Racing: Sydneysider on Railway Stakes trail

Photo / Richard Robinson

SYDNEY - New South Wales horseman Tim Martin is keen to return to the scene of one of his biggest wins at Ellerslie, this time with sprinter Monton.

A winner at Rosehill on Saturday, Monton will head to Auckland for the group one Blandford Lodge Railway Stakes (1200m) on New Year's Day.

Martin brought Redoute's Dancer to Ellerslie in March of 2007 and won the New Zealand Derby.

"Monton won't run again before the Railway and will fly to New Zealand on the 20th of December," Martin said.

"He's going for the Railway and then the Telegraph Handicap in Wellington on January 22nd.

"I didn't give him a barrier trial before Rosehill and will keep him fresh for the Railway.

"He's got a good record and I think, eventually, he can get 1600m."

New Zealand has been lucrative for Sydney horses this year, with the Gary Portelli-trained A Gold Trail winning the Railway and Zavite, from the Anthony Cummings yard, the Auckland Cup.

Other recent winners include Coniston Bluebird in the 2009 Derby for Bede Murray and the Gerald Ryan-trained Recurring in the 2005 Railway.

Saturday's win was Monton's third from 11 starts. His biggest victory so far came in the group two Hobartville Stakes earlier this year when he beat subsequent group one winner Shoot Out and Captain Sonador.

"He also beat Rock Classic and he went on to win the Australian Guineas," Martin said. "I don't know if he will run in both races in New Zealand, we'll wait and see."

The Telegraph has not been a happy hunting ground for Australian sprinters with A Gold Trail failing to handle Trentham and finishing last.

Recurring ran 10th which would prove to be her last as she was injured in a float accident soon after.

The Anthony Cummings-trained Turffontein ran sixth in the 2009 Telegraph as favourite.

Monton is an $11 chance on the New Zealand TAB's fixed odds market, with Katie Lee and Italian Princess heading the betting at $7.

Riccarton star Coup Align is the $5 favourite for the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham with Monton at $18 for the Wellington feature.

Next year's Caulfield Cup might have its largest field in more than 40 years. The Melbourne Racing Club may bump up the number of runners from 18 to 20 as part of changes to its showpiece carnival.

MRC chairman Mike Symons said Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey would have to approve the raising of the field capacity.

He said track manager Jason Kerr was confident the track could handle two more horses, even with the rail out 6m.

Big Philou's success in 1969 is the last time 20 horses contested the race.

More than 20 runners was the norm until 1960. The 1882 cup, won by Little Jack, had the biggest field at 32.

"If you can accommodate them, you should try to increase the field size," Symons told the Herald Sun.

"They run 24 in the Melbourne Cup, so why not run 20 in the Caulfield Cup?

"Why does it have to be 18 as long as it's safe? Jason is confident we can comfortably run 20."

The MRC is considering bringing forward Thousand Guineas Day - the middle day of its spring carnival - from Wednesday to the Sunday after Caulfield Guineas day.

The switch would create a clash with the Cranbourne Cup.

But many believe Cranbourne would have more relevance from a Caulfield Cup perspective if it held its cup the Wednesday before Guineas Day, providing a 10-day lead-in to the Caulfield Cup.

Symons said the club and the Australian Jumping Racing Association would like to move the Grand National Hurdle from Sandown to Caulfield, perhaps on Liston Stakes Day in August.

RVL has knocked back an approach, but the MRC and the AJRA are keen on the idea.

The Grand National Steeplechase would still be run at Sandown.

"It's certainly in the ideas tank," Symons said.

"We would make sure Caulfield was as safe as possible and it [Grand National] didn't impact on the flat races on the same day."

Symons said the plan would involve running flat races with the rail in the true position and jumps races on the outside of the course proper.

He said the plan required RVL backing before the MRC committee considered it.

- AAP