SPRINTING revelation Lankan Rupee is a confirmed starter in the $2.5 million T.J. Smith Stakes, but Mick Price has not entirely locked in a route to the Randwick Group 1. Price said Lankan Rupee had pulled up well from his dominant win in the $1 million Newmarket Handicap, where he became the first horse since Weekend Hussler in 2008 to complete the Oakleigh Plate/Newmarket double, reports Racing Network.
Price is thinking of giving Lankan Rupee, unbeaten in his three summer/autumn runs, seven to 10 days in the paddock then trial him in Sydney ahead of the T.J. Smith.
While Price said he thought that was “the right way to go”, he’s also mindful of the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday March 21.
“I’ll just see about the William Reid, but my first thought is to make sure I take him to Sydney on the way up and looking for the race and not nursing him in,” Price said.
“He was perfect (on Sunday) morning, he trotted out perfect. He’s a very sound horse, he ate up well and looks well.”
Price said he could not fault how Newmarket favorite Samaready came through the race and there is no apparent reason not to continue with her preparation.
He said the mare, who finished a well held sixth in the Newmarket, would head to the William Reid, which will determine whether she joins Lankan Rupee in Sydney.
“I ordered a scope after the race, which was clean. I thought she'd go better than Lankan Rupee yesterday based on trackwork and form and everything,” Price said.
“It makes you wonder that the Oakleigh Plate form was that much superior to the Lightning. The first three home in the Oakleigh Plate ran one-two-three in the Newmarket.”
While Lankan Rupee* and Samaready will press ahead with their campaigns, Peter Moody said he would spell triple Group 1 winner Moment of Change.
Moody said Moment of Change showed with his uncharacteristic 12th, beaten more than nine lengths behindLankan Rupee, that he had come to the end of his preparation.
“He has just come to the end of it,” Moody said.
“He just wasn’t happy (on Saturday), bobbing and weaving in the barriers. That just isn’t him.
“He’s done a good job so we'll put him out until the spring.”