A pleasing track gallop has trainer Mick Price convinced Lankan Rupee can continue his winning ways in the McEwen Stakes.
Rated the world’s best sprinter, Lankan Rupee was the first onto the track at Moonee Valley on Tuesday morning and worked with stablemate Lion Of Belfort over 800m.
Lankan Rupee shaded his galloping partner to set up his return to racing in Saturday’s McEwan – a Group Two sprint.
And while Price concedes racing can be unpredictable, he believes the sprinter poised for a winning return.
“I’ll be pretty smashed up if he doesn’t perform right up to his best and run really well on Saturday. I think he’ll win,” Price said.
Lankan Rupee sat off Lion Of Belfort before joining him on his outside and pleasing jockey Craig Newitt with the way he approached the finishing part of the gallop.
“Craig just said he’s flying,” Price said.
“I was happy with the working partner, something to chase up and to me he (Lankan Rupee) had a lot up his sleeve and I know Craig’s opinion is the same.”
His McEwan opposition is set to include speedy three-year-old filly Eloping who pleased co-trainer Peter Morgan with her gallop with Linda Meech aboard.
She was clocked to run a slightly faster final 400m than Lankan Rupee in beating stablemate Lady Trickster.
Meech rides Eloping in the McEwen and Morgan is hoping the filly strikes Lankan Rupee when he is his most vulnerable.
“I thought it was a very nice gallop for her,” Morgan said.
“She’s still got a bit of a coat on her, she hasn’t changed since she was winning during the autumn. But everything is in good order with her.”
New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin wants to start Cauthen in Saturday’s Listed Drummond Golf (1200m) but if he sprinter doesn’t make the field, Cauthen will take his chances in the McEwen.
