Nothing changes for Age Of Chivalry despite Saturday’s Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield being his first run over 1600m.
Curraghmore graduate Age Of Chivalry has relished 1400m at his three previous runs, which have produced two wins and a fighting second to Begood Toya Mother in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last time out.
Sportsbet has Age Of Chivalry as an $8 chance to win the Toorak Handicap at his first go at a mile but co-trainer Simon Zahra said the gelding’s on-pace racing style won’t change from barrier 11.
Age Of Chivalry will start from barrier eight if the emergencies don’t gain a start but jockey Kerrin McEvoy will be going forward on the son of He’s Remarkable.
“No matter where he drew, he was always going to roll forward because that’s him, he makes his own luck,” Simon Zahra, who trains Age Of Chivalry in partnership with Mathew Ellerton, said.
Zahra said Age Of Chivalry still had improvement left in him after the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes despite the race being the four-year-old’s fourth start this time in.
The stable has given Age Of Chivalry slightly more work since the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes to have him ready for the Toorak Handicap.
The Flemington trainer said that work left Age Of Chivalry feeling well about himself going into Saturday’s A$500,000 contest.
“We’ve just ticked him over really and he looks really good,” Zahra said.
“We have made sure he’s up to the mark a bit more because he looked a fraction pretty the other day.
“Not to the extent that we thought he was a bit underdone but you could just see he had that little bit of improvement left in him.
“He’s really relaxing around the stable, which is a real positive for him going to the mile.”
Australasian Oaks winner Princess Jenni is the $7.50 favourite for the Toorak Handicap. Princess Jenni and Age Of Chivalry are the only two runners under $10 in the early betting. -racenet.com.au
