Space Rider is set to enhance his claims for the Australian Guineas as he steps out at Flemington.

The galloper prepared by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will contest the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington this Saturday, serving as a key preparation for the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the same track in a fortnight.

Space Rider seeks to follow Planet Red into the Australian Guineas following the stablemate’s impressive runner-up effort behind Observer in the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday.

Ethan Brown, successful aboard Observer last time, takes the ride on Space Rider this Saturday after steering the three-year-old to success on resumption in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 24.

“It was a big win first-up. He sat three-wide, no cover,” Kent Jnr said.

“He was there to be challenged but fought all of them off, but it’s going to get harder from here on in, however Ethan Brown sticks.

“The colt of Chris Waller, Sixties, will be hard to beat. It looks to have come back really well, but our guy is a lovely big moving horse that is really going to love Flemington.”

Each of Space Rider’s three wins has occurred on his fresh appearance, yet Kent Jnr believes the expansive Flemington surface will better accommodate the colt this Saturday compared to the more confined tracks he tackled in prior second-up outings.

Kent Jnr expressed satisfaction with Planet Red’s reappearance at Caulfield last week.

Beaten into second in the spring Caulfield Guineas, where Space Rider placed 11th, Planet Red surged late from the rear under Jamie Kah last Saturday.

“If he had drawn a softer gate, he lands a pair or two closer and it might have been interesting,” Kent Jnr said.

“He’s going to thrive off that run and we’re looking forward to the Australian Guineas.”

Check out the latest Australian betting sites for options ahead of the CS Hayes Stakes.

The post Space Rider on Australian Guineas path first appeared on Just Horse Racing.