Trainer Bryce Heys has revealed that he expects Boston Light to press forward when he makes his racing debut in the 2015 McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Craig Williams has been booked to ride Boston Light in the 2015 McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Boston Light was allocated barrier one when the 2015 McKenzie Stakes field was released yesterday morning, but Heys does not believe that will be an issue for the Fastnet Rock colt who showed a fair bit of early speed in a jump out over 800 meters at Flemington last Friday.
“I would rather be there then 14,” Heys told RSN.
“It can be the death barrier at the Valley as we know and it probably does force us to be positive.
“There is no reason why he can’t be positive and he has shown good initial gate speed in his jump outs.
“He is a horse that is right on his game and jumping out of his skin, so he will race pretty fresh there on Saturday.”
Boston Light will be making his racing debut in the McKenzie Stakes and has not officially trialed, but there has been a fair bit of support for the three-year-old in early McKenzie Stakes betting markets and he is on the third line of betting with Ladbrokes at a quote of $7.
Heys said that he is not getting ahead of himself with Boston Light, but he clearly has a big opinion of the debutant and he believes that the colt has shown enough in his track work to suggest that he can be competitive in the McKenzie Stakes this weekend.
“We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves, but we do have an opinion of him and he has been a quality colt right the way through,” Heys said.
“We did have him in at Sale last Thursday, but he drew the outside and we just had to leave him at home, so we are forced to go to the Valley on Saturday.
“In saying that, we wouldn’t be doing that if we weren’t as happy as we are with him.
“He has pleased us at home and he has had a couple of jump outs, which has him up to the mark in terms of fitness and he has a good gate a good jockey.
“We will go there on Saturday and put our line in the sand as to where we head to into the spring.”
Peter Moody-trained El Greco is currently available at 2015 McKenzie Stakes odds of $4.40 and he is a narrow favourite from Sires Produce Stakes runner-up Odyssey Moon ($4.60) and Boston Light ($7).
