Mick Price is again relying on the big race experience of champion jockey Hugh Bowman in his bid for an elusive victory in the world’s richest juvenile race.
Price will start Jacquinot in Saturday’s $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill, twelve months after he and Bowman combined with free-running favourite Profiteer, who led but tired to finish seventh to Stay Inside.
In Jacquinot, Price has a completely different style of horse and one he believes Bowman’s signature patient style of riding will suit.
The son of Rubick has settled off the speed and finished strongly in all three starts, most recently in the Blue Diamond Stakes when he motored home for third behind Daumier and Revolutionary Miss.
Blinkers go on Jacquinot in the Slipper and while the colt will need luck in the run, Price sees Bowman as the right man for the job.
“I still think with the speed in the Slipper, he is going to be midfield at best, or rear thereof, and he’s going to need a nice passage through,” Price said.
“But Hughie Bowman is good in these big races and I think the horse will light up when he goes for him.
“He has just got to be good enough on the day.”
Crystal Lily in 2010 is the last Victorian-trained horse to win the Golden Slipper, although she did have a lead-up run in Sydney, winning the Sweet Embrace Stakes en route.
While Jacquinot has done all his racing in Melbourne, he has plenty of experience galloping in the reverse direction and Price is comfortable the colt will have no issue racing clockwise.
“He has worked the reverse way several times and on the tight inside grass at his very first gallop he wavered, but since then he has been fantastic,” Price said.
Jacquinot is due to travel to Sydney on Wednesday night.
While Price, who now trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, is yet to win a Golden Slipper he has produced a couple of placegetters with Samaready and Flying Artie finishing third in 2012 and 2016 respectively.
Jacquinot came up with gate 11 at Tuesday’s barrier draw and at $13 is regarded as Victoria’s best Slipper chance.
