TAKE IT TO THE MAX

Duo confident dry track boosts three-year-old’s hopes

A return to a dry track has cotrainers Robert and Luke Price quietly confident that Monte Maximus can find winning form when they head to Hawkesbury.

The three-year-old is ready to peak third-up after two solid runs and has drawn perfectly in barrier 1 in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m) where he has 56kg.

Monte Maximus resumed with a fast-finishing third behind Headley Grange over 1200m at Kembla on March 5 and returned 18 days later when he was fourth behind Hasty Honey over 1400m. Despite beating just one horse home that day, he wasn’t suited by the Heavy 8 track but his last 100m was good.

“He was never suited on the heavy track the other day when they made it a sit and sprint,” Luke Price said.

“He just spun his wheels so to speak on the doughy patch but where the track was a bit better inside the last 150m, he really picked up late and hit the line well.

“In his first-up run at Kembla, he really attacked the line to run third on a good track. He is really well placed, especially from the draw, and back on a dry track suits him down to the ground.”

Price said the son of Invader had always shown good ability but had just taken time to put it all together.

The gelding finished third at Moruya before winning his maiden at Kembla last September but has come back a stronger horse this time in.

“He is a horse I do think will step up to city grade in time,” he said. “He has just been a late maturing fella mentally more than physically. There is plenty of upside to him.”

Mr Rock It is a frustrating horse who has won just three of his 22 starts to date, but has the ability to have a better record than that.

After a short freshen-up, he has finished runner-up in both starts and a good draw in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1100m) can see him figure in the finish again.

“He is a horse who doesn’t like getting his photo taken to often so you have to ride him very patiently and give him the last crack at them,” Price said. “We have been training him to sprint now.

“We tried to push him out to the 1400m but he just had too much time to do things wrong. He would over race early and not finish off.

“He was a bit stiff at Gosford first-up from that freshen-up.

“He had his chance at the Sapphire Coast last start but in the small field, he had too much time to think about it.

“He does look really well placed and is drawn to get an ideal run in behind the speed.

“He has a terrific chance.”