Mick Price will rely on Testa My Patience in the Pink Ribbon Cup at Caulfield while stablemate Sheila’s Star will run in the City Of Adelaide Handicap at Morphettville.
Price accepted with both horses in Saturday’s Listed Pink Ribbon Cup (1400m) but Sheila’s Star is first emergency in the field limited to 12 runners with the rail out 13 metres.
“We did a ring around the other trainers to get an idea if Sheila’s Star would get a start but they are all running,” Price said.
“So she’ll be running in Adelaide and she’ll go tonight (Thursday).
“She’s drawn barrier one and she’ll have a good chance there as she would have had she been running here at Caulfield.
“She deserves black type and hopefully she can win in Adelaide with Clare Lindop riding.”
Sheila’s Star, after her fourth straight win after wins at Sale and Caulfield (twice), is on the minimum weight of 54kg in the $80,000 City Of Adelaide Hcp (1400m).
“If she was to win in Adelaide her rating goes up and we can get runs in the right races in the spring and I’d be giving her a good spell,” Price said.
Testa My Patience, the winner of seven races including the Group Two Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley last spring, will be ridden by Peter Mertens in the $100,000 Pink Ribbon Cup and will jump from gate eight if both emergencies come out.
“Testa My Patience is ready to win. I’d like to see a little bit of rain to soften up the sectionals in that race,” the Caulfield trainer said.
“He’s a horse that always takes a couple of runs. He’s a big, plain, gross sort of gelding.
“He’s very fit and he’ll be hitting the line really well. He’s a winning chance.”
Sheila’s Star is $2.70 favourite with TAB Sportsbet at Caulfield ahead of Freereturn at $3.50, Pago Rock at $5, Under The Eiffel at $5.50, with Dusty Star and Testa My Patience at $8.
The Jason Warren-trained Freereturn is after his fifth straight win following victories at Sale, Moonee Valley, Sandown and again at Moonee Valley when resuming over 1200m on March 31.
Andrew Mallyon, who has won twice on the Rubiton five-year-old, including his first-up victory, retains the mount on the gelding who faces his toughest test to date.
“There’s quite a lot of depth in this race. He’s one of about half a dozen chances and he’s in great order,” Warren said.
Co-trainers Lee and Shannon Hope have scratched Gold Sand from the City Of Adelaide Handicap in the hope that the gelding who is second emergency in the Pink Ribbon Cup gains a start.
