Big push to convert Rupee into dollars
THE world’s former best sprinter, Lankan Rupee, has come in for early support for his return to racing at Caulfield in the Bletchingly Stakes tomorrow.
The rising eight-year-old resumes in the weight-forage 1200m feature, his first start since last spring and just his fourth run in the past two years during which he has been beset by various injuries.
He opened at $6.50 on Wednesday but a day later had tightened to $4.60 on the second line of betting behind last-start Monash Stakes winner Supido ($3.60).
Lankan Rupee has won five Group 1 races including three in successive starts during a memorable 2014 autumn campaign that elevated him to the position of the highest-rated sprinter in the world.
Jockey Craig Newitt has been aboard Lankan Rupee for most of his biggest wins, including four at Group 1 level and is pleased to have the gelding back at the races.
“He’s been a good horse to me,” Newitt said.
“So it would just be nice to see him come back and win another race.”
Newitt has been happy with Lankan Rupee’s two jumpouts and while he expects him to run a good race first-up he also expects him to improve on whatever he does tomorrow.
“He has trialled up well and his track work has been good,” Newitt said.
“He’ll be a bit ring-rusty but that’s to be expected. Whatever he does he’ll improve on.
“He’ll run well. He never runs badly. It’s just his fitness might give out late.”
Lindsay Park enters the Bletchingly Stakes, the final Group race of the season, with a two-pronged attack Keen Array ($8.50) and Tashbeeh ($35).
Under the guidance of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, Lindsay Park has 109 winners in the metropolitan area after Wednesday’s penultimate meeting at Sandown, bettering David Hayes’ then-record of 103 in 2006-07.
The stable has held high hopes for Keen Array since his three-year-old days and the sprinter makes his first appearance since a trip to Perth last November.
Keen Array, a three-time winner at Caulfield, has three Listed race victories under his belt and finished second in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2015.
He was Lindsay Park’s chosen one for Melbourne’s 2016 Group 1 sprint double of the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap but didn’t live up to expectations. He returned in the spring winning twice from seven starts.
HE’LL BE A BIT RINGRUSTY BUT THAT’S TO BE EXPECTED. WHATEVER HE DOES HE’LL IMPROVE ON CRAIG NEWITT