Stablemates Extreme Choice and Flying Artie have come through their final gallop in top order in the lead up to the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
Golden Slipper favourite Extreme Choice, above, has come through his final gallop in great order. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Mick Price trained colts are at the top of the Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au with Extreme Choice the $2.90 favourite ahead of Flying Artie at $6.
Extreme Choice is undefeated from three starts and looked exceptional in winning the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 27 from Flying Artie who made up ground late.
The two Melbourne colts have settled in well into their new surroundings in Sydney and Price was very happy with the way the pair worked on the course proper at Rosehill this morning, running the home the final 400m in 23.41s at the end of the their 1000m gallop.
“(Rosehill-based trainer) Gerald (Ryan) said to me if they’re at 24.50 (for the last 400m) the work is very good, anything under that is excellent,” Price said.
“I think they were 23.41. It reminded me of the work they do at home. They’re pretty spot on.”
Blue Diamond Stakes winning jockey Craig Newitt was on hand to steer Extreme Choice around in the gallop and Damien Oliver also made the trip from Melbourne to partner Flying Artie.
Oliver conceded that Extreme Choice worked the better of the two and handled the Sydney way of going better but was confidence Flying Artie would gain a heap of experience from the work out.
“The other horse probably worked a bit better,” Oliver said.
“We got a bit lost coming out wide, we probably should have stayed in. We didn’t know where we should go coming out the chute.
“Extreme Choice had a bit more experience going this way around, but I would expect Flying Artie would improve following that gallop.”
Newitt was happy with the work of Extreme Choice and said he just felt like his usual self.
“He ran real well. He was just his usual self, nice and relaxed,” Newitt said.
He’s unbeaten, so it’s full steam ahead.”
Price brought Extreme Choice to Sydney for his first race start to score a two lengths win in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 12.
The Not A Single Doubt colt then scored a runaway four and half lengths win in the Group 3 $150,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on February 6 before completing his hat trick of wins with victory in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
Flying Artie has also been to the races on three occasions for a win and two seconds.
The Artie Schiller colt was narrowly beaten first up when second to Power Trip in the Group 3 $150,000 racing.com Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) at Flemington November 7 and then scored an impressive come from behind win in the Group 3 $200,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on February 13 prior to running second in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
