Cranbourne trainer Lloyd Kennewell is predicting the Group 1 sprint for three-year-olds at Flemington during Melbourne Cup week to be the premier race of the spring carnival.
Two impressive colts from Kennewell’s stable, Organised Crime and Mbube, are being prepared for the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) scheduled for October 31.
Organised Crime will have his final competitive hit-out in preparation for the Coolmore Stud Stakes when he contests the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
“This is the race that we have been aimed up at,” Kennewell declared. “If you want to be a Coolmore horse, you need to be running very good on Saturday.”
He continued, “It’s still a few weeks away (the Coolmore), but it’s shaping as the best race of the spring as everyone is waiting for it. It’s a stallion making race and it might not be a colt that wins it as the fillies look good too.”
Organised Crime launched his career with a debut win at Sale as a two-year-old and subsequently finished second in the Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15.
His most recent start saw Organised Crime finish fifth in the Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on September 12.
Kennewell elected to give Organised Crime a trial at Caulfield Heath on October 1.
“Early in the prep, it was all a learning curve, and he has taken it all on,” Kennewell commented. “His last trial was terrific. It was slowly run and he relaxed good, breathed well, did it well, and I could not speak highly enough of the horse.”
Kennewell added, “We always thought he had it, so that’s the way he was aimed up and now we’re at the pointy end and if he runs well on Saturday, he steps into one of the hottest Coolmore’s for more than 10 years. It will be good to have two quality colts in the Coolmore.”
Kennewell explained that keeping a colt like Organised Crime active is crucial, and the scheduling of three-year-old races from early August through to late October/early November presents a logistical challenge.
“He’s 540 kilos. He loves the competition,” Kennewell said. “These three-year-old races are spread out so you have to keep them ticking over and colts like to be kept busy, not being lazy, so he’s been at it all the way through.”
“He looks super and I’m really looking forward to Saturday.”
Kennewell intends to trial Mbube down the straight at Flemington in preparation for the Coolmore, after his third-place finish in the Danehill Stakes (1100m) on October 3.
Get the latest racing odds and betting markets for the Blue Sapphire Stakes at leading Australian betting sites.