Trainer Lloyd Kennewell from Cranbourne believes the Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds, scheduled for Flemington during Melbourne Cup week, is shaping up to be the race of the spring carnival.
Kennewell has two promising colts, Organised Crime and Mbube, set for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 31.
Organised Crime will have his final lead-up run in the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday in preparation for the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
“This is the race that we have been aimed up at,” Kennewell stated. “If you want to be a Coolmore horse, you need to be running very good on Saturday.”
He added, “It’s still a few weeks away (the Coolmore), but it’s shaping as the best race of the spring as everyone is waiting for it. It’s a stallion making race and it might not be a colt that wins it as the fillies look good too.”
Organised Crime made a winning debut at Sale as a two-year-old before securing second place in the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15.
His most recent start saw Organised Crime finish fifth in the Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on September 12.
Kennewell took the opportunity to trial Organised Crime at Caulfield Heath on October 1.
“Early in the prep, it was all a learning curve, and he has taken it all on,” Kennewell remarked. “His last trial was terrific. It was slowly run and he relaxed good, breathed well, did it well, and I could not speak highly enough of the horse.”
He continued, “We always thought he had it, so that’s the way he was aimed up and now we’re at the pointy end and if he runs well on Saturday, he steps into one of the hottest Coolmore’s for more than 10 years. It will be good to have two quality colts in the Coolmore.”
Kennewell explained that with a colt like Organised Crime, it is important to keep him active, and the spacing of three-year-old races from early August to late October or early November presents a challenge.
“He’s 540 kilos. He loves the competition,” Kennewell said. “These three-year-old races are spread out so you have to keep them ticking over and colts like to be kept busy, not being lazy, so he’s been at it all the way through.”
“He looks super and I’m really looking forward to Saturday.”
Kennewell is planning to give Mbube another straight-track trial at Flemington to prepare for the Coolmore, following his third-place finish in the Danehill Stakes (1100m) on October 3.
You can find the best racing odds and betting markets for the Blue Sapphire Stakes at leading Australian betting sites.
