The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is banking on straight track experience proving beneficial in the first two-year-old race of the year at Flemington.
Price and Kent Jnr took advantage of the Victoria Racing Club opening their track to outsiders so the ‘babies’ could get a look at the straight ahead of the Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) on Saturday.
Charm Stone took advantage of a trip away from Cranbourne to jump-out on September 22 while stablemate Acappella Moon stayed home.
Price has been agitating for years that two-year-olds should be given the opportunity to jump-out down the straight before they head there on race day.
Besides Charm Stone, others to get a look down the Flemington straight were Beluga Express, Krakarib, Mount Olympus and Pantelone.
“Charm Stone mentally needed a day out whereas Acappella Moon is bombproof,” Price said.
“Charm Stone was slow to load and the criteria for approval to race certificates has become more difficult, but she was good at Cranbourne and got the ticket importantly.
“She may still be mentally off and on, especially down the straight, but it was very beneficial to go there that morning.
“Credit to the VRC to come around and allow us to have a look down the straight, which is a big plus for the end user, the owner.”
While Acappello Moon has been described by Price as ‘bombproof’, the trainer said she was small in stature and feared the final stages on Saturday’s race may test her out.
“She’s a 14.3 small Sebring Sun filly that is bombproof, but my fear is that she goes 850 metres and starts to think about life,” Price said.
“Charm Stone is a beautiful filly and albeit she has improvement to come, she is a big, strong, sound, robust filly and is ready to go racing.
“If I worked them together, Charm Stone would finish in front of Acappella Moon, but I’m hoping they both will run well on Saturday.”