Ayrton is ready to resume his eventful career after safely negotiating a Cranbourne trial on Monday morning.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained gelding took part in a 990-metre workout on a Heavy 10 track and although not knocked around by Damian Lane he was still able to win under a hold.
The trial was his second serious hitout following a jumpout third placing last Monday and has him on target for the $1 million Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 17.
“He doesn’t really like that wet ground so we didn’t want his head fully let go, we just wanted Damian to hold him together and he was able to win by about half a length,” Kent said.
“He had a good healthy blow after it, so I think it was a good exercise and he’ll take great benefit from that.”
The five-year-old son of Iffraaj has been the subject of good support in Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes betting in the past week and is onto the second line of betting behind Peter Moody’s impressive last-start winner I Wish I Win.
He will be out to improve impeccable records both first-up and at Caulfield, which Kent said made the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes the obvious fresh target.
He is much more forward than first-up last campaign when he won the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m).
“He was off a very long break last time and had only had the one jumpout, this time he only a had a short three-week spell after Queensland and was carrying good residual fitness and has had nice proper build up with two trials,” Kent said.
“He won’t be at peak fitness in the Rupert Clarke, but he’ll be forward enough to run well fresh.
“His fresh record is four from four, he’s also four from four at Caulfield, so we like the plan to go to the Rupert Clarke first up and then three weeks into the Toorak.”
The $1 million Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) will be run at Caulfield on October 8.
Lane has been booked for the first two runs of the campaign with a decision on whether he remains in Melbourne for the $3 million Champions Mile (1600m) or heads to Sydney for the $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) to be made after the Toorak.
