Lugging bit added to Ready For Victory for Inglis Sires

Caulfield trainer Mick Price is confident that his two year old Ready For Victory will go straight in the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires (1400m) with the addition of a lugging bit at Randwick on Saturday.

Melbourne Colt Ready For Victory has a lugging bit added to his gear for the Inglis Sires at Randwick. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Melbourne Colt Ready For Victory has a lugging bit added to his gear for the Inglis Sires at Randwick. Photo by Adrienne Bicknell.

Melbourne colt Ready For Victory blew his chances in the Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 21 at only his second race start when he ran off the track over the concluding stages when one and three quarter lengths fourth to the Gai Waterhouse trained Vancouver.

But Price can’t fault the More Than Ready colt’s work since and said he has shown no more tendencies to run off the track in his work since.

“The only gear change we have made was putting the ring bit on, the lugging bit, which is the same gear that most of these Melbourne two year olds wear anyway,” Price said.

“But he has a couple of gallops and went as straight as a gun barrel, perfect as he was before the Slipper.”

“I think that he just sort of shied  away from English before the corner and that set him off on a trail and just went sideways up the straight and the scoreboard is Gai six, Mick none.”

Vancouver was Waterhouse’s sixth win in the richest two year old race in the world but opted to send him to the paddock leaving Golden Slipper runner up English as the top Randwick trainer’s only runner in the Inglis Sires on the first day of ‘The Championships’.

Sydney has received a drenching over the last couple of days but Price is fairly certain the wet track won’t affect the chances of Read For Victory.

“My man in Sydney tells me that they had a thumping amount of rain this morning there,” Price said.

“I am looking forward to it of course, I don’t think it will worry them.”

“Ready For Victory, it will be his first time on wet ground, but the More Than Ready’s handle it and he is out of a Zabeel mare so I’m saying he handles it.”

Ready For Victory was an impressive winner on debut in the Listed $120,000 Festival Of Racing 1000 (1000m) down the Flemington straight on March 7 before Price decided to take on the top level in the Golden Slipper.

This week’s assignment won’t be any easier and as well as taking on English again, he will be up against the Peter And Paul Snowden Pride Of Dubai who is coming off a win in the Group 1 $1m Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28.

Top Melbourne jockey Nick Hall has been aboard Ready For Victory at his two starts to date and will be on top again on Saturday.

Also well in contention for the Inglis Sires is the Peter Moody trained Pasadena Girl who is unbeaten from two race starts and Chris Waller’s smart filly Always Allison who has won two from three.

Connections of Pasadena Girl paid the late entry fee of $22,000 to gain a start in the Sires after winning the Group 3 $150,000 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on March 14 while Always Allison has to bounce back from finishing seventh as favourite in the Group 2 $175,000 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 14.

Inglis Sires market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 Pride Of Dubai, $4.60 English, $4.80 Ready For Victory, $6 Pasadena Girl, $13 Odyssey Moon, Always Allison, $15 Tarquin, $19 Rageese, $26 Mishani Honcho, Perignon, $101 Queen Of Wands.

 

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.