Mick Price is under no illusions about the task ahead for Sabaj and Planet Red in this Saturday’s Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, recognizing that everything must fall into place for them to win, but he is doing all he can to optimise their chances.
The Cranbourne trainer, who partners with Michael Kent Jnr, has made a deliberate effort to keep the pair sharp enough to be competitive in the $1 million race over 1400 metres.
While their longer-term spring targets are over greater distances, Price has adjusted their training workloads in preparation for their second-up runs and is pleased with how they have responded.
‘I cut their work down to half-mile (800m), home ‘three’ (600m) on the grass and they were both perky,’ Price said, describing their workout on Saturday morning.
‘Both of those horses, their best distance is 1600 and we’re trying to win a 1400-metre race with them, so I need them jumping up and down a little bit.
‘They’re nice and fresh and they should show up at the end of 1400.’
Planet Red and Sabaj both returned in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on August 29, finishing seventh and last respectively in the twelve-horse event won by Beiwacht.
For Planet Red, that race was the starting point for a campaign aimed at the $10 million Group 1 Golden Eagle (1400m) on October 31, while Sabaj’s main goal is the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) seven days later.
Both are slated to head to those races via the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) on October 10, and Price indicated that this weekend’s engagement is the ideal entry point for that race.
‘That (1400m) is not their ideal distance in a Group 1 handicap on top of the ground where they might run 1:22-something if it’s a good-run race,’ Price commented. ‘But this is the race we want to use to go to the Toorak and they’re both going well.’
Planet Red and Sabaj are among 24 nominations for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, which is also expected to feature Lady Shenandoah, Sepals, and Angel Capital.
This race is one of two $1 million Group 1 races at Caulfield this Saturday, alongside the Underwood Stakes (1800m), which has 15 nominations including Cosmic Crusader, Aeliana, Birdman, Buckaroo, and Lindermann.
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