A clockwise gallop and the likelihood of a heavy track have Mick Price leaning to running the inform La Fracas in a benchmark race at Randwick on Saturday.
Nominated in a pair of 1200m races, a benchmark 84 at Moonee Valley and a benchmark 78 at Randwick, Price will weigh up his options after final fields come out on Wednesday.
La Fracas has won all three starts this campaign at 1200m, winning dominantly on heavy ground at his first two runs before a fast-finishing victory at Flemington on July 19.
Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, said La Fracas worked very well the Sydney way of going on Saturday morning with stable apprentice Olivia East in the saddle.
“He does have a nomination for Sydney,” Price said.
“He had a reverse way gallop on Saturday morning because he’s such a good wet tracker and Sydney’s got Noah’s Ark floating down the middle.
Twenty-four-year-old East has ridden four winners from 18 race rides and is on the comeback after a fractured collarbone in a fall at Werribee on May 31, saying La Fracas handled the reverse gallop perfectly.
“He worked the house down,” East said.
Price had flirted with the idea of waiting for next Saturday’s Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield however a chat with leading jockey Blake Shinn deterred that line of thinking.
“I had a thought to run him in the Regal Roller, I had a chat with Blake Shinn but he had a few high rated horses that we thought would run there,” Price said.
Having stretched out to a mile last preparation, the stable has kept the son of Night Of Thunder to 1200m this time in, but Price is wary of the challenges the tight-turning Moonee Valley could pose.
“The race has got to be right so what we’ll do is accept for the two races and have a look, because if he draws in at Moonee Valley I don’t think it’s advantageous because he’s a bit of a wind-up horse,” Price said.
“I tried him over a mile last time too and he nearly got it but at the moment because he’s fresh and well, we’re keeping him to 1200 (metres), but you may see him in Sydney.”
An 83 rater, La Fracas has top weight of 62.5kg in the benchmark 78 at Randwick and 59.5kg in the benchmark 84 at Moonee Valley.
