An explosive piece of work at Cranbourne on Tuesday has the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable brimming with confidence about the upcoming preparation of Lombardo.
The last start Group 1 winner of The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville in May, could not be held slow enough in his work according to Price ahead of his first-up run in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
“He was supposed to run a half-mile (800m), home three (600m) on the heavy grass track and he took off,” Price said.
“He’s ready to go and I think he’ll run very well.”
Saturday’s Regal Roller Stakes will be a precursor to Group 1 sprints for Lombardo later in the spring.
One race Price had originally earmarked for Lombardo, the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 27, has been scratched from the sprinter’s agenda.
Instead, the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley and the Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington are options.
“We’ll get over Saturday first, but I had a stupid idea of maybe running in the Memsie, just thinking that he might be the one that goes to the front and sits up.
“Does he get 1400 metres? I’m not 100 per cent comfortable with that idea, so if not, he’ll have to stick to the 1200-metre races and hopefully he’s better around places like Moonee Valley.
“So, I think I’ll have to run in the Manikato and hopefully he can pinch one of those races.
“He hasn’t been good enough in the good Group 1’s, but he may be that little bit better now and maybe we can be a little bit more ambitious with him.”
Price said with the best Sydney sprinters likely to stay in NSW chasing a slice of a $6 million bonus, there was an opportunity for a sprinter like Lombardo to claim a Group 1 sprint.
“Absolute right time, right place, right run in the race, maybe he could get away with one,” Price said.
“I’m always looking for options and this year might be an opportune time for a horse like him.”
