Having enjoyed another fruitful riding campaign in Japan, Rachel King shifts focus to the Sydney autumn meet, zeroing in on her booking with the green three-year-old gelding Green Spaces for the Randwick Guineas.
Such is her faith in the Bjorn Baker inmate that King made a special trip home from Japan to school him in a trial en route to completing her stint there.
She was sidelined by Asian races from his Hobartville Stakes (1400m) resumption, but returns for the top-tier Saturday feature.
“I flew back from Japan halfway through my trip especially to trial him,” King said.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse. He’s very casual and he only does what he has to, but I think there is a lot more under the bonnet than what we’ve seen so far.”
Green Spaces took the Spring Stakes (1600m) at Newcastle convincingly in November, yet tired to be sixth visually in the Hobartville.
King notes he was too sharp and forwardly placed then, expecting better temperament now for the coming run.
“He was a bit fresh and put himself too close, when he needed to be getting back and running on to show his best,” King said.
“He’s still an inexperienced young horse, so it won’t have done him any harm to get in amongst them and realise what this better racing is all about. Toughen him up a bit.
“He will naturally be more relaxed second-up and want to go to sleep that bit more.
“We will look for him to be doing his best work at the end.”
Ultimately, King rates Green Spaces a Derby type temperament-wise, with his near-term performances guiding the autumn plan.
King picks up Gary Portelli’s Encap for the Canterbury Stakes (1600m) too, warning against dismissing the $101 chance with Doncaster form.
“He’s one of those who is nearly forgotten most races, and he always bobs up in the finish,” she said.
“He’s a beautiful horse to ride. He has his own way of doing things and you’ve got to let him do his thing.
“But geez, he can rattle off some good sectionals late and hopefully fresh, he’s ready to go, which he looks like he is.”
King rides into Randwick with momentum from a Wednesday double at Warwick Farm midweek.
Find the top racing odds on sports betting sites for Green Spaces in the Randwick Guineas.