Boom horse Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) is likely to return to the races later his month on Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) day – but not in the feature race on the card.
Speaking after the four-year-old cruised around in second gear in an 800-metre trial at Cranbourne on Monday, co-trainer Mick Price said the horse’s unplaced trial effort on a heavy surface was just was he wanted to see ahead of a spring carnival that holds so much promise.
“The horse was under strict instructions from J. Kah not to get off the bridle and the jockey was under instructions from the trainer not to get off the bridle,” Price said shortly after the trial.
“We’ve got a little plan happening and this track is heavy so we didn’t need to do anything stupid there and we were always going to trial up on the bridle.
“The horse had a little puff, which was going to happen also. He hasn’t done much galloping, but he had a nice day out and it was a good bit of motivation for the lad.”
Ayrton is regarded as one of the most promising horses in the land after winning four of his first five races as a three-year-old and he has been installed as the hot favourite for the $7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill in late October.
Price said he planned for Ayrton to resume on August 28 a Caulfield over the same course as the A$1 million Memsie Stakes.
“He’ll trial again in two weeks’ time (at Caulfield) so we’ll wait until the 17th (August) and have a course proper trial and then on the 28th, I am thinking we will run in a 1400-metre handicap.
“He’s a 92-rater in a 1400-metre handicap and so it is a nice kick-off point for him and then we are up and running from there.
“She (Jamie Kah) said he was good and handled that ground under a hold, but whether he does under race conditions is another matter.”
The progressive gelding made his way to the Price-Kent yard care of a deal negotiated by Kiwi bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo, who was quick to identify the raw talent from the barn of top Cambridge horsewoman Lauren Brennan.
