Caulfield and Melbourne Cup hopeful Tarzino will be asked to race in a more forward position when he steps out in the Group 1 $500,000 Yellowglen Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Sunday.
Trainer Mick Price is hoping Tarzino, above, will race in a more forward position in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Steve Hart.
Trainer Mick Price wants to revert back to the tactics that saw Tarzino win the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill during the Sydney Autumn Carnival when he raced just behind the leaders.
Craig Newitt had Tarzino travelling sweetly in third and fourth position and the then three year old powered away from his opposition in the straight to record a one and three quarter lengths victory.
“Hopefully we draw a gate to put him up there and in the race a bit more,” Price told racing.com.
“We came to this position as an autumn three-year-old in the Rosehill Guineas, I didn’t want to get back on him then – banged him out of the gates, and he wins.”
Price hasn’t lost faith in 2015 Victoria Derby winner who has been settling well back in the field when beaten at his three Spring Carnival runs to date, all in unsuitable weight for age races according to the Caulfield trainer.
“Those weight-for-age races aren’t suiting him,” Price said.
“He’s out the back … it would be nice to be a bit more tactical and be within striking distance in the race.
“Where he was in the Underwood, when they put the foot down … with The Cleaner spreading them out, and Jacquinot Bay taking them up … he’s not making that ground and running those sectionals.
“But he’s going well, and we’re looking forward to the Turnbull on Sunday.”
Tarzino resumed from a spell for an eighth to Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 27 followed by a tenth to Palentino in the Group 1 $500,000 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 10.
Price then took the blinkers off the Tavistock four year old before the Group 1 $500,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield last Saturday but he still raced near the tail of the field from a wide barrier and struggled t0 make up ground in the straight to finish eighth to Darren Weir trained Black Heart Bart again.
The Turnbull Stakes in run under set weights plus penalties conditions and Tarzino will carry 58kg, 1kg less than the topweight Preferment.
Tarzino is among the nominations for the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 15 and the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 1 and is slowly slipping down the market order for both following his three ordinary Spring Carnival runs.
In Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au Tarzino is marked at $26 while in the Melbourne Cup he is listed as a $51 chance.
