Ready For Victory has been included in the 2016 CS Hayes Stakes field and trainer Mick Price could not be happier with the talented colt ahead of the Group 3 event at Flemington on Saturday.
Ready For Victory will have the chance to return to winning form in the 2016 CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Ready For Victory returned to the races in the Group 3 Manfred Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 6 and he was blocked for a run until the final 100 metres, but he was still able to produce a strong closing sectional to finish third behind Puritan and Golden Spin.
The Group 1 Australian Guineas at Flemington on March 5 over a mile is the major 2016 Melbourne Festival Of Racing goal for Ready For Victory and Price is confident that the More Than Ready colt will produce an improved performance when he steps up to 1400 metres for the CS Hayes Stakes this weekend.
“He is really well and I am really happy with that horse,” Price said.
“He is running here and then into the Australian Guineas.
“He is a gross colt and you need to stay on top of him.
“He ran third in a Caulfield Guineas and that is the way he is going, he is going 1400 into the Caulfield Guineas.
“I am really happy with him, he hasn’t missed any work and he is pretty spot on.
“We will see how we go.”
Price does not have a runner in the 2016 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington, a race that he won 12 months ago with Lankan Rupee, but he will be represented in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) by debutant Battle Order.
The leading Melbourne trainer has already produced two leading Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes contenders in the form of Extreme Choice and Flying Artie and he would not be surprised if Battle Order ran a very strong race in the Talindert Stakes.
“He trialed at Cranbourne and it was a good trial,” Price said.
“I think that he will give a bit of cheek down the straight.
“He has done enough to be thinking that he will run well and on race day if he finds something under pressure that we haven’t quite seen it will be all well and good.
“We had a few temperament issues last time, but he has had a spell and some education and he seems good now.
“He will run well.”
Ready For Victory is currently available at 2016 CS Hayes Stakes odds of $6 with Ladbrokes and he is on the second line of betting behind the clear favourite Palentino ($3.20).
