The education process will continue with budding star Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj), who signs off his three-year-old career with an important run in Saturday’s Gr.3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Co-trainer Mick Price said on Monday that the Group Three race is a crucial one in Ayrton’s development as a racehorse ahead of a potentially lucrative Spring Carnival in Melbourne.
“He’s coped well since his last run and this is all part of toughening him up to be a racehorse,” Price said from Queensland.
“He’s good. He’ll have a course proper gallop in the morning with Odeum (Written Tycoon) to have him ready and then James McDonald will ride on Saturday and he’s right to go.”
Ayrton was expected to continue his unbeaten run last start and qualify for a Stradbroke Handicap spot, but he was edged out by Apache Chase (Better Than Ready) in the Gr.3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) as the $1.50 favourite.
The result of that is the horse now stays in his own age in the Gunsynd Classic, which also affords the three-year-old the opportunity of one run at 1600 metres before he has a break.
“Hopefully he can win and get his rating up and then we can have a break and assess his first start at a mile and work it (spring program) out from there,” said Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr.
“I think when he gets a bit more seasoned, he will be best at a mile and 2000 metres.”
Price said the horse’s defeat when ridden by Jamie Kah in the Fred Best raised a few queries.
“Jamie had a few reasons for his failure,” he said. “He changed stride a couple of times and lost concentration. Some horses seem to be great Eagle Farm horses and others are not and I am not sure what that is all about.
“But he was only beaten a head and the mile will suit him. It’s part of what we need to do with him, then he can have a break.”
Thousand Guineas winner Odeum gets a chance for another three-year-old feature when she lines up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m).
“Odeum trialed briliantly on the Gold Coast on Monday and had a big blow afterwards, so I think race fitness will be against her this Saturday, but she will go from the Dane Ripper to the Tatt’s Tiara in another two weeks,” he said.
Price said former Kiwi three-year-old Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) is enjoying a break after a ‘total disaster’ in his Australian debut last week in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m).
“It was a total disaster,” he said. “He half bolted on Bossy (Glen Boss) on his way to the barriers and then kangaroo-hopped and then was out the back.
“It was a bad day for the horse and the owners, but he is much better than that. He’s having a breather and we’ll get him ready for the back part of the spring in Melbourne.”