Mick Price’s hopes of a Caulfield Guineas victory this spring improved sharply at The Valley on Saturday when Zoustar colt Space Rider produced a brilliant first-up burst to score.
Price and training partner Michael Kent Junior already had October’s $3 million Caulfield Guineas on their minds after the Admire Mars gelding Planet Red bolted in earlier this month at Sandown to see his Guineas price slashed from $51 to just the fourth line of betting at $11.
Space Rider too will come into the market for the Caulfield Guineas when nominations close for the classic early next month after on Saturday living up to Price’s rating of him as a yearling.
“I loved him as a yearling and I really wanted him,” Price explained of the $500,000 purchase. “I had to put a syndicate together and this is where Kia Ora comes in as they are always seeking colts.
“I came here thinking he’s nearly not fast enough for 1200 metres at Moonee Valley, but I had to run him somewhere as I missed out running him in Sydney last week because of the wet.
“He’s a lovely big lengthy horse. He’s going next to the Exford (Plate over 1400m), then he’s going to the Bill Stutt (1600m back here and then the Caulfield Guineas.
“He’s got mile written all over him.”
Price and Kent Jnr are timing their run to the $3 million Caulfield Guineas with the emergence of Space Rider coming just a week after unbeaten gelding Planet Red scored his second win from as many runs at Sandown.
“Planet Red is a nice horse,” Price said. “He’ll come back here for the McKenzie Stakes, which is two weeks today over 1200m then into the Guineas Prelude and into the Caulfield Guineas that way.”