Ready For Victory has drifted out to 2015 McNeil Stakes odds of $4.40, but trainer Mick Price believes that the talented colt has the edge over his stablemate Prince Of Brooklyn in the Group 3 event at Caulfield tomorrow.
Ready For Victory is one of two Mick Price-trained runners in the 2015 McNeil Stakes at Caulfield this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Prince Of Brooklyn has been easily the best-backed runner in McNeil Stakes betting markets and he is now into $3.20 after opening at $5.50 earlier in the week, but Price told Racing Ahead this morning that he has always been of the opinion that Ready For Victory is a faster horse than his stablemate and is leaning his way in the McNeil Stakes tomorrow.
“Prince Of Brooklyn is coming off a shorter break, so he is pretty damn fit,” Price said.
“His trial was excellent and won’t be beaten on the score of fitness that is for sure.
“I think if I lined the two of them up in a normal gallop, which I hadn’t, I think Ready For Victory has a bit better sectional on him.
“Prince Of Brooklyn is a lovely horse, he is a big strong brute and you will see him head to the Caulfield Guineas.
“It will be a very interesting race.
“I think on overall class, Ready For Victory might have a little bit of a shade on him, but we will see what happens.
“He is going to be pretty good tomorrow and his last furlong is going to be pretty good.”
Ready For Victory made his racing debut with an impressive win in the Listed Festival Of Racing 1000 (1000m) at Flemington on March 7 and he went on to Sydney to finish a gallant fourth in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 before he finished midfield in the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 6.
The More Than Ready colt is set to head to Sydney for the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on September 12 before he returns to Melbourne for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10.
Prince Of Brooklyn will defend his unbeaten record in the 2015 McNeil Stakes tomorrow after he took out both the Group 3 National Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 16 and the Elvstroem Classic (1300m) at Swan Hill on June 5, but is unlikely to head to the Golden Rose Stakes even if he were to win the McNeil Stakes tomorrow afternoon.
