Mick Price will saddle up two runners, Instinction and Proliferate, in the $755,000 Australian Guineas at Flemington in a bid to win the Group One race for a third time.
Fresh from his first Blue Diamond Stakes success with new Golden Slipper favourite Samaready, Price has engaged Diamond-winning jockey Craig Newitt for Instinction while Michael Walker will ride Proliferate.
Price and Newitt combined to win the Guineas with Light Fantastic in 2008 and with Heart Of Dreams in 2009.
Exceed And Excel colt Instinction completed a hat-trick with his first-up win in the Zeditave Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on January 26.
He raced wide without cover when a 1-1/4 length third behind That’s The One and Decircles in the C S Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on February 18.
Last spring, More Than Ready colt Proliferate completed a hat-trick when winning the Myer Fashion Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on VRC Oaks day.
He was slowly away but worked home well to run second to Pied A Terre when resuming in the Group Two Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 11.
Instinction is a $9 fourth pick in the betting with TAB Sportsbet which has Helmet a $2.80 favourite ahead of Mosheen at $6.50 and That’s The One at $7.
VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Mosheen will be the only filly in the Guineas as last Saturday’s Group Two Angus Armanasco Stakes (1600m) runner-up Soft Sand will be reserved for the Group Two Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday week.
Mosheen will be striving to become the fourth filly to win the race, emulating Shamrocker (2011), Miss Finland (2007) and Triscay (1991).
Trainer Pat Hyland, who ran second with the filly Saleous in 1996 to Flying Spur, is hoping Shanghai Warrior can sneak into the race.
The Elvstroem colt, who has raced four times for two wins and two second placings, broke through for his first metropolitan success with a tough effort when stepping up to 1600m, the Guineas trip, for the first time at the Sandown Hillside meeting last Wednesday.
He is 29th of 31 in the ballot order to make the field of 16 plus four emergencies.
“I’ve got a pretty good opinion of the horse and I think he’s going to make a darn good horse next spring,” Hyland said.
“Helmet and Mosheen got beaten at their last starts and it’s a big money race.
“We might just have a crack at them and then put him away.”
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