Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) is on track to resume next Saturday at Caulfield after impressing in an 800-metre jumpout at Sandown on Tuesday morning.
Seven days after catching the eye in an Echuca trial, the unbeaten son of Iffraaj was ridden by Jamie Kah to win his heat, pleasing co-trainer Mick Price.
“He went good, he also went to Echuca and trialed last week and trialed good,” explained Price, who trains in partnership Michael Kent Jnr.
“He is a big horse, he puts himself up there.
“He’s hardly been behind horses, so he is going on Saturday week in a 1200-metre race at Caulfield for three-year-olds, so I think then there should be a little bit of speed in front of him.
“I just said to Jamie (Kah), ‘What about 1200 metres for him’ and she said ‘Yeah no problem’.
“He had a good blow here, but it is only 1200 metres and he will improve, I’ve got a couple of gallop opportunities left with him, so he won’t be far away.”
Kah has ridden the three-year-old in both starts to date, most recently on Boxing Day when he scored handsomely by 4.25 lengths at Caulfield.
Ayrton is only expected to be sighted once in Victoria this campaign, with a trip north to Queensland in hope of securing a start in the A$1.5 million Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) on June 12 the target.
“We sort of haven’t worked him out yet, we know he is a big, raw horse and he just keeps putting himself up there,” Price said.
“We have got a program for him, which may end up in the Stradbroke.
“He is a 71-rater at the moment, so he goes after Caulfield to the Fred Best Classic, which is three weeks after and that’s a win-it-and-you’re-in-it for the Stradbroke at 1400 metres.
“So he either goes into the Stradbroke or there is a mile race for him there called the Gunsynd Classic.
“So there are options for him but he’ll end up in Queensland with a little bit of racing, then a little bit of a break and get him ready for the spring.”
If Ayrton was to win his way into the Stradbroke Handicap, he would be lining up in the G1 classic at just his fifth career start.
“We were looking at that the other day and I think Private Steer and some of those horses have won it at start seven, eight or nine,” Price said.
“But look it doesn’t matter, if that’s what he can do, that’s what he will do.”
The stable also saddled up another unbeaten galloper, Kurabui (NZ) (Proisir), in the same jumpout on Tuesday. The filly by Proisir was sent for a spell after her second victory at Caulfield on December 16.
“She was good, she gets off the bit, she is a half-sister to Surprise Baby, so wants no shorter than 1400 metres first-up,” Price said.
“She is a 68-rater at the moment, so we will just find a nice race for her, so she should have a good prep.
“I would think she would be 1400-1600 into 2000 metres and away we go.”
Ayrton is $7 equal favourite with Sportsbet for the Stradbroke Handicap.
