Ground, ground and more ground is what Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr are hoping for when Highly Regarded steps up in trip at Flemington.
The Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) on Friday is on the agenda for the three-year-old who will be lining up for his fourth race start and looking for his maiden victory.
To date Highly Regarded is yet to place, with his best finishing effort being a fourth-place finish in a 2050m maiden at Mornington on April 6.
But Price is confident a staying trip is what Highly Regarded is looking for.
“He’s an immature type of staying horse. He’s getting there slowly and surely,” Price said.
“I think it is worthwhile having a try at a 2800-metre race. It does get a little bit restricted that race albeit they sometimes back-up into the South Australian Derby.”
Price said the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on May 3 could also be on the agenda for Highly Regarded, depending on his performance on Friday.
“It’s only a week between those two races now, so he’ll go there to Flemington, and we’ll see how he goes and then make a decision,” Price said.
The South Australian Derby is likely to come on the agenda for Global Eclipse who broke through for his maiden win over 2025m at Cranbourne on April 18.
Price said it was pleasing to see Global Eclipse finally break through after running placings, twice at Sandown and then at Geelong in his previous three starts.
“Ben Melham texted me on Friday night and said to have a think about the South Australian Derby with him,” Price said.
“He’s a real staying type of horse. It was slowly run race that 2025-metre maiden and I see the other 2025-metre maiden that we won there with Hurricane Georgie, was four seconds faster.
“They did walk in Global Eclipses race, but Melham obviously liked him.
“He’s a big, long horse, that is quite strong, so he might go over.”
