Talented former New Zealander Alamosa will be on trial for the Cox Plate in Saturday's Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.Mick Price has freshened Alamosa with four weeks between runs and the Caulfield trainer is hoping the four-year-old can give him his second Toorak victory.Red Dazzler gave Price his first Toorak win two years ago and then finished 10th to Fields Of Omagh in the Cox Plate."We have given him a bit of a freshen up as I didn't want to run him in the Underwood," Price said."It
Talented former New Zealander Alamosa will be on trial for the Cox Plate in Saturday's Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
Mick Price has freshened Alamosa with four weeks between runs and the Caulfield trainer is hoping the four-year-old can give him his second Toorak victory.
Red Dazzler gave Price his first Toorak win two years ago and then finished 10th to Fields Of Omagh in the Cox Plate.
"We have given him a bit of a freshen up as I didn't want to run him in the Underwood," Price said.
"It is four weeks between runs going into the Toorak but he's had a bit of racing anyway and is fresh and fit for it."
Alamosa won nine of 17 starts in New Zealand and has had another three runs in Australia since joining Price's stable for the spring.
He has an imposing record at 1600 metres with four wins and a second from six starts while his Group One record is almost as formidable with three wins, a second and a third from six starts.
His first Group One win was the Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a two-year-old and last season he excelled as a miler against the older horses, taking out the Thorndon Mile at Trentham as well as the Otaki-Maori at Otaki.
His only unplaced run at 1600 metres was last start when he finished sixth, less than two lengths from the winner Guillotine in the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 13.
Alamosa's managing owner Bill Gleeson has always been keen on running the son of O'Reilly in the Cox Plate which is also a goal again for Price's 2006 third placegetter Pompeii Ruler.
Steven King has ridden Alamosa throughout his spring campaign but Price's stable rider Craig Newitt takes the reins on Saturday.
The entire drew barrier 14 in the capacity field of 18 plus one emergency, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Rockwood who'll be ridden by King if he gains a start.
Waterhouse already has stablemate Kingda Ka in the field with Blake Shinn the rider.
Orange County, to again be ridden by Damien Oliver, drew out in barrier 16 but that didn't faze trainer Brian Mayfield-Smith as the grey won the Group One Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) from barrier 15 at Caulfield last start.
More of a concern is the three-kilogram weight rise to 57kg which makes him equal topweight with Clarke runner-up Bon Hoffa.
Since All Shot won the 1972 Toorak carrying 58kg, the only winner to carry 57kg or more was Regal Roller (57kg) in 2004.
Orange County is the $4.60 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Bon Hoffa at $6, Alamosa ($6.50), Raheeb ($8), Turffontein ($10), Sea Battle ($11) with Pillar Of Hercules and Eskimo Queen next best at $15.