Price has Lankan Rupee back to best
A bullish Mick Price believes Lankan Rupee i s going every bit as well as when he was a force in Australia’s best group one sprints.
The former Australian Racehorse of the Year makes his return to group one racing for the first time in 19 months today and Price says the gelding is “flying”.
A hock issue and a long rehabilitation program had Lankan Rupee off the scene for 12 months from last spring before the 7- year- old made his race comeback with a pleasing third in the Caulfield Sprint ( 1000m) carrying 61kg last month.
The Darley Classic at Flemington will be his first group one start since finishing down the track in the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in April last year.
Lankan Rupee has won five times at the top level, including the 2015 Lightning Stakes and 2014 Newmarket Hcp at Flemington, and Price believes the gelding i s back going every bit as well. “He’s going great,’ Price said. “I’m really happy with the horse. I think he’s his old vibrant self and the only thing that may compromise him is that tough, hard race fitness. But it is only 1200m.
“They’ll go down the straight, they’ll sit up and sprint and it will be a nice race for him and no shock to see him win.”
Price said Lankan Rupee was then scheduled to fly to Perth in preparation for the Winterbottom Stakes on November 26. The Caulfield trainer can’t fault Lankan Rupee’s preparation. “He was eased back in,” he said. “I think it was a nice plan to have the three weeks from the Caulfield Sprint to the Darley Classic, so I’ve got no complaints. He’s good enough. I just need to know that he’s fit enough. I think he’s fit enough.”
Lankan Rupee, to be ridden by his regular jockey Craig Newitt, is third favourite at $ 6.50, with Our Boy Malachi heading the market at $ 4.60 from The Quarterback at $ 5.50.
The Quarterback i s also a Newmarket winner, beating Black Heart Bart and Chautauqua in March.
Later on the card, Dean Yendall’s ability to ride at a light weight has given him another opportunity in a feature spring carnival race.
Yendall went into this year’s spring without a group one win to his name but has registered two elite- level vic- tories in recent weeks and also fini shed third in the A$ 3 million Cox Plate.
He gained the winning ride on Yankee Rose in the Spring Champion Stakes in Sydney, with a view to riding the filly in the Cox Plate at 47.5kg.
Yendall then added the group one Myer Classic last Saturday on 3- yearold filly I Am A Star who carried a lightweight 49kg.
Now the Lindsay Park operation of trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig has called on Yendall to partner Seaburge in the Emirates Stakes ( 2000m) today.
Runner- up in the Caulfield Guineas two starts ago, Seaburge is one of two 3- year- old colts taking on the older horses in the weight- for- age race, the other being Caulfield Classic winner Good Standing.
They will carry 51kg, which i s between 7.5kg and 8kg less than their older rivals.
Chad Schofield rode Seaburge at 50kg, when he finished eighth in last Saturday’s Cantala Stakes but switches to Good Standing.
After Seaburge’s second in the Guineas, connections decided against a Victoria Derby campaign and instead opted to keep him at 1600m with three weeks between runs in a bid to boost his stallion prospects.
“I wanted to go straight to the 2000m after the Guineas. He had 2000 written all over him but there was a stallion value at play,” David Hayes said.
“I think it was the right decision, but he’s looking for 2000.
“I thought he was an ideal Derby horse. He reminds me so much of Criterion but if he could have won that race [ last week] it was a multimillion dollar play.”
“And if he wins this race it’s still a multi- million dollar play, whereas if you win the Derby it doesn’t add ridiculous amounts to it.”
Hayes said when Seaburge pulled up well from the Cantala they decided to press on and give him a crack at the Emirates Stakes against a high- quality field.
But he was disappointed with barrier t wo as the colt, who i s at $ 16, appreciates galloping room
“We’ve drawn the same barrier, which is a bit of a pain, as I wanted him drawn out a bit,” Hayes said.
“With the slower tempo he’ll travel easier.”
New Zealand TAB markets for the two features. Emirates Stakes: $ 3.90 The United States, $ 4.60 Vadamos, $ 4.80 Scottish, $ 11 Palentino, $ 12 Hauraki, $ 13 Endless Drama, Good Standing; $ 16 Seaburge, $ 21 Happy Clapper, $ 23 Awesome Rock, Vanbrugh; $ 41 Tivaci, $ 61 Happy Trails. Darley Classic: $ 5.50 Our Boy Malachi, The Quarterback; $ 6.50 Fell Swoop, Lankan Rupee; $ 8 Malaguerra, $ 9 Spieth, $ 14.00 Engli sh, Sheidel; $ 17 Japonisme, $ 26 Holler, Keen Array, Turn Me Loose.
William Buick
Weather fine, track fast