Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr remain upbeat despite the unplaced effort of Profiteer in Group 1 company at The Valley.

Having his first start at weight-for-age and fifth career start, Profiteer was sent out favourite in the Moir Stakes (1000m) last Friday night, finishing sixth behind Wild Ruler.

Despite the defeat, Kent Jr said the stable would press on to their main target of the spring, the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on October 30.

Profiteer will have one start prior to that, the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 13.

Kent Jr said a crossover noseband was likely to be added to Profiteer’s gear for that assignment.

“He’s got to do it our way,” Kent Jr said.

“He needs to rate himself a bit better. Possibly over a bit further he might do that.”

Kent Jr said Profiteer had pulled-up well following the race but said the colt got into an awkward position in a speed battle on Friday night.

“We were a bit of a meat in the sandwich with Ballistic Lover on the inside and Swats That on the outside,” Kent Jr said.

“He’s a young, inexperienced colt up against those more experienced horses.

“But I think he’ll be hard to beat in the Blue Sapphire and the Coolmore will suit him beautifully.

“Arguably his best performance was down the straight at his first start, that was his best win.”

Profiteer scored over 1100m on the Flemington straight course on debut defeating Ranveer before heading to Sydney to win the Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick in February.

He was narrowly defeated by Anamoe in the Todman Stakes at Randwick in March before running a fading seventh to Stay Inside in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill to wind up his two-year-old campaign.