Price values Mighty Boss
BRISBANE Roar and coach John Aloisi have ended years of AAMI Park torment, downing Melbourne Victory 2- 1 to reignite their A- League finals campaign. Massimo Maccarone and Brett Holman scored firsthalf goals in the Roar’s most composed performance of their stuttering season, lifting them inside the top six.
James Troisi’s 30m stunner with seven minutes remaining was a response to his benching by coach Kevin Muscat, but came too late to salvage a result for Victory.
Fielding the oldest side in Australian domestic history — with an average age above 33 — the Roar outsmarted the home side. Aloisi’s side had all the possession but had control of the contest from the seventh minute when Maccarone turned in the box and shot past Lawrence Thomas.
Victory will rue missed tackles as the Roar recorded a win at AAMI Park for the first time in four years. MICK Price’s rationale in running Mighty Boss against the older horses in the Orr Stakes rather than against his own age group in the Autumn Stakes today at Caulfield is simple as he wants to increase his value.
“There’s no gain in value for him if won the Autumn Stakes. He’s already won a Group One and the only way he’s going to increase his value as a colt is by beating good horses in a race like the Orr Stakes,” Price said.
Mighty Boss hasn’t started since he was a shock winner of the Caulfield Guineas at $ 101 at his last start.
Mighty Boss is a $ 12 chance with TAB fixed odds and Price believes he will run well.
“I’m not confident of him winning but he’s had a good preparation and from his barrier he’ll sit in the right spot. Then we’ll see what happens and it’d be great if he could win.”
Price is using the same logic with another three- year- old colt in former Kiwi galloper Ardrossan, who is having his first start with him in the Rubiton Stakes after winning both of his New Zealand runs.
“He’s also a colt and he can also boost his value if he can run well at this level.”
Price said Ardrossan had shown brilliant speed in his jump- outs for him and he would most likely end up leading.
“I don’t want him to be the target but that’s probably what will happen. He’s against some top sprinters so it’s going to be very interesting.”
Ardrossan is a $ 4.60 chance with Ladbrokes.
Darren Weir yesterday scratched Black Heart Bart from the Orr Stakes due to a foot abscess but he said he should still be able to run in the Futurity Stakes in a fortnight.
Winx will gallop with stablemates Libran, Mackintosh and McCreey next Saturday at Rosehill races.