Lankan Rupee ready to step up after winning Heffernan Stakes

In form sprinter Lankan Rupee could be on an ambitious Autumn Carnival path after winning the Group 3 $135,000 TMB Printing Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield today.

Lankan Rupee will be aimed at the Autumn sprint races.

Lankan Rupee will be aimed at the Autumn sprint races. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Lankan Rupee made a successful step up to weight for age and trainer Mick Price will now look to the Autumn sprint races for the Redoute’s Choice four year old.

Lankan Rupee has now won three form his last four starts as he worked his way through the classes and Price put his consistent improvement down to him being gelded.

“Now he is gelded, he is more settled. The blinkers were a result of him being a colt, we took the blinkers off and got a good result.”

“I thought he was really good today. We were there to see if he could run a strong 1200m, he did, and it opens a lot of options up for him.”

“It puts him in the paddock for the Autumn now I guess.”

Price will sit down and go through the Autumn Carnival sprint races with the revamped Sydney Autumn Carnival catching his attention with the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April now worth $2.5 million.

“We will probably have to look at that Autumn Carnival, with all those big dollars in the Autumn Carnival. What’s the T J Smith worth?” Price asked.

Winning jockey Craig Newitt has Lankan Rupee out of the gates quickly and took up position in the first four with She Can Skate putting on a brisk tempo up front.

Newitt was able to stick to the fence and Lankan Rupee ($15) was able to finish off strongly to score a two and a quarter lengths win over Hot Snitzel ($10), who also finished hard to knock out Famous Seamus ($7.50) for the runner’s up prize.

The Darren Weir trained Platelet started the $3.50 favourite, was always back in the ruck and failed to finish the race off to wind up in eleventh spot.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.