Peters won't risk Real Love penalty
Breeder-owner Bob Peters will almost certainly scratch Real Love from today's WA St Leger (2100m) to keep her on the minimum weight in the Perth Cup.
Instead, Real Love, a hot $1.70 favourite for the St Leger, is likely to run in Wednesday's ATA Handicap (2200m) at Ascot.
Peters wants to avoid a potential ratings penalty for the mare if she beats Balmont Girl today.
Real Love has a rating of 88 and WA Oaks winner and Railway Stakes runner-up Balmont Girl is rated 102.
"Bob wants to get his mare in on the minimum in the Perth Cup," Racing and Wagering WA chief handicapper David Hunter said.
"I couldn't say what the outcome would be (for a ratings penalty) if she beat Balmont Girl in the St Leger. It would depend on what happens on the day."
Trainer Paula Wagg made a similar move when she scratched Balmont Girl from today's $250,000 CB Cox Stakes (2100m).
Balmont Girl will incur a smaller Perth Cup penalty for winning the St Leger than if she won the Cox Stakes.
Real Love, a brilliant last-start winner of the Queen's Cup (2200m), is a firm $2.65 favourite for the $500,000 Perth Cup (2400m) on January 1. "If Balmont Girl runs, we won't be," Peters told TAB Radio.
"If they both happen to fight out the finish and there was a decent gap to the others, we would receive a very heavy penalty.
"It happened to me three years ago with Ranger when he beat two horses in the weight-for-age race (Lee-Steere Stakes).
"He went up quite dramatically and he hasn't won a race since."
Despite the likely absence of Real Love, Peters has a strong team for today's Ascot meeting.
Elite Belle spearheads his team when she tackles the Cox Stakes. She is the $2.90 favourite.
Trainer Neville Parnham rates $4.60 second favourite Bass Strait a strong chance.
The former Victorian galloper won the RJ Peters Stakes (1500m) last month and impressed when running sixth in the Railway and Kingston Town.
"I'm expecting him to go really, really well," Parnham said.
"His form has been excellent and he's knocking on the door.
"This trip will probably stretch him out but he has run second over 2000m at Caulfield.
"Elite Belle is probably a query at the trip but she's a quality mare."
"If Balmont Girl runs, we won't be … we would receive a very heavy penalty.""Real Love's owner *Bob Peters *
