In-form jockey Brett Prebble had his first ride on highly fancied Cups contender Incentivise in a trial at Pakenham on Monday.
Yet to race for new trainer Peter Moody, Incentivise was given an easy time in the 1190m opening heat of Monday’s trials.
Incentive, a winner of six of his nine starts in Queensland for part-owner Steve Tregea, is set to run first-up in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 11.
Prebble, who burst back into Group 1 winning form aboard Behemoth in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last Saturday, described Incentivise as a “Group 1 horse” in the making.
“He’s a proper horse,” Prebble told RSN.
“He’s got a great action, a great temperament and a great set of lungs.
“It’s going to be interesting, but I think he will run a respectable race over a mile for sure.”
Monday’s trial was conducted on a Heavy 9 surface and Prebble said the son of Shamus Award would have no trouble handling rain-affected ground during the spring.
“He didn’t miss a beat out there,” Prebble said.
“Onwards and upwards. He feels like a quality stayer.”
Prebble got the call up to ride Incentivise last Friday when Glen Boss was ordered back to NSW after spending a short period in Howard Springs quarantining ahead of a planned trip to Melbourne.
Boss had been booked to ride Incentivise in his Melbourne campaign including the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, for which he is favourite in both races at $7 and $11 respectively.
Prebble was also the beneficiary of Jamie Kah’s three-month suspension on a COVID breach last week when he picked up the ride on Behemoth.
“Four days ago, my phone wasn’t ringing,” Prebble said.
“I’m very appreciative of it.”
