Progressive Michael Kent galloper McNulty is eyeing a second-straight win today when he lines up in the Craft Markets Australia Restricted 70 Handicap (2030m) at Mornington.
The promising staying type broke through at Sale two weeks ago, hitting the front when it mattered over 1733m and running to a weight-adjusted Timeform figure of 80.
He’s only going to improve as he gets up over more distance, and that would make him very hard to beat today.
Kent challenged McNulty last campaign and the son of Refuse To Bend handled things pretty well.
McNulty ran second behind Hippopus in the Listed VRC St Leger on ANZAC Day over 2800m, returning a weight-adjusted rating of 105, the best of his career.
He then went around in the Group 1 South Australia Derby (2500m), and was 4.3L off Escado back in sixth spot returning a weight-adjusted figure of 103.
Now he’s back in action and working nicely through his grades.
He’s placed at this trip before, and should have plenty of time to settle under Vlad Duric who is back aboard today. He rode McNulty in the St Leger and the Derby.
There may well be something more lucrative for him later in the spring, and if Kent’s going to aim at something higher then he should be winning this one.
Kim Command is one to consider from the Rick Hore-Lacy yard.
He won his first two this time in, and wasn’t too far off when third here over a similar trip 11 days ago.
The run produced a weight-adjusted Timeform rating of 75, his best so far this campaign.
Apprentice Patrick Moloney goes aboard today to offset the 60kg weight impost and he should be grinding home late on along the inside.
Fellow top weight Use The Lot has to be respected.
He won an open three-year-old race at Caulfield over 2400m back in July before finishing two lengths off in similar to this at Sale off a two-month freshen-up.
That Caulfield run netted a weight-adjusted figure of 78 which could well be enough to win this.
He’ll be fitter for that run at Sale, and has more upside than a lot of these so don’t rule him out.
