Price Pleased with Lankan Rupee Ahead of Spring

Trainer Mick Price is pleased with the condition of champion sprinter Lankan Rupee, after the multiple Group 1 winner returned to his Caulfield stables and light duties last week.

Lankan Rupee is reportedly in great condition ahead of the 2016 Spring Carnival. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell

Lankan Rupee is reportedly in great condition ahead of the 2016 Spring Carnival. Photo: Adrienne Bicknell

A multiple Group 1 winner and once the highest rated sprinter in the world, Lankan Rupee has not been seen at the races since suffering a ligament injury during the running of the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) in October last year; a race for which he had started a clear odds-on favourite.

Price told Racing Victoria that the seven-year-old has been filled with energy since his return to the stables and while yet to settle on a specific spring target, hinted that races like the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) are likely to figure.

“He has been bouncing around the stable like a two-year-old which is really pleasing,” Price said.

“There is always some doubt whether older horses still want to do it when they come back from a long break with injury, but all the signs are good at this stage.

“We are going to get him clipped on Monday, he is looking great.

“I’ll let him tell us when he is ready, I don’t want to rush anything and if he is right, there are plenty of options for him. The back end of the spring is when he is likely to be ready.”

Lankan Rupee has been a standout performer for Price throughout his entire racing career so far; posting eleven wins and a further seven minors through a total of twenty-four competitive starts.

Undoubtedly finding career-best form to date through the 2014 edition of the Autumn Carnival, Lankan Rupee jogged home to win the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) first-up before posting consecutive wins in each of the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

Taking out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) most notably in spring of the same year, Lankan Rupee resumed in 2015 for a dominant win in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1000m) in February, but failed to make anything of an impact in either of the Newmarket Handicap or TJ Smith Stakes.

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Jared Timms

Jared graduated with a journalism degree in 2011. He is a keen sports fan and has enjoyed many accolades for his lively writing style and comprehensive coverage of major sporting events and horse racing. Today, you can find Jared cheering on his beloved Manchester City with a beer in hand.