Sydney’s typical damp autumn conditions have encouraged trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr from Victoria to send a pair of their horses northward, anticipating rain-softened ground throughout the carnival.
Globe and La Fracas are set to commence their seasons at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday, with Globe contesting the Ajax Stakes (1500m) and La Fracas taking on the Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m).
This marks Globe’s return since his scratch from the Cox Plate on vet’s orders, after he had secured the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at his last outing, and Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr noted the horse has adjusted nicely upon reaching their Sydney stable a few weeks back.
“We’ve planned Sydney to take advantage of soft tracks. I know he won a Group One last time on good ground, but we feel he is an excellent wet tracker,” Kent Jnr said.
“He’s going super. His trials have been excellent. Outside gate, he’s only got one style and that’s to flow along out in front. There does look to be a bit of pressure inside him from Sandpaper and Willaidow, but he gave Tom Berry a great feel last week in the trial.
“If the track firms up, his chances decrease, and if it stays in that soft range then his chances are better.”
Kent Jnr explained that the soft tissue swelling which led to Globe’s withdrawal from the Cox Plate was fairly minor and “required no intervention, just a spell and rest”.
Entered for the Doncaster Mile (1600m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m), Globe’s plans for the carnival remain flexible, though Kent Jnr believes the horse is primed for success.
La Fracas aims to preserve his perfect first-up record in the Maurice McCarten Stakes, but Kent Jnr cautions that the 1100m distance is somewhat brief for the sprinter’s preferred range.
Should he fall short on Saturday, Kent Jnr advises bettors to monitor him on rain-impacted tracks.
“Mick (Price), in his time, thinks he’s one of the best wet trackers he has ever seen,” he said.
“His goal in life is to be up, fit, healthy and fresh when the rain arrives.
“We wouldn’t dismiss the idea of running him in a big sprint up there if the rain really teemed down.”
Craig Williams rides La Fracas, with Tom Berry aboard Globe. Punters can explore Australian betting sites for the latest racing odds on the Ajax Stakes.