Michael Dee is set to ride Warmonger as Blake Shinn, who previously rode the four-year-old to victory in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m), cannot meet the required light weights.
Trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Warmonger had Shinn aboard when winning a 1200-metre heat at the Cranbourne trials on Monday.
Dee will take over for the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on September 14 and will also partner with Warmonger in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
“He has to be good enough for the race we want, which is the Caulfield Cup where he is going to get 53 or 53.5 kilograms,” Price told Racing.com.
“And whilst Blake Shinn won on him, he’s not going to ride 53.5 (kilograms), so we have spoken to Michael Dee and it would be nice to get a continuity of rider.
“The Makybe Diva you will see him running on, one would assume, and the same with the Turnbull, and I think he’ll come into his own for the Caulfield Cup.
“Want to be careful of the horse and the longevity aspect of him. I think the Melbourne Cup is more gruelling than what people think.”
Warmonger is currently a $15 chance for the Caulfield Cup with horse racing bookmakers.
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