Trainer Mick Price is hopeful he has ironed out Ready For Victory’s wayward habits as he prepares for a return trip to Sydney next month.
The colt is being aimed at the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on September 12 which will be his second run back from a spell.
At his second race start, Ready For Victory threw away any chance of victory when he hung out badly up the Rosehill straight and finished fourth to Vancouver in the Golden Slipper in March.
Ready For Victory is down to trial at Cranbourne on Monday in preparation for his return in the Group Three McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 29.
Price said Ready For Victory was progressing nicely and needed a trial to bring him on for his first-up run.
“He’s in good order and the plan is to run first-up in the McNeil and then go to Sydney for the Golden Rose,” Price said.
“It’s not ideal to be trialling on a heavy ten at Cranbourne, but he needs the hit-out and will be under a good hold the whole way.”
Unbeaten Prince Of Brooklyn is also set to trial at Cranbourne with a return run in the McNeil also on the cards.
Prince Of Brooklyn won his debut at Morphettville before heading to Swan Hill to win the Elvstroem Classic.
“He’s also coming along nicely,” Price said.
“They’re very promising colts and I’m looking forward to the spring with them.”
Their stablemate, champion sprinter Lankan Rupee, is back at Price’s Caulfield stable preparing for a first-up tilt at the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield in October.
Price said Lankan Rupee was over the bone bruising to an off-hind fetlock that accounted for his poor performance in the TJ Smith at Randwick in April.
“He’s in at Caulfield at the moment and he’s very well in himself,” Price said.
“He’s been back a couple of weeks after pre-training in New South Wales and he’s in good order.”
The Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on October 23 and the Darley Classic at Flemington on November 7 are the Group One targets for Lankan Rupee in the spring.
