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By Ray Hickson

It took a bit of convincing trainer Richard Litt that former Godolphin galloper Morton’s Fork would be effective over a staying trip.

Trainer Richard Litt (Pic: Bradley Photos)

Prior to joining the Warwick Farm trainer Morton’s Fork had eight attempts in the 2000m-2100m range for one win and a couple of placings so the jury was certainly out.

But after excelling at his first attempt at 2400m with an easy win in the Christmas Cup last month Litt is sold on the six-year-old at a staying trip so heads into the Listed $150,000 Australia Day Cup (2400m) at Warwick Farm on Monday with an air of confidence.

“On form I thought we were going to struggle to get him to stay but he’s only had the one run over 2400m and he won,’’ Litt said.

Morton’s Fork, $4.80 favourite with TAB in a wide market, followed the Christmas Cup win with a solid second, coming back slightly to 2218m, behind The Candy Man at Eagle Farm in what was a throw at the stumps for a Magic Millions wild card.

Litt said since then the horse has spent 10 days out to freshen up and he was pleased with his trial on the Warwick Farm course proper on Tuesday behind Nature Strip.

“His run was great in Brisbane, obviously he came up against The Candy Man who was a bit too sharp for him,’’ he said.

“I would have loved to keep him at 2400m but we had a crack at trying to get into that Magic Millions race.

“He pulled up well from the trial and I think he is a great chance, he’s obviously going very well.’’

The Australia Day Cup is something of a ‘grand final’ for Morton’s Fork for the time being, particularly if he wins as his rating would force Litt to consider stepping up in grade during the carnival.

Though there are also races like the $250,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) in May and the Grafton Cup (2350m) in July he says would be suitable targets.

“If that’s the case, if we have to go into Group races, I’d love that,’’ he said.

“We’d say this is his grand final and then we’d freshen up and target some staying races maybe at the end of the autumn carnival.

“There’s always Listed staying races around, obviously he will go up in weight if he keeps winning, but as long as he’s going well and he’s happy we’ll keep poking around.’’

Litt is excited about the prospects of debutante With Certainty and warns she’s a lot better chance than the $26 would suggest in the Ranvet Handicap (1100m).

The three-year-old won a trial at Muswellbrook in September for Simon Casey and worked home into fourth at her only trial under Litt’s care earlier this month.

“She’s a bit of an unknown quantity for us, we haven’t put a lot of pressure on her,’’ he said.

“She’s a lightly framed thing we don’t over work. Hopefully she gets a nice soft run behind them and is finishing off late.

“I think she is a nice horse for the future, she’s a well bred filly who is showing us a lot. She’s one of the more exciting horses to come out of the stable.’’

Morton's Fork wins the Christmas Cup at Randwick in December

Litt’s headline horse Castelvecchio, early TAB favourite for the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), commences his autumn campaign in a barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday.

He said not to expect the colt to be fighting out of the finish of a 900m heat. Of course at the start of the spring Castelvecchio was beaten 17 lengths by Redzel in his first trial but he’s not anticipating such a margin this time around.

“Redzel went along 100 miles an hour, I don’t think it will be one of those trials,’’ he said.

“It’s a stepping stone to the Hobartville. We won’t be asking any questions on Tuesday.

“It’ll be a nice day out for him, a nice gallop, and bring him home.’’

Castelvecchio will trial again over 1200m on February 13 before the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) nine days later.

All the fields, form and replays for Monday's Warwick Farm meeting