Beaten Caulfield Guineas favourite Rich Enuff is still in contention to run in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Trainer Ken Keys has reported that Rich Enuff had pulled up in fine order after a gallant second to Shooting To Win in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield last Saturday and will freshened the colt up for the scamper up the Flemington straight in three weeks.
“We’ll just see how he goes this week but I’m leaning to running him in the Coolmore,” Keys told Racing.com.
“There would have to be something untoward with him for us not to press on I would think and at the moment he seems to have pulled up really well.”
Even though Keys is adamant that Rich Enuff can handle the 1600m in the future, he will keep the Written Tycoon three year old to the shorter sprinting distances during the Autumn Carnival.
“I have no doubt about him getting a mile but he’s just got so much brilliance we don’t have to rush to get him back there,” Keys said.
Rich Enuff was left in front in the middle stages of the Caulfield Guineas and didn’t settle as well as jockey Michael Rodd has anticipated and was grabbed in the last fifty metres by Shooting To Win who had a sweet run in behind the leaders.
While Shooting To Win went to the line at the end of the mile the stronger of the two, Keys is certain that the 1600m is not beyond his colt.
“It was the right race it was just unfortunate with how the race was run,” Keys said.
“Obviously there’s a degree of disappointment and I was feeling a bit sad until I looked at the prize money and then I felt a bit better.”
Rodd told connections after the race that the $1.80 favourite failed to come back under him after beginning quickly from a wide barrier, but he added that Rich Enuff tried his heart out when challenged by eventual winner Shooting To Win.
“He didn’t do himself any favours once we crossed,” Rodd said.
“He didn’t spit the bridle out and I just wrestled with him all the way down the back there.”
“Really all he needed to do was relax for a furlong and he wins the race but he was still travelling coming to the 600m.”
“He quickened up nice, but he was just a sitting shot running like that.”
In the latest Coolmore Stud Stakes market order Rich Enuff is at the top of the betting at $3.70 ahead of the Chris Waller trained Brazen Beau and last Saturday’s brilliant Schillaci Stakes winner Rubick at $4.20.
The Bart and James Cummings trained Hallowed Crown and the back in-form Earthquake share the next line of betting at $7.