s race under the Twinstar racing banner and would love to win their own race with the lightly raced four-year-old.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes over a slightly longer distance,” Emma Longmire said. “He ran fourth last start and the horse which ran third (Hardy) ran second at Goulburn on Saturday.”

Mittata has only raced four times for a win, second, third and fourth and each time he has been ridden by Nick Heywood who is again in control on Monday.

The race also sees the return of the promising Kermatin which won her final two starts prior to a spell. The mare raced out of her grade to win a Class 1 at Wagga before repeating the performance at the Wagga Cup carnival.

You Are King just lasted to win a maiden at Moruya at his latest start and is open to further improvement after racing twice for a win and a second.

There will be seven races at Moruya with the track rated a Soft 5.

View the final fields with full form & race replays for Moruya here