Tomorrow night's Caduceus Club Stakes at Moonee Valley carries more than just a $15,000 stake for two ageing warriors.
It's a chance for dual Australian Horse of the Year Sokyola (pictured) and Hunter Cup hero Mont Denver Gold to prove they are not yet over the hill.
Collectively, the duo have won just three races from 27 appearances this season which is hardly the strike rate that made them household names.
The connections of both horses are adamant though that their glamour pacers still have wins left in the tank and their recent form is testimony to that.
Mont Denver Gold has finished second in his past two starts, whilst Sokyola finished second in the Italian Cup at his most recent appearance in early June.
Early markets have Sokyola a $2 favourite to claim the 2100-metre mobile event despite the fact he'll start from the extreme front line draw of seven.
"He felt fantastic in his final hitout this morning...he was right up on his toes," trainer-driver Lance Justice explained today. "I expect him to go really good tomorrow night."
Mont Denver Gold is rated a $9 chance from barrier seven for in-form trainer-driver Chris Alford, whilst Scruffy Murphy (eight, $4.20) is expected to figure prominently too.
Hoping to the spoil their party is arguably the most underrated combination in the game, veteran pacer Mosquito Gold ($8) and his owner-trainer-driver Marty Noonan.
Victory in tomorrow night's Caduceus Club Stakes, to be run at 9.10pm (AET), would rank as the rising 10-year-old's 41st visit to the winners' circle and take his career earnings past $200,000.
It would be an amazing achievement for a horse that has contested just one Group race (finishing 12th) in a 118 start career that has also netted 30 placings.
