Trainer Mick Price is taking heart from the fact Instinction has improved from his spring campaign ahead of his clash with Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet in the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.Price said Helmet was the best horse in the race and on that basis was entitled to Saturday's 1410-metre Group Three event but he is not conceding with Instinction who has race fitness on his side."I'm not putting any negative forward except that one is a Caulfield Guineas winner and mine isn't," Price said
Trainer Mick Price is taking heart from the fact Instinction has improved from his spring campaign ahead of his clash with Caulfield Guineas winner Helmet in the CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.
Price said Helmet was the best horse in the race and on that basis was entitled to Saturday's 1410-metre Group Three event but he is not conceding with Instinction who has race fitness on his side.
"I'm not putting any negative forward except that one is a Caulfield Guineas winner and mine isn't," Price said.
"He (Helmet) is a good horse but they have to keep doing it.
"He's entitled to win because he's the best horse in the race but we're going in fit enough."
Instinction has been a quiet achiever and a friend to the bookmakers at his last two starts after graduating from a Kyneton maiden win to land Flemington's Listed Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) at his next run at $31 and resuming last start at $20 with another Listed win in the Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 26.
"I am really happy with him and he's a better horse than he was in the spring," Price said.
"He had a nice run first-up when things worked out for him from a good gate up on the speed but it won't be as easy this time."
Drawn barrier 10, Price has to formulate a plan where Instinction can get into a winning position against Helmet who has the ability to make the running from gate four.
With only a kilo between the two horses, Instinction's jockey Craig Newitt will want to be doing the stalking and make the most of any fitness edge.
"I think we will have to use a bit of horse to cross over and put him up there but he's had the benefit of a run and is nice and fit," Price said.
"If he can be thereabouts in the run I'm sure he can race well."
Price said he was committed to another clash with Helmet in the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 3 "barring a terrible run on Saturday".
"He's going that way for sure," Price said.
"The Guineas is our goal so we will front up and see how we go."
Helmet hasn't raced since finishing eighth to Pinker Pinker in the Cox Plate in October and is Dubai-bound after the Australian Guineas.
A dominant Hayes Stakes favourite at $1.70 since TAB Sportsbet opened its market on Wednesday, Helmet would be only the second odds-on winner of the race after Encounter at $1.60 in 1998.