Mr Individual has done plenty wrong during his racing career to date, but co-trainer Leon Corstens is confident that the talented colt can win the 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude if he behaves himself in the Group 3 event at Caulfield tomorrow.
Mark Zahra has been booked to ride Mr Individual in the 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Mr Individual made his racing debut with a win at Bendigo on June 11 and he was absolutely truck loaded in betting before the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 29, but he jumped from the gates slowly, hung out for the entire race and almost dislodged jockey Michael Rodd in the final stages of the race.
The Starspangledbanner raced slightly erratically again in the Polytrack Handicap (1200m) at Pakenham on September 16, but he was able to hold-off the talented Faatinah to record his maiden race win.
Corstens revealed that Mr Individual does nothing wrong during his trackwork and he told Racing Ahead that he is hopeful jockey Mark Zahra can settle the three-year-old in the early stages of the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and give him the opportunity to show what he is capable of.
“He has done everything right within himself,” Corstens said.
“I think that tomorrow we have been lucky enough to draw a really good barrier and if he can snag him in behind straight away and he settles, I reckon he will be a real force to contend with.
“He is a little bit skittish around other horses and once he does that type of thing is when the rider tries to fight him and he gets away even more.
“He makes it hard for the rider and himself.
“He is an easy horse and at trackwork you would never ever think that he is the same horse that he is at the races; he just relaxes nicely, puts his head down and goes about his business.
“Race day he just fires up a little bit and the nerves get the better of him.
“I am quietly confident.
“I think that he is a very nice horse in the making.”
Mr Individual is currently available at 2015 Caulfield Guineas Prelude odds of $13 with Ladbrokes and he is on the seventh line of betting behind Mick Price-trained Ready For Victory ($3.30), Pin And Win Stakes winner Bon Aurum ($8.50), Mike Moroney-trained Tulsa ($9.50), the progressive Snoopy ($11), Gai Waterhouse-trained Dark Steel ($11) and last start winner Spieth ($11).
