Destiny’s Kiss for City Tatts Cup back-up

Trainer Joe Pride can see no reason why veteran Destiny’s Kiss will not back up in the City Tattersall’s Club Cup at Randwick but he is hoping the predicted rain comes this week.

The veteran stayer ran fourth in Saturday’s $500,000 St Leger won by Melbourne Cup aspirant Big Duke.

He has come through the 2600m-race in fine style and Pride has no qualms about the seven-day gap between races.

Entries for the Listed 2400m-race have been left open until Tuesday with 10 taken at the original nominations stage.

“I would certainly be more comfortable if I thought it would rain before Saturday,” Pride said.

“He prefers a bit of give in the ground and his rating has gone up to 105 but he is racing well. He is a Listed horse. That’s his level and that’s where he’s most competitive.”

Earlier this campaign, Destiny’s Kiss backed up from an unlucky fourth in the Listed Premier’s Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on August 25 to win the Wyong Gold Cup (2100m) six days later.

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The nine-year-old, who is raced by his breeder Nick Moraitis, has earned almost $1.2 million since he began racing six years and 74 starts ago.

Pride said Ball Of Muscle had also pulled up well from Saturday’s Randwick meeting when he ran third to In Her Time in the Everest Consolation (1200m).

While In Her Time is the second favourite for the Group One Manikato Stakes, Ball Of Muscle will not go to the Moonee Valley feature on Friday week.

“Twelve hundred metres sees him out,” he said. “There is a race on Oaks day at Flemington that Terravista ran in last year that will suit him.”

Ball Of Muscle’s elder brother, Terravista was beaten a half head in the 2016 Mumm Stakes (1000m) by Redzel, winner of Saturday’s $10 million Everest.

Terravista will head to the Group One Darley Classic (1200m) at the Melbourne Cup meeting.

He won the race in 2014 and ran a close third a year later.