Trainer Mick Price has revealed that champion sprinter Lankan Rupee may make an appearance at the races in winter, with a view towards targeting The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick during the forthcoming Spring Carnival.
Champion sprinter Lankan Rupee is on track to return to the races in winter. Photo: Sarah Ebbett
A five-time winner at the highest level of racing, Lankan Rupee’s recent career has been plagued by injury and he has not been seen at the races since running a handy fourth in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington in November.
Underlining either the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) or Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m); both run at Caulfield in July as his likely next point of call, Price said that he is pleased with the continually building condition of the Redoute’s Choice gelding and will look to set the horse on a path towards The Everest in spring.
“I think the timing will allow us to run in either the Monash or the Bletchingly,” Price told Racing Victoria.
“He had a long while off so I’ll just bring him along slowly but the horse is thriving and is perfectly sound and is like he was a year ago.
“The expressions of interest for The Everest come out very shortly so we’ll see what happens.
“At the end of his last preparation I was concerned about whether he was going to hit out in his races, he wasn’t hitting out properly so race day will give us a good idea of where he’s at and then we’ll work it out from there.”
Lankan Rupee has posted an impressive record of eleven wins and eight minors through only twenty-six career starts, since making his debut in the spring 2012.
Undoubtedly finding career-best form to date through the 2014 edition of the Autumn Carnival, Lankan Rupee won the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) first-up before posting consecutive wins in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).
Winning the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) during the proceeding Spring Carnival most notably, Lankan Rupee returned in 2015 for his most recent Group 1 win in the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) and has since only made a handful of appearances as a result of his injuries.
Lankan Rupee is currently considered a $26 shot in early The Everest betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
