
Sydney-bound stayers Warmonger and Lastotchka are set to kick off their campaign at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained pair are slated to compete against each other in the Group 3 JRA Plate (1600m).
Both Warmonger and Lastotchka are on a path to the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 29 and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick the following month.
Both trialled at Geelong last week in preparations for their returns.
Kent Jnr said the stable did the right thing by Warmonger in abandoning Melbourne Cup aspirations last year with the stayer who enjoyed extra time in the paddock after finishing eighth in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in October.
“He will have a Sydney focussed campaign with circles around the Tancred Stakes and the Sydney Cup,” Kent Jnr said.
“He’s only had the one run Sydney way, and that was in the Queensland Derby (which he won by 10-½ lengths) and he seems to go really well that way of going.
“I feel we’ll have a good prep with him.
“It’s never easy when you come out of winter three-year-old races against your own age to be then throw into the deep end in the spring against open company against all comers from around the world when you’re a lightly raced immature four-year-old.
“Now we’re five months later on and he’s really grown and changed.”
Kent Jnr said that showed in Warmonger’s Geelong trial where he worked home over 1200m.
He said Warmonger knew he had had that trial, having a good blow, but the outing has brought him on well for Saturday’s contest.
“The horse is in terrific order, and we’re excited at what the autumn may hold.”
Former French galloper Lastotchka has not raced since finishing 13th to Without A Fight in the 2023 Melbourne Cup at her only Australian appearance.
When preparing for last year’s spring carnival, Lastotchka suffered a bout of colic which eventually required surgery.
Lastotchka trialled over 1500m at Geelong last week, finishing third.
“She’ll kick off over a mile, and we’ll get her up in trip pretty quickly and work backwards from the Sydney Cup,” Kent Jnr said.
“I think it’s obvious for her to have a go at a race like that. She loves getting her toe in the ground, although I don’t think she needs it, but she’s a real stayer.”