Trainer Mick Price is banking on Ready For Victory obtaining a clear run in the Group 3 $175,000 BECK Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday in a bid to return to the winner’s circle.
Trainer Mick Price is hoping Ready For Victory, above, can get clear running in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.
Ready For Victory has been caught up in traffic at his two runs back this campaign which produced a second to Gold Symphony in the Group 3 $150,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 29 followed by a third to Kinglike in the Group 2 $200,000 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 12.
Damien Oliver was aboard Ready For Victory in the Danehill Stakes and got cluttered up on the fence before getting into the clear over the final 250m to finish the race off nicely.
Stepping up to 1400m this week will definitely be in his favour and Oliver is sure to give the More Than Ready colt plenty of galloping room from barrier nine in the sixteen horse field.
“He’s got a very good finish on him and I think he just needs a clear crack at them” Price told Racing.com.
“The last couple of runs he’s had to duck and weave in a bit of traffic and he’s just ended up on the wrong side of all that but I just want him to have clear running and I think he’ll be right in the money.”
Price has been happy with the way Ready For Victory has progressed since the Danehill Stakes and very impressed with his gallop on the course proper at Caulfield on Tuesday morning.
“He sat off Pressing on Tuesday morning on the course proper and Damien Oliver rode him and he worked super,” Price said.
“I’m really happy with the colt and I think he’s due to stand up and win.”
Bookmakers at Ladbrokes.com.au has installed Ready For Victory the $3.30 favourite for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude ahead of Ciaron Maher trained Bon Aurum at $8.50 and Mike Moroney’s Tulsa at $9.50.
Bon Aurum was impressive winning the Listed $120,000 Pin & Win Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on September 12 while Tulsa caught the eye when he made up many lengths from the back to run two and a quarter lengths sixth in the same race.
Caulfield Guineas Prelude market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.30 Ready For Victory, $8.50 Bon Aurum, $9.50 Tulsa, $11 Snoopy, Dark Steel, Spieth, $13 Mr Individual, $15 Puritan, $16 Dal Cielo, Metallic Crown, $21 Odyssey Moon, Last Bullet, Strike Force, $26 Extra Choice, $31 Moher, $41 Manhattan Blues.
