Tarzino’s Spring Goals still undecided

Caulfield trainer Mick Price has his Victoria Derby winner Tarzino shaping up well for the upcoming Spring Carnival but is yet to set a major goal for the rising four year old.

Tarzino, above, could be headed towards the Caulfield Cup at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Tarzino, above, could be headed towards the Caulfield Cup at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Price is still working out where he will go first up with Tarzino who could head towards the major staying races or stick to a weight for age campaign.

Tarzino’s early Spring form will determine if he heads towards 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 the first Tuesday in November.

“I need to sit down today and plot a course with him and try and work out where we go first-up, 1400m is probably a waste of time,” Price told racing.com.

“I’m really happy with him. His temperament’s great, he’s put on the right amount of weight, he’s not too gross and he’s looking good.”

“I’m thinking the Caulfield Cup but the Cox Plate has got to be right there for him.”

Price hasn’t ruled out taking on the weight for age horses in the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22 then two weeks later into the Group 1 $2m Emirates Stakes (2000m), formerly the Mackinnon Stakes, at Flemington on the last day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

“I wouldn’t say no to anything but to win a Cox Plate I think he’d need to have the edge right on him and have a good deal of freshness,” Price said.

“I know the Cox Plate can be a grinding race but if you run in the Caulfield Cup and then think you’re going to back up in a Cox Plate then you’re going to need to be pretty damn smart.

“If you do miss the Melbourne Cup and run in the Cox Plate that can then funnel into the Mackinnon too so he does have a lot of options but once we get to the pointy end (of the spring) we’ll make those sort of decisions based on how the horse is.”

Tarzino proved to be the superior staying three year old during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival when he scored a two lengths win in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.

Price then campaigned the Tavistock colt in the Autumn and after finishing second to Palentino in the Group 1 $750,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington travelled to Sydney to collect his second Group 1 trophy with a win over Montaigne in the Group 1 $600,000 Sky Racing Rosehill Guineas (2000m) at Rosehill.

Tarzino was then sent out as the short priced favourite for the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick but the race wasn’t run to suit and he struggled into fourth place behind the Kiwi gelding Tavago.

In early Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au Tarzino is currently the second pick at $17 behind Winx at $15 while in the Melbourne Cup he is marked as a $21 chance.

The Chris Waller trained Winx also heads up the market order for the Cox Plate at $2.80 with Tarzino listed at $26.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.