PB Lawrence Stakes reduced to 12 runners

Lankan Rupee has been officially withdrawn from the P B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield to run in the Spring Stakes in Adelaide.

Trainer Mick Price has also scratched Duke Of Brunswick from Saturday’s P B Lawrence because of his outside barrier, leaving a field of 12 for the Group Two weight-for-age race over 1400m.

Price had accepted with Lankan Rupee in both the Lawrence and the Spring Stakes on Wednesday but said the the 1200m-race in Adelaide, 13 days after the gelding resumed from a lengthy lay-off, was better for the horse.

Lankan Rupee, the former world’s highest ranked sprinter, is the $1.65 favourite for the Group Three Spring Stakes at Morphettville after resuming with a second to in-form Ability in the Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Sandown.

He will be chasing his first win since the Group One Lightning Stakes in February 2015, having been restricted to just four starts in the past two years because of injury.

Multiple Group One winner Black Heart Bart is the $2.60 CrownBet favourite for the Lawrence ahead of Hartnell at $3.20.