Fitna will be making her racing debut when she contests the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday, but trainer Mick Price is already eyeing the 2014 Thousand Guineas with the talented filly.
Glen Boss has been booked to ride Fitna in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap at Flemington tomorrow. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Fitna will be making her first public appearance when she takes on a field of lightly raced two-year-olds, which includes the well-bred Beluga Caviar and Price told Racing Ahead this morning that he believes the daughter of Fastnet Rock will run in the placings and stamp herself as a potential 2014 Spring Racing Carnival contender.
“She’s a nice big, strong filly and I’m hoping that she can be a Thousand Guineas filly,” Price said.
“She only has to run in the first three for us to be pleased with her, but she’ll be a nice filly over the mile.
“There’s a couple of nice horses that have had good debuts in the race and it’s not going to be an easy race to win, but our expectations are that she’ll run in the first three or four.”
Price said that he will be leaving the riding instructions up to jockey Glen Boss, but revealed that Fitna is unlikely to take up the running in the early stages of the race from barrier ten and is hoping that the two-year-old will be able to find some cover.
The only concern that Price has heading into the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap is the threat of wet weather in Melbourne and he said that Fitna would be unable to perform at her best if she ran into a rain affected surface.
“She doesn’t handle the choppy ground,” Price said.
“I galloped her here at Caulfield last Saturday on a heavy track and she was no good on it so I think the track at Flemington should be OK for her.
“I would love to see her ridden with a bit of cover and hopefully she can follow the right horse and get a trail into the race.”
Fitna ($4.20) is currently a narrow favourite in betting market for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap from Belugia Caviar ($4.40), Dupe’Em ($5), Raposo ($6) and Tan Tat Diamond ($6).
Price is chasing his second win in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) after winning the 2008 edition of the race with Gallica.
