Sky Kingdom on trial for Australian Cup

Sky Kingdom will need to win by a good margin at Eagle Farm if he is to stay on course for the Group One Australian Cup.

A stakes winner in Europe, Sky Kingdom had his first Australian start when ninth behind Sir Moments in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup on January 28.

The four-year-old is now being trained on the Gold Coast by Garry Newham who was recently lured back to racing after a seven-year break by owner Paul Makin who has set up a snew table at the Gold Coast.

Makin and Newham are best known for their association with Starcraft who won five Group One races in four countries.

The revived partnership has already had a winner with Deconstructed successful at Doomben on February 1.

Sky Kingdom runs in Saturday’s Maker’s Mark Open Hcp (1600m) with Glen Colless to ride. .

Makin arrived back in Australia from England on Wednesday and is keen for Sky Kingdom to push on to the Australian Cup at Flemington on March 11.

“You have to nominate early for those big races and he is in the Australian Cup. Paul was talking about the Chipping Norton Stakes in Sydney next week ,” Newham said.

“But Sky Kingdom will want to win and win well at Eagle Farm before we talk about taking on Winx, Hartnell and the like.”

Newham was happy with Sky Kingdom’s Sunshine Coast run as he was beaten just under three lengths.

“The shortest he has ever run over before was a mile. So it was a good effort at 1400 metres and he is out to 1600 on Saturday,” he said.

Sky Kingdom is by the late Coolmore stallion Montjeu out of Makin’s Starcraft mare We Can Say It Now, a dual Group One winner in New Zealand.

Sky Kingdom had four starts in Europe for trainer William Haggas, winning a maiden at Newmarket in England and also a Group Three race at Maisons Lafitte in France.

Makin is looking to Sky Kingdom to win a Group One race to enhance his future at stud.