Price gives push to Derby second seed
MICK Price has given a strong push to his Victoria Derby second seed, while declaring $7.5m Golden Eagle contender I’m Thunderstruck has probably the best chance of his big race contenders on Saturday.
The Price and Michael Kent Jr training team is loaded with equine weapons on Saturday, with Derby favourite Gunstock ($4), Coolmore Stud Stakes fancy Extreme Warrior ($4.40) and Golden Eagle top pick I’m Thunderstruck ($4) all strong chances in elite races across two states.
Gunstock will carry the hopes of a lot of punters in the Group 1 Derby at Flemington but Price insists stablemate Jungle Magnate ($18) also has extremely strong claims.
Jungle Magnate is a son of Price’s 2015 Victoria Derby winner Tarzino and the trainer points out that the gelding comes into the Derby with form running home powerfully from a long last to finish third in the Group 2 Vase at The Valley last Saturday.
There could be echoes of Tarzino, who also ran home from well back in the field to finish third in the 2015 Vase before coming out and winning the Derby seven days later.
“I actually think Jungle Magnate will give plenty of cheek in the Derby,” Price said. “In the Vase, I said to ride him cold but I didn’t say to ride him freezing.
“He was out of the picture for most of the race.
“But I thought he made great ground and I thought it was a great Derby trial.
“I can tell you the horse is thriving, which is the important thing because one thing you need to win a Derby is toughness at the time and this is very tough horse.
“Dad (Tarzino) did the
same thing in the Vase, he got out the back and got home and ran third and then come out got the money in the Derby.”
Price is a genuine chance of picking up multiple Flemington Group 1s on Saturday, but feels the training team’s top big race chance is at Rosehill where last-start Group 1 Toorak Handicap winner I’m Thunderstruck will make his presence felt.
“All our horses in the big races on Saturday are good chances but if you asked me to pick one, I would pick I’m Thunderstruck,” Price said.
“He is flying the horse and
going great, he just needs a traffic-free run.
“If he gets that, he will go very close.
“I have high respect for Desleigh Forster’s horse, the Queenslander Apache Chase, in that Golden Eagle.
“It would be no shock at all to see that horse win because I think he is a high-class horse.”
Price watched Apache Chase from close at hand during the Queensland winter carnival, including when Apache Chase toppled Price’s hot favourite Ayrton in the Group 3 Fred Best at Eagle Farm.