Dan Morton has urged punters to be forgiving of Immortal Bliss’ last start “failure” in Kalgoorlie, believing the explosive sprinter is primed to perform in the $200,000 TABtouch Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.
Installed as favourite for the $1 million Golden Saddle (1200m) a fair way out, Immortal Bliss ran third, beaten six lengths, behind Want A Winner and Cessation on a day when it was an advantage to be on-speed and close to the fence.
Possessing a racing pattern that sees him best coiled up and then unleashing a powerful turn of acceleration, the five-year-old gelding settled worse than midfield and three-deep with cover, only to pop four-deep approaching the corner when a tiring West Star started to give ground.
Morton was public with his view prior to departing for Kalgoorlie that Immortal Bliss was worthy of a shot at this year’s Group 1 MC Equine Surfaces Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 28 and sees no reason to deviate ahead of the weekend.
“I think you have to (rule a line through the Kalgoorlie run) given the pattern of the day,” Morton said.
“We went with high expectation and it didn’t work for us.
“I can’t see that he’s lost any form, he looks good, he travelled back good and I was buoyed by the fact that a few of the Kalgoorlie ones came back on Saturday just gone and raced well.
“I think he’s going in in good shape again.”
The Ascot trainer understandably has no qualms about Immortal Bliss stepping out at 1000m, a month after he ran third over 1200m on the Goldfields.
The last time Immortal Bliss raced over 1000m, he was a spectacular winner of a stacked Beaufine Stakes at Belmont. He boasts four wins from eight starts at the distance.
“We’ve got another space between runs and he’s a big, athletic animal,” Morton said.
“He doesn’t take a lot of high-pressure training, I think he’s pretty up and about.”
In a perfect world, Morton hopes to have multiple runners in the Winterbottom, a race he claimed with Elite Street in 2020.
Grand mare Super Smink is set to return from Sydney in order to contest the Winterbottom and Group 3 Choices By Dallimores Gold Rush (1400m) on December 12.
Morton would also love to test his Karrakatta Plate-winning colt Afireofgidgeecoals in Group 1 company this preparation, but is well aware he needs to elevate again, starting with Saturday’s TABtouch Placid Ark Prelude (1100m).
His first-up performance when rattling home to run second to Big Red Zoom in the Listed Unite Resourcing Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m) three weeks ago ensured he went into every black book in the country.
“He’s good, really good,” Morton said.
“It was an excellent run I thought and was pretty much all we needed to see. Three weeks between runs has been a little bit of a challenge being a highly strung colt, but he’s excellent.
“We had to make a decision. Obviously we could have gone to the Belgravia and hinged from there, but we just concentrated on the short ones.
“In these sort of races you are giving away weight and he’s not a big horse by any stretch, but he’s more than capable and come Saturday I think he’ll go super.”
Afireofgidgeecoals is the current $3.50 favourite with TABtouch for the $500,000 Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) on November 14, with the winner of that feature earning direct entry into the Winterbottom.
Morton said it was a “genuine thought” to run the son of Too Darn Hot in the weight-for-age sprint.
“They always are this time of year with your three-year-olds. You have your big target and then if he comes through well and you think you’re going to be competitive then I’d be seriously looking at it.”
While there is the small matter of Saturday to negotiate first, Morton is already looking forward to Saturday week with King Of Light and Roger preparing to step out in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) and Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) respectively.
King Of Light is TABtouch’s $4.50 favourite for the Group 1 Swan Draught Railway Stakes (1600m) on November 21, following his devastating return in the Group 3 SENTurf Eurythmic Stakes (1400m).
“That was exciting to see him back like that again,” Morton said.
“He’ll go three weeks (to the Lee Steere) and get a bit of a luxury (by) keeping him in cotton wool, keep him ticking over. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens next Saturday and the Saturdays after that.
“I just love this time of year. It’s our time on the big stage, I love the fact that the raiders come across and you get to mix motors with them and hopefully turn up.
“It’s exciting and absolutely I am parochial about being one of the WA guys taking them on.”
