Monton will be chasing consecutive Festival Stakes victories when he resumes at Rosehill on Saturday. Picture: Rohan Kelly Source: Herald Sun
MONTON has been allocated topweight of 59kg as he bids to become only the second dual winner of the Listed $100,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The Australian Turf Club has received 26 entries for the crucial Villiers Stakes lead-up race with Monton heading the weights ahead of Triple Elegance on 58.5kg and last start stakes-winning trio Cabernet, Darci Be Good and Mahisara who all have 56kg.
Monton won the Festival-Villiers Stakes double last year and is resuming from an eight-week let-up on Saturday, having not raced since his competitive sixth in the Epsom Handicap behind Fat Al.
Ron Quinton gave Monton a similar preparation 12 months ago and was rewarded when the gelding won the Festival Stakes.
Since the Festival was first run in 1948, the only horse to win the feature race twice was This Manshood in 2002-03.
Trainer Peter Snowden has four entries for the Festival with Classics, Galah, Quidnunc and Yulalona, while Chris Waller has nominated Thumbtacks, Triple Elegance and Tromso.
After a succession of small fields at Sydney Saturday race meetings in recent weeks, ATC officials will be heartened to have a total of 111 entries for Saturday's meeting.
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