Champion sprinter Lankan Rupee heads to his first-up assignment in Saturday’s McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley with Mick Price buoyant about his triple Group 1 winner.
Price described as “super” the progress of Lankan Rupee, who worked on the course proper at Caulfield on Saturday.
Price plans to take Lankan Rupee, a winner of the Oakleigh Plate, Newmarket Handicap and T.J. Smith Stakes, to Moonee Valley to work on Tuesday morning.
Lankan Rupee will work with Lion of Belfort, who holds a nomination for the listed Drummond Golf Stakes (1200m) at Saturday's Valley meeting.
While Lankan Rupee is already a winner at Moonee Valley, Price says he believes the trip away “stimulates” the horses.
“It wouldn't have mattered if I did or didn’t go, I just think it's a good idea,” Price said.
Lankan Rupee, the highest rated sprinter in the world, is scheduled to run in the Group 1 Moir Stakes then the Group 1 Manikato Stakes before the Darley Classic on the final day of the VRC spring carnival.
The McEwen Stakes will also feature quality filly Eloping, who is resuming after a two-year-old year that saw her win four of her eight starts, including the Gold Rush at Bendigo and the Group 3 Keith McKay Stakes at Randwick.
Co-trainers Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison have engaged Linda Meech to ride the filly, who’ll carry 50 kilos in the Group 2 race.