Oakleigh Plate goal for Lord Of The Sky

Wednesday 15 January 2014, 4:29pm

The Group One Oakleigh Plate remains the target for emerging sprinter Lord Of The Sky after he spaced his rivals in a midweek race at Caulfield.

Wednesday's meeting went ahead in hot conditions with the temperature reaching around 42 degrees, and Lord Of The Sky took it in his stride as he proved a class above his rivals in the Guinot International Handicap (1000m) to win by 6-1/2 lengths.

The rail at Caulfield was out 14m and the track received 50mm of irrigation in the past week because of the hot conditions, but horses raced well off the fence throughout the day to find the firmest ground.

Lord Of The Sky, the $1.35 favourite, had the outside barrier (10) and stayed wide for the 1000m trip which put paid to any hope he had of challenging the course record of 55.97 seconds, with the track rated a Dead (4).

The colt clocked 57.12 seconds and trainer Robbie Laing confirmed next month's Oakleigh Plate at the same track was in his sights.

"I thought if it was a Good Three or a Fast Two he would have gone close to breaking a course record today," Laing said.

"That's how much he had impressed us at home. But he has ran 57.1 (seconds) around the outside rail and 44.1 (seconds) for his last half-mile.

"He can gallop."

The meeting started two hours early at 11am due to the conditions with the final race at 2.45pm.

Chief steward Terry Bailey said there were no reports of horses pulling up with heat stress during the meeting.

Lord Of The Sky, with apprentice Patrick Moloney aboard, led the field and after turning for home with a healthy lead he continued to kick away to defeat Sorisam with another three-quarters of a length to Electric Shot third.

Laing said Lord Of The Sky's next start would be in either the Listed W.J Adams Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 1 or the Group Two Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at the same track a week later.

"Then hopefully if he keeps winning he'll go to the Oakleigh Plate," he said.

Moloney's win on Lord Of The Sky was his 20th city winner and he made it 21 with victory in the last race on Try Pickle.

Moloney's claim is now reduced from 3kg to 2kg in the city but he can still claim 3kg at Flemington on Saturday because acceptances have already been taken.

– AAP

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